Microfinanza Srl was created in October 2000 in Italy; the founder members are seven professionals having specific experience in the field of microcredit and development. The members of the board of directors involved in the daily management of the company are the following:
Giampietro Pizzo held the position of President of the company since 2007; he is a founding member of Microfinanza srl and is also a founding member of RITMI, the Italian Microfinance Network and Vice President of EMN, the European Microfinace Network. Giampietro is an economist and microfinance specialist with 25 years of international experience in the field. His knowledge and experience cover several areas with a specific focus on: rural finance, finance for development, project development, international program evaluation, technical assistance and consultancies, financial and strategic planning, SME finance. He worked as a consultant, project manager and regional coordinator in Africa, Latin America and Europe. He has over 20 years of experience in technical assistance to MFIs and financial institutions, SMEs, international and territorial cooperation programs.
Fabio Malanchini is a founding member of Microfinanza srl. After having graduated with a Master of Science Degree from Bocconi University in Milan, Fabio worked for several years in the Department of Economics at Bocconi University and concurrently as a consultant in the field of microfinance. Fabio is a senior microfinance specialist, with over 14 years of professional experience in management and implementation of complex consulting/technical assistance assignments; delivery of technical assistance services in various fields including risk management, product design, financial projections, performance analysis, business planning, project design, feasibility studies; development of methodologies and tools for rating, evaluation and diagnostic of microfinance institutions; rating of more than 35 microfinance institutions; management of multicultural teams working in different countries; delivery of trainings both at academic level and operational level.
Massimo Vita has a significant experience in the field of microfinance and, in general, of financial institutions with a working experience of 11 years. He is a Faculty member of Boulder Microfinance Training Program (MFT). After joining Microfinanza in 2003, he carried out more than 80 microfinance ratings and assessment missions in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Eastern Europe and the Balkans, and Central Asia. He has conducted several trainings for MFI networks in Latin America and in Africa. Massimo has also been involved in several assignments of consulting, feasibility studies, provision of technical assistance and evaluation for microfinance programs and microenterprises development projects. Before joining MicroFinanza Rating, he collaborated for a period with UNIDO in Vienna at the SMEs development department and for Arthur Andersen (and Andersen MBA). Actually Massimo Vita held the position of TA Field Expert of the Regmifa.
Micol Guarneri is graduated in Economics at Bocconi University, Milan, Mrs. Guarneri has been working in the microfinance sector since 2000 and has extensive experience in assessment & rating services, training and technical assistance provided to MFIs. Starting from October 2011, Mrs Guarneri is the director of SPM (Social Performance Management). She is in charge of the area dedicated to Social Performance and Client protection Technical Assistance services. From January 2006 to August 2011 she was the director of the Social Rating Department of MFR, in charge of the marketing strategy and coordination of the social rating activities. In this capacity, she participated in the sector’s efforts (SPTF) for the standardisation of social indicators and she successfully developed the social rating methodology for MFR. She is one of the member of the Technical Committee for Client Protection Certification promoted by the SMART Campaign. Mrs Guarneri conducted evaluations and rating exercises of numerous MFIs in different continents and has extensive experience in delivering training on social performance assessment and management. Before joining MicroFinanza Srl, Mrs Guarneri worked with several Italian NGOs providing technical assistance services to microfinance projects, mainly in Africa and Eastern Europe.
Microfinance Srl is professionally equipped in order to identify, follow and support the different projects and programme at European and International level. The main consultants of the team involved in the daily management of project activities are:
Filippo Vettorato has gained more than 10 years experience as a consultant and researcher in microfinance field. Before joining Microfinanza srl he worked for 8 years with the Italian leading microfinance sector international financial institution Etimos SC as Area Manager for Africa, and was responsible for the development and the management of services addressed to MFIs. Filippo has conducted financial, organizational and social assessment dedicated to agriculture cooperatives, savings and credit cooperatives operating in rural areas and MFIs. Main areas of activity include institutional diagnostic; evaluation of microfinance institutions (MFIs); rural and urban microfinance; economic and financial analysis and projections; business and strategic planning; definition of credit products and performance monitoring of loans portfolio; technical assistance and evaluation of microfinance projects.
Katia Raguzzoni has a significant experience in the field of project design and project management; she worked mainly on project related to local development, agricultural development, microcredit and microfinance, professional training and capacity building of local partners (state and non state actors). After joining Microfinanza Srl she has been involved mainly in operational projects related to migrant remittances and microfinance. She is familiar with the PCM - LF, identification, formulation, monitoring, evaluation and co-ordination of multi-partnership projects, management of tendering procedures and projectsand reporting. More of 14 years of experience in international project management as project manager and desk officer for projects in Mediterranean countries and Africa. Katia has been involved in undertaking numerous feasibility studies and in providing technical assistance to local partners. Actually Katia held the position of backstopping officer in the framework of the Regmifa.
