Financial institutions are increasingly recognizing the importance of non-financial services (NFS) in empowering women entrepreneurs to succeed. A critical component of these all-important NFS is education opportunities that can fill the business and financial knowledge gaps disproportionately faced by women SME owners and/or operators. Join Joanna Romero, NFS Global Champion, International Finance Corporation; Raya Sbitany, Chief Business Development and Financial Inclusion Officer, Bank of Palestine & Chanda Chime-Katongo, Head of Women's Banking Proposition and Corporate Affairs, Stanbic Bank Zambia Limited for a discussion on providing women clients with access to the education they need to be successful in business - and a look at the strong outcomes both banks and their clients have seen as a result.

This event is organized in partnership with Global Banking Alliance for Women (GBA).

About the speakers

Joanna Romero is Global Champion for Non-Financial Services in SME Banking at the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Over the last six years, she advised banks across Asia, Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa on a variety of topics in SME banking including strategy, segmentation, customer value proposition, non-financial services and sales effectiveness. Her most recent clients include key players in the banking sectors of Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Laos, Mongolia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.  

Raya Yusuf-Sbitany joined Bank of Palestine, the largest Palestinian bank in 2011. She is currently Chief Business Development and Financial Inclusion Officer, after holding previous roles in Investor Relations and Quality Assurance at the bank. Since then she has been leading the design and implementation of the Felestineya women markets program at Bank of Palestine. 

Chanda Chime-Katongo is a banker with more than 15 years of experience with 8 years in senior positions in Standard Chartered Bank and Stanbic Bank Limited. She currently heads the Women's Banking Proposition and Corporate Affairs for Stanbic Bank Zambia Limited. In her capacity as Head Women's Banking, she is responsible for the growth of Women's Banking and ensuring that Stanbic is the Bank of choice for women in Zambia. 

This event is organized in partnership with Global Banking Alliance for Women (GBA).

Contact: Farah Siddique  | fsiddique@ifc.org