Dr. Christophe Cordonnier

brings over 30 years of expertise to the fields of Agri-finance, Agri-economics, MSME finance, and climate finance. With a significant portion of his career dedicated to consultancy provision for technical assistance programs funded by various international financial institutions, Dr. Cordonnier he possesses over a wealth of experience.

His leadership roles have included spearheading initiatives aimed at fostering sustainable agricultural development and enhancing access to finance and resources for Agri-MSMEs. Through these projects, he has developed extensive knowledge in financial product development, non-financial services (NFS) development, institutional capacity building, and training delivery, particularly within the Agri- and MSME finance sectors.

Dr. Cordonnier is adept at enhancing access to finance for agricultural and MSME clients, as well as improving the technical capabilities of farmers and agribusinesses through the delivery of agricultural extension services. Currently, he is involved in a project focused on promoting sustainable agricultural development and enhancing Agri-MSMEs' access to finance, extension services, technologies, know-how, and networks.

His extensive experience has endowed him with a deep understanding of project design and the ability to tailor solutions to the specific needs of funding institutions, making him a valuable asset in the realm of agricultural development and finance.

Moaaz Gebaily

With over 10 years of experience in the sustainable energy field, Moaaz Gebaily has a proven track record of providing technical support to organizations and financing institutions to adopt and implement decarbonization and sustainability strategies. As a Sustainable Energy Finance Consultant at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Moaaz supports the capacity building for various climate asset classes, such as renewable energies, energy and resources efficiency, circular economy, green buildings, and climate smart agriculture. Additionally, Mr. Gebaily has significant experience supporting microfinance institutions to design and deploy climate products.

Youssef Mekouar

Youssef has +20 years of international experience in consulting and financial sector within international environments (MENA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe).

At IFC, Youssef is Expert on Microfinance and Digital Financial Services with a focus on MENA region. Among his recent achievements, he supported several MFIs to set and implement their Digital Transformation strategy.

Prior to joining IFC, Youssef was a Consulting Director at PwC Advisory (Morocco and France) where he led projects covering performance improvement, business transformation and risk management topics.

Youssef holds an Executive MBA from EM LYON Business School and a master’s degree in IT Engineering from INSA de Lyon.

Dr. Alaa Ensheiwat

Dr. Alaa Ensheiwat is the CEO of UWallet, with over 25 years of experience in leading software solutions and FinTech companies. Dr. Ensheiwat is recognized for his strategic thinking, implementation abilities, and innovation.  He has acted in all management roles including Project Manager, Program Manager, Head of PMO, Director of operations, and CEO for many companies including LeProcess, SSS, AvermaSoft, Dinarak, and Zain Cash.

Dr. Ensheiwat is currently the Chairman of AvermaSoft company, and the Chairman of the National Sector Skills Council in Jordan and DigiSkills, a nonprofit organization and is a good example of the public-private partnership that aims at upgrading the skills of the ICT graduates in Jordan and connecting them with private sector.

He also served as a board member of The Information and Communications Technology Association of Jordan (Int@j) on many occasions (2010-2012 and 2016-2018). 

Ali Hijazi

Ali Hijazi is a professional economic growth, financial and economic inclusion practitioner with 18 years of experience in managing and implementing economic development, financial inclusion, and microfinance programs targeting MSMEs across all business sectors.

Through his career journey, he worked with several international, local organizations, investors, MFIs, and policy makers where he acquainted in-depth understanding of the financial sector and contributed extensively to the microfinance industry and SME segment in Lebanon.

Ali holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik-USEK.

Ghamdan Awn

Mr. Ghamdan Awn, a seasoned financial professional, boasts around two decades of experience across microfinance, facilities management, institutional development, and strategic planning.  His expertise extends to financial management, auditing, and risk mitigation, ensuring the financial health and operational efficiency of organizations.

Mr. Ghamdan Awn is a certified trainer and consultant, highly sought after for his knowledge in financial analysis, risk management, and operational performance evaluation. He has a proven track record of success in guiding institutions and banks through financial assessments, system design, and regulatory compliance. His leadership extends beyond consulting, as he actively chairs committees at AMB for development, facilitation, strategic planning, crisis management, restructuring, liquidity management, and project management.

Furthermore, Mr. Ghamdan Awn has played a key role in developing numerous operational processes, policies, and products at AMB and stands as a founding member of Al-Amal Microfinance Bank (AMB), demonstrating his commitment to financial inclusion and fostering economic opportunities as well.

Iveta Tancheva-Nikolova

Iveta is a Director at Finance in Motion, advising the SANAD Fund for MSMEs. She is currently responsible for the SANAD Debt Sub-Fund and previously oversaw the investment portfolios for the EFSE and GGF funds in the South Caucuses. Iveta is leading SANAD’s activities in the MENA region and selected countries in SSA. She is steering the fund’s impact agenda with a particular focus on broadening access to finance for women in business and supporting female entrepreneurship through the fund’s investment and technical assistance initiatives. She joined Finance in Motion in 2012 after spending 10 years at HSBC and ING Barings in London. Iveta helped emerging market companies in raising capital, she also advised clients in the financial services sector. Iveta holds an MBA from the Weatherhead School of Management (US) and the CEU in Budapest.

Kateryna Morton

Kateryna is a Manager at Finance in Motion, leading the Technical Assistance Facility of the SANAD Fund for MSME at Finance in Motion, overseeing the Facility’s project portfolio across the Middle East, North and Sub-Saharan Africa. Before joining Finance in Motion in 2016, Kateryna has worked for U.S. Embassy in Ukraine - Department of Energy section where she was engaged in programs that address nuclear non-proliferation, energy, and environmental challenges in Ukraine. Prior to that, Kateryna worked for American Councils for International Education where she was responsible for the coordination of the US Department of State student exchange program. Kateryna holds a Master’s degree in English & French from V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, Ukraine.

Sally Yacoub

Sally Yacoub is a multicultural professional with more than twenty years of experience. Ms. Yacoub has vast experience in providing technical and strategic advice and leadership on gender equality and financial inclusion. She is proficient at conducting gender lens investing analysis, gender-responsive research, gender assessments, and gendered market/sectoral analysis. She is well versed in designing and delivering training, pragmatic strategies, toolkits, and project interventions that aim to promote gender equality and the inclusion of under-represented groups. Her career spans across regions and areas/sectors such as women’s economic empowerment, entrepreneurship, energy, and youth employment.

Ms. Yacoub is providing advisory services to several organizations including GIZ Cameroon, SANAD Fund, GIZ Nigeria, FINCA USA, IPC, and Alinea International. Before that, Sally provided gender advisory and consultancy services to the European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP), the MicroInsurance Center at Milliman, Deloitte Consulting, Women’s World Banking, and the Centre for Financial Inclusion (CFI) at Accion, among others. Between 2016 and 2019, she also served as a Financial Inclusion and Financial Education Consultant for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region working for the Swiss Capacity Building Facility (SCBF). Before then, she was the Deputy Project Manager and Gender Focal Point for GIZ’s Promotion of Access to Financial Services for SMEs in Egypt (PAFSME) Project as well as a Senior Project Officer, Gender Officer, and Quality Assurance Officer for the Swiss Development Cooperation in Egypt.

Ms. Yacoub holds a master’s degree from Ludwigsburg University of Education in Germany whereby her thesis aimed to analyze gender mainstreaming in the United Nations.

Abeer Obwah

Business Development Marketing Director at Tamweelcom with more than 15 years’ experience in financial institutions, working in consumer protection certification, social and environmental responsibility, and green strategy.