Elsa Valli is an Economist specialized in Statistics and Social Science from the Luigi Bocconi University in Italy with a Masters Degree in Development Economics from the University of Sussex. Her main skills are in economics, development issues and applied quantitative methods. In 2009 she has joined Microfinanza where she gained valuable experience in the microfinance sector. Elsa has been a consultant for a project aimed at developing simple poverty scorecards, she performed social rating and institutional diagnostics of MFIs. She is a trainer for courses on microfinance and she develops project proposals. She also performs evaluation of microfinance projects and contributes to the research studies carried out by Microfinanza.
Umiliana Grifoni is an economist with over 20 years of professional experience in international and territorial cooperation programmes. Working as project manager, regional coordinator and consultant mainly in Africa, Mediterranean countries and Europe she has gained a significant practical expertise in the project cycle management and logical framework matrix. She has also developed a sound ability in developing feasibility studies, sectoral analysis and development plans as well as in facilitating multi-stakeholders networks. Sectors-wise, her knowledge and experience cover several areas with a specific focus on: rural development, sustainable management of natural resources, SMEs, micro-finance, local/regional development, institutional strengthening and capacity building of public administrations at regional/local level and of non-state actors. In the last years Umiliana developed a sound experience in providing training and advisory services to public administrations regarding strategic planning and procedures for implementing and reporting international and territorial cooperation programmes. She is founding member of Microfinanza srl.
Licia Girardi is graduate in International Business Studies from the University of Verona and is attending the Specialized Degree Course in Management. She joined Microfinanza Srl in 2008 and she is actually in charge of the administrative area (accounting and financial management) as well as supporting the secretariat of project activites.
Valeria Eleonora Pujia is graduated in Economics with a Master of Science Degree from Bocconi University in Milan. She has a solid preparation in applied economics, supported by quantitative and qualitative tools. She joined Microfinanza Srl in November 2011 and she is currently working in the area dedicated to Social Performance and Client protection Technical Assistance services. She collaborated with MicrofinanzaRating and investigated the relationships between the financial and social performance of MFIs. She has also acquired field experiences in Brazil and Mozambique and she has recently carried out two social performance field missions in Cambodia as Microfinanza Srl.
Marta Bortolazzi is an Economist specialized in Local development, cooperation and international markets from the University of Parma in Italy with a second level Master’s degree in “International Cooperation and Development” from the Institute for the Advanced Studies in Pavia, Italy. She worked as trainer on awareness and educational rural project in Brazil and as project assistant on rural and urban development projects in India and Malawi with different NGOs. Besides, she has been collaborating as assistant research funding in the field of renewable energies, in Brussels. She is familiar with PCM-LF of multi-partners projects. She joined Microfinanza Srl in 2010 and she took part in the implementation of a feasibility study on microcredit opportunities in favor of holders of subsidiary protection. She is currently collaborating in several project activities implemented by the Technical Assistance Area.
Giampietro Pizzo held the position of President of the company since 2007; he is a founding member of Microfinanza srl and is also a founding member of RITMI, the Italian Microfinance Network and Vice President of EMN, the European Microfinace Network. Giampietro is an economist and microfinance specialist with 25 years of international experience in the field. His knowledge and experience cover several areas with a specific focus on: rural finance, finance for development, project development, international program evaluation, technical assistance and consultancies, financial and strategic planning, SME finance. He worked as a consultant, project manager and regional coordinator in Africa, Latin America and Europe. He has over 20 years of experience in technical assistance to MFIs and financial institutions, SMEs, international and territorial cooperation programs.
Fabio Malanchini is a founding member of Microfinanza srl. After having graduated with a Master of Science Degree from Bocconi University in Milan, Fabio worked for several years in the Department of Economics at Bocconi University and concurrently as a consultant in the field of microfinance. Fabio is a senior microfinance specialist, with over 14 years of professional experience in management and implementation of complex consulting/technical assistance assignments; delivery of technical assistance services in various fields including risk management, product design, financial projections, performance analysis, business planning, project design, feasibility studies; development of methodologies and tools for rating, evaluation and diagnostic of microfinance institutions; rating of more than 35 microfinance institutions; management of multicultural teams working in different countries; delivery of trainings both at academic level and operational level.
Massimo Vita has a significant experience in the field of microfinance and, in general, of financial institutions with a working experience of 11 years. He is a Faculty member of Boulder Microfinance Training Program (MFT). After joining Microfinanza in 2003, he carried out more than 80 microfinance ratings and assessment missions in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Eastern Europe and the Balkans, and Central Asia. He has conducted several trainings for MFI networks in Latin America and in Africa. Massimo has also been involved in several assignments of consulting, feasibility studies, provision of technical assistance and evaluation for microfinance programs and microenterprises development projects. Before joining MicroFinanza Rating, he collaborated for a period with UNIDO in Vienna at the SMEs development department and for Arthur Andersen (and Andersen MBA). Actually Massimo Vita held the position of TA Field Expert of the Regmifa.
Micol Guarneri is graduated in Economics at Bocconi University, Milan, Mrs. Guarneri has been working in the microfinance sector since 2000 and has extensive experience in assessment & rating services, training and technical assistance provided to MFIs. Starting from October 2011, Mrs Guarneri is the director of SPM (Social Performance Management). She is in charge of the area dedicated to Social Performance and Client protection Technical Assistance services. From January 2006 to August 2011 she was the director of the Social Rating Department of MFR, in charge of the marketing strategy and coordination of the social rating activities. In this capacity, she participated in the sector’s efforts (SPTF) for the standardisation of social indicators and she successfully developed the social rating methodology for MFR. She is one of the member of the Technical Committee for Client Protection Certification promoted by the SMART Campaign. Mrs Guarneri conducted evaluations and rating exercises of numerous MFIs in different continents and has extensive experience in delivering training on social performance assessment and management. Before joining MicroFinanza Srl, Mrs Guarneri worked with several Italian NGOs providing technical assistance services to microfinance projects, mainly in Africa and Eastern Europe.
Microfinance Srl is professionally equipped in order to identify, follow and support the different projects and programme at European and International level. The main consultants of the team involved in the daily management of project activities are:
Filippo Vettorato has gained more than 10 years experience as a consultant and researcher in microfinance field. Before joining Microfinanza srl he worked for 8 years with the Italian leading microfinance sector international financial institution Etimos SC as Area Manager for Africa, and was responsible for the development and the management of services addressed to MFIs. Filippo has conducted financial, organizational and social assessment dedicated to agriculture cooperatives, savings and credit cooperatives operating in rural areas and MFIs. Main areas of activity include institutional diagnostic; evaluation of microfinance institutions (MFIs); rural and urban microfinance; economic and financial analysis and projections; business and strategic planning; definition of credit products and performance monitoring of loans portfolio; technical assistance and evaluation of microfinance projects.
Katia Raguzzoni has a significant experience in the field of project design and project management; she worked mainly on project related to local development, agricultural development, microcredit and microfinance, professional training and capacity building of local partners (state and non state actors). After joining Microfinanza Srl she has been involved mainly in operational projects related to migrant remittances and microfinance. She is familiar with the PCM - LF, identification, formulation, monitoring, evaluation and co-ordination of multi-partnership projects, management of tendering procedures and projectsand reporting. More of 14 years of experience in international project management as project manager and desk officer for projects in Mediterranean countries and Africa. Katia has been involved in undertaking numerous feasibility studies and in providing technical assistance to local partners. Actually Katia held the position of backstopping officer in the framework of the Regmifa.
Elsa Valli is an Economist specialized in Statistics and Social Science from the Luigi Bocconi University in Italy with a Masters Degree in Development Economics from the University of Sussex. Her main skills are in economics, development issues and applied quantitative methods. In 2009 she has joined Microfinanza where she gained valuable experience in the microfinance sector. Elsa has been a consultant for a project aimed at developing simple poverty scorecards, she performed social rating and institutional diagnostics of MFIs. She is a trainer for courses on microfinance and she develops project proposals. She also performs evaluation of microfinance projects and contributes to the research studies carried out by Microfinanza.
Umiliana Grifoni is an economist with over 20 years of professional experience in international and territorial cooperation programmes. Working as project manager, regional coordinator and consultant mainly in Africa, Mediterranean countries and Europe she has gained a significant practical expertise in the project cycle management and logical framework matrix. She has also developed a sound ability in developing feasibility studies, sectoral analysis and development plans as well as in facilitating multi-stakeholders networks. Sectors-wise, her knowledge and experience cover several areas with a specific focus on: rural development, sustainable management of natural resources, SMEs, micro-finance, local/regional development, institutional strengthening and capacity building of public administrations at regional/local level and of non-state actors. In the last years Umiliana developed a sound experience in providing training and advisory services to public administrations regarding strategic planning and procedures for implementing and reporting international and territorial cooperation programmes. She is founding member of Microfinanza srl.
Licia Girardi is graduate in International Business Studies from the University of Verona and is attending the Specialized Degree Course in Management. She joined Microfinanza Srl in 2008 and she is actually in charge of the administrative area (accounting and financial management) as well as supporting the secretariat of project activites.
Valeria Eleonora Pujia is graduated in Economics with a Master of Science Degree from Bocconi University in Milan. She has a solid preparation in applied economics, supported by quantitative and qualitative tools. She joined Microfinanza Srl in November 2011 and she is currently working in the area dedicated to Social Performance and Client protection Technical Assistance services. She collaborated with MicrofinanzaRating and investigated the relationships between the financial and social performance of MFIs. She has also acquired field experiences in Brazil and Mozambique and she has recently carried out two social performance field missions in Cambodia as Microfinanza Srl.
Marta Bortolazzi is an Economist specialized in Local development, cooperation and international markets from the University of Parma in Italy with a second level Master’s degree in “International Cooperation and Development” from the Institute for the Advanced Studies in Pavia, Italy. She worked as trainer on awareness and educational rural project in Brazil and as project assistant on rural and urban development projects in India and Malawi with different NGOs. Besides, she has been collaborating as assistant research funding in the field of renewable energies, in Brussels. She is familiar with PCM-LF of multi-partners projects. She joined Microfinanza Srl in 2010 and she took part in the implementation of a feasibility study on microcredit opportunities in favor of holders of subsidiary protection. She is currently collaborating in several project activities implemented by the Technical Assistance Area.