Secretariat
Core Staff
Vidhi Tambiah, Chief Executive Officer
Before joining the World Microfinance Forum Geneva in 2009, Vidhi Tambiah has spent almost 20 years as an investment professional. Starting with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), he worked as an auditor and developed an investment management consulting practice focusing on risk management and emerging market entry strategies. After PwC he joined the World Economic Forum in Geneva where he helped create the Centre for Strategic Insight, initiated industry working groups on various sustainable business issues and contributed to the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Vidhi actively engages in emerging market investing activities and holds an Economics degree from the London School of Economics, an MBA from Duke University and charters from the CFA Institute and Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
Before joining the World Microfinance Forum Geneva in 2009, Vidhi Tambiah has spent almost 20 years as an investment professional. Starting with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), he worked as an auditor and developed an investment management consulting practice focusing on risk management and emerging market entry strategies. After PwC he joined the World Economic Forum in Geneva where he helped create the Centre for Strategic Insight, initiated industry working groups on various sustainable business issues and contributed to the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Vidhi actively engages in emerging market investing activities and holds an Economics degree from the London School of Economics, an MBA from Duke University and charters from the CFA Institute and Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
Pete Sparreboom is in charge of the content of working group meetings and research; she also manages the association's academic partnerships. Pete lived 12 years in Africa and Asia, where she worked as a long-term technical advisor and short-term consultant to microfinance institutions and their funders. Her employers and clients have included management consultancy firms such as Deloitte&Touche and International Capital Corporation, international networks such as ACCION International and Shorebank International, and bilateral donors such as GTZ and DfID. Pete holds an MSc in Development Economics from Erasmus University and a Diploma in Banking from the Netherlands Institute for the Banking and Stockbroking Industry.
Claire Favre, Senior Associate
Claire Favre is in charge of member relations, working group coordination and support, and office management. Prior to joining the World Microfinance Forum Geneva in August 2009, Claire worked in communications for two years, promoting sustainable development and corporate social responsibility. She holds an MA in International Relations from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva.
Claire Favre is in charge of member relations, working group coordination and support, and office management. Prior to joining the World Microfinance Forum Geneva in August 2009, Claire worked in communications for two years, promoting sustainable development and corporate social responsibility. She holds an MA in International Relations from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva.
Fellowship Candidates, Interns and Volunteers
Ramkumar Narayanan joined WMFG in February 2010, and currently supports the Working Group on Investment in Inclusive Finance in China. He obtained a master’s degree in Public Management in 2009. During his studies, Ramkumar worked internationally in communications and training. His Masters’ thesis involved an analysis of the social efficiency of microfinance institutions in five countries using the Data Envelopment Analysis method.
Hao Li joined WMFG in April 2010, and is currently supporting the Working Group on Investment in Inclusive Finance in China. Hao holds a Bachelors in International Development Studies from the University of Toronto, and is working towards a Masters in the same subject at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva. During her studies she worked as an event manager. She also was the President of UNICEF UTSC at the University of Toronto. She is fluent in Mandarin, Japanese and English.
