Francesca Lo Re
Padua
Summary
Results oriented development professional with over 20 years of impact investment and advisory services experience in emerging markets. Demonstrated success in managing impact investment portfolios and in designing and implementing advisory programs to enhance financial inclusion.
Special focus includes microfinance, MSME and rural finance, social business and cooperatives, agricultural insurance, financial infrastructure and inclusion, housing finance and renewable energy finance.
Experienced in companies’ due diligence for financial, impact and strategic evaluation.
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
Work History
Corporate and International Development Specialist
Consultant
03.2021 - Current
- Extending advice and technical support for corporate development, access to financial services and financial inclusion
- Expertise: due diligence and M&A, project design and structuring, business case & market assessment and studies, support for blended finance operations, strategic planning, business origination and pipeline development, negotiations, credit appraisal and structuring of deals, portfolio management and supervision.
- 2024, International Finance Corporation (IFC)- Assessment of the alternative data landscape in Bangladesh for companies, investors, Government and agencies to introduce and develop alternative credit reporting scoring tools in a regulated environment.
- 2021 – to date, PM Holding Group (life science) - Corporate Development Support role: advice for foreign companies’ acquisitions and internationalization; leadership in M&A and due diligence process; lead access to blended finance instruments and relations with banks. Collaborated with teams to define, strategize, and implement acquisition strategies.
- 2021, Eticss Srl, Sustainable Finance Advisory Firm - Designed and structured an agro-processing development project in Ivory Coast.
Senior Financial Sector Specialist
WORLD BANK GROUP (WBG)
07.2014 - 06.2020
- Coordinated, managed and oversaw a technical assistance portfolio across a range of WBG products to support financial sector development in Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and Azerbaijan
- Extended capacity building and lending facilities to private and public sector clients, including governments, central banks, and ministry lines.
- Led more than 50 projects and programs in the areas of access to finance and markets, MSME banking, agricultural finance, agricultural insurance, financial infrastructure, renewable energy finance, budget support.
- Official reviewer for the World Bank credit lines procedures.
- Featured programs: series of financial infrastructure development projects in Bangladesh and Bhutan (credit reporting, secured transactions, insolvency), livestock insurance in Bangladesh, support to financial sector development in Bangladesh, financial intermediation for renewable energy projects in Nepal, financial intermediation for SME forestry-based projects in Nepal, budget support with the Royal Government of Bhutan, microfinance facility to support Internally Displaced People in Azerbaijan.
Program Coordinator Access to Finance for Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan
INTERNATIONAL FINANCE CORPORATION (IFC)
06.2013 - 06.2014
- Coordinated and oversaw an access to finance advisory program across Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan focused on: MSME banking and risk management, microfinance, sustainable energy finance, index weather insurance, Environment and Social Risk Management, social housing, payments, non-financial services, and women in business.
- Managed US$18M portfolio, 15 clients, 25 projects.
- Consolidated and expanded the program by signing new agreements with MSME banks in the three countries.
- Led a team of ten people based in Dhaka and Kathmandu.
Chief Investment Officer
CONSORZIO ETIMOS S.c. (Impact Investor)
10.2008 - 05.2013
- Led development and management of Eur27M investment portfolio in ten countries, seventy microfinance institutions and fair-trade companies across South America, Asia, and Africa.
- Strategic planning, business origination and pipeline development, negotiations, credit appraisal and structuring of deals, portfolio management and supervision.
- Led a team of seven financial analysts across Italy (HQ), South America, Asia, and Africa.
Lead Investment Officer Asia
CONSORZIO ETIMOS S.C. (Impact Investor)
02.2005 - 09.2008
- Led development and management of Eur 7M investment portfolio in Sri Lanka and Cambodia.
- In Sri Lanka, developed an integrated investment and advisory recovery program for Tsunami affected microfinance institutions: Eur 5M investments complemented by technical assistance, 13 microfinance institutions supported, 7.000 beneficiaries served.
- Led pipeline development, clients’ negotiations and closure of deals, portfolio appraisal and monitoring.
- Sri Lanka country representative.
Admin/Finance Manager for Pakistan
INTERSOS (NGO, Humanitarian Aid)
07.2004 - 01.2005
- Admin/finance coordination of ongoing activities and projects in preparation by INTERSOS Pakistan.
- Direction of accounting, report and management of funds.
- Ensured projects' compliance with standard admin/finance procedures and donors’ guidelines.
Financial Analyst
BANCA POPOLARE ETICA S.c.p.a.
02.2002 - 06.2004
- Credit appraisal of cooperatives, social enterprises, non-governmental organizations and associations.
- Managed and monitored the investment portfolio.
- Led the due diligence of a subsidiary company investing in emerging countries and conducted missions in Togo and Benin.
Consultant
INTERSOS (NGO, Humanitarian Aid)
02.2004 - 03.2004
- Financial and impact assessment of an aid program implemented by a local Ngo in Peshawar.
Financial Analyst
BANCA NAZIONALE DEL LAVORO S.p.a.
12.1998 - 01.2002
- Supported corporate managers to conduct due diligence, manage and monitor the investment portfolio.
- Credit appraisal, portfolio monitoring, and relations with corporate clients.
Education
Management Certificate -
Boulder Institute of Microfinance
01.2010
BSc - Economics and Business Administration
Ca’ Foscari University
01.1998
Diploma di Maturità Scientifica -
Liceo Scientifico “Jacopo da Ponte”
Bassano del Grappa, VI01.1993
Skills
- Business development and planning
- Partnership development
- Monitoring and evaluation
- Research and analysis
Languages
Italian
English
Spanish
French
Publications
- Microfinanza per tornare a vivere, Francesca Lo Re, Lucia Poletti, 2008, Lupetti, Editori di Comunicazione
- World Bank Agricultural Insurance Study in Bangladesh, 2015
Locations
- Padua, Padua, Italy
- Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Kathmandu, Kathmandu, Nepal
- Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan
- Vicenza, Vicenza, Italy
- Bassano del Grappa, Bassano del Grappa, Italy, 36061
Timeline
Corporate and International Development Specialist
Consultant
03.2021 - Current
Senior Financial Sector Specialist
WORLD BANK GROUP (WBG)
07.2014 - 06.2020
Program Coordinator Access to Finance for Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan
INTERNATIONAL FINANCE CORPORATION (IFC)
06.2013 - 06.2014
Chief Investment Officer
CONSORZIO ETIMOS S.c. (Impact Investor)
10.2008 - 05.2013
Lead Investment Officer Asia
CONSORZIO ETIMOS S.C. (Impact Investor)
02.2005 - 09.2008
Admin/Finance Manager for Pakistan
INTERSOS (NGO, Humanitarian Aid)
07.2004 - 01.2005
Consultant
INTERSOS (NGO, Humanitarian Aid)
02.2004 - 03.2004
Financial Analyst
BANCA POPOLARE ETICA S.c.p.a.
02.2002 - 06.2004
Financial Analyst
BANCA NAZIONALE DEL LAVORO S.p.a.
12.1998 - 01.2002
BSc - Economics and Business Administration
Ca’ Foscari University
Diploma di Maturità Scientifica -
Liceo Scientifico “Jacopo da Ponte”
Management Certificate -
Boulder Institute of Microfinance
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