Project 1:   Integration of newly acquired bank in Pakistan into FINCA’s corporate culture and practices

(on site, Lahore, Pakistan, May – December 2013)

Description: In May 2013, FINCA closed the deal to acquire the financial institution then known as Kashf Microfinance Bank Ltd., or KBML, a transaction that had been more than one year in negotiations. The purchase of KMBL marked the first time in FINCA’s 30-year history it had ever acquired an existing institution (FINCA subsidiaries in all 22 of its other countries of operation had been via greenfield start-ups) and also marked the first new-country expansion since the formation of FINCA’s for-profit holding company in late 2011. In addition, the KMBL acquisition had been controversial due to the general volatility of Pakistan and to the bank’s status as a distressed asset. (It had experienced a repayment crisis a few years before and also failed to meet new minimum capital requirements set by the State Bank of Pakistan.) The Integration Consultancy thus focused heavily on communications along with the technical work to bring the Subsidiary into conformance with its new parent company’s policies and culture.

Responsibilities:

• P  Systematic review of Subsidiary General Policy Manual (the “FINCA Bible”) with functional/department heads to identify gaps and make workplan for bringing areas of divergence into conformance.
• P  Clear communications to staff of coming changes based on SGPM, including areas of potential excitement (e.g., opportunity for international exposure visits) and potential disgruntlement (e.g., stricter policies on staff loans).
• P  Development of master work plan with critical path milestones, and monitoring plan with Pakistan functional heads and their corporate counterparts for adherence, possible risks to schedule.
• P  Development and monitoring of integration project budget (USD 1 million).
• P  Comprehensive communications (internal and external) strategy and implementation of associated workplan including:
  • >  Focus-group testing of probable reaction to changing name from Kashf to FINCA
  • >  Shepherding name-change through complex process with multiple stