Guy Rodwell
Guy Rodwell I have spent much of my career trying to understand how financial institutions and businesses operate in emerging markets, particularly when the reality on the ground is more complicated than the numbers alone suggest. I have worked in London, Hong Kong, São Paulo, Buenos Aires, Monaco and Paris, investing across emerging markets and […]
Enrique Hurtado
Enrique Hurtado Raised in Bolivia, I saw firsthand how microfinance emerged as a vital lifeline for families seeking new livelihoods after the economic crisis of the 1980s. Watching financial innovation, smart regulation, and a focus on sustainability lay the groundwork for scalable growth inspired me to join the sector early on. That early spark eventually […]
Alain Nkurikiye
Alain Nourikiye I have always been fascinated by how entrepreneurial ecosystems transform when people, capital, and ideas come together. Growing up in Burundi and working across Africa and Europe taught me to navigate complexity, connect cultures, and translate vision into practical action. For more than 18 years, I have worked at the intersection of entrepreneurship, […]
Zak Thompson
Zak Thompson Growing up across Ghana, France and the United Kingdom, and holding multiple nationalities, exposed me from an early age to different cultures, perspectives and economic realities. My years in Ghana gave me a connection to Africa and made me aware of both the challenges facing the continent and its enormous untapped potential. I […]
Lawrence Thiga
Lawrence Thiga As a child, I was always drawn to helping others unlock their potential. I was fascinated by why some people and businesses thrive while others struggle, and I realized information and opportunity identification made the difference. I found great fulfillment in guiding people toward practical solutions. This natural inclination to mentor, counsel, and […]
Charles Agwanda
Charles Agwanda I am a Kenyan born agricultural and rural development specialist with more than two decades of experience working across Africa on agricultural research, value chain development, food systems, market access, and programme evaluation. Raised in a smallholder farming family, my professional journey has been shaped by a grounded understanding of the opportunities and […]
Zora Zubler
Zora Zubler I have always been drawn to stories, and how narratives shape the world around us. They can lend a false sense of permanence to institutions that are inherently contingent. When I arrived at university, I expected to study international affairs, but a single lecture changed my direction entirely. My economic history professor mentioned […]
Christopher Subano
Christopher Subano Growing up in Mombasa, Kenya, I developed an early love for writing. I was especially drawn to crafting stories that explored how challenges could be solved through practical and innovative solutions. Having witnessed significant inequality around me, I naturally gravitated toward ideas that touched on livelihoods and economic empowerment. Over time, I found […]
Margherita Casella Iacobucci
Margherita Casella Iacobucci I grew up in an environment where many women were discouraged from pursuing their ambitions, yet I was raised by figures who defied those expectations: a mother who built a career in a male-dominated field and a grandmother whose unfulfilled dreams became my motivation to pursue my own. Their influence shaped my […]
Clara Giendl
Clara Giendl My voluntary social service in India after high school enabled me see many of the world’s most pressing challenges first-hand and instilled a passion for fighting poverty and extreme inequality. Since then, I have studied, worked and lived in six different countries and travelled to many more, which further broadened my perspectives and […]