The Fund has a Governing Board and an Investment Committee. The Board is a blend of investor representatives and independent directors with access to global knowledge and experience with MFIs as well as MF investment funds and with experience in mainstream investment banking and the social sector.
Paul DiLeo is the Chief Executive Officer of the Gray Ghost Microfinance Fund. Before joining Gray Ghost, Mr Di Leo worked for two decades in international finance and development, first for the US Treasury and Federal Reserve and subsequently for an investment fund in Russia. For the past 10 years, he has worked specifically in development finance, focusing on small business finance and microfinance, as director of ShoreBank Corporation’s international activities and as an independent consultant to investors and international agencies.
Bob Assenberg started his career with positions in corporate finance, treasury and financial planning & control with multinational companies, based in the Netherlands and UK (London). Subsequently he moved to FMO where he was involved in acquisition, negotiation and management of debt and mezzanine investments in developing countries in Asia (primarily China, Thailand and Vietnam). Bob joined IPC, a microfinance consulting company, in 2003 and after a short period in Serbia & Montenegro, he became General Manager of ProCredit Bank in Bosnia & Herzegovina. Recently in December 2005, Bob joined Triodos International Fund Management in the position of Deputy Director.
Arun Duggal is a senior banker who has had a long career with Bank of America during which he also served as the CEO of Bank of America, India. He serves as an independent director on the Board of several national and multinational companies across various sectors.
Mathew Titus is presently the Executive Director of Sa-dhan, the industry association of Indian Microfinance. He has vast experience in the social sector and serves as an independent director on the Bellwether Board.
S Viswanatha Prasad, is a senior Microfinance professional who has over eight years of operating and senior management experience in the microfinance sector, preceded by a decade in the mainstream financial sector. Prasad is a co-founder of The Bellwether Microfinance Fund and is also the promoter of Caspian Advisors, the Fund Manager of Bellwether. Prasad was earlier associated with and was instrumental in the rapid growth of India's first regulated MFI, Bhartiya Samruddhi Finance Limited (BASIX Group), where he served as COO and then CEO.
MS Verma, Chairman, Bellwether Microfinance Fund Mayashankar Verma, a career banker with 45 years experience of working in the Indian financial sector has held some of the senior most and critical positions in the country’s financial system as well as its regulatory regimes.
In a career spanning over more than four decades with the State Bank of India, India’s largest commercial bank, Mr. Verma’s experience has been multi-level and wide ranging, on different facets of banking at national and international levels encompassing commercial, developmental and investment banking as well as asset management and Capital market operations. He was the Chairman of the State Bank of India from April 1997 to November 1998
Emile Groot, Financial Sector Specialist, Asia Department, FMO Emile Groot an experienced professional in the field of financial services for the poor joins the board of Bellwether as a nominee of FMO. With over 22 years in FMO, Emile has gained substantial experience of being a director on the boards of funds operating in specific geographies and continents. Emile was holding the post of Manager in-charge of all FMO’s SME investments worldwide. At present, Emile is in-charge of FMO’s activities in the financial sector for all of Asia and serves on the boards of other Microfinance Funds like Shore Cap International, Chicago and Africap, Johannesburg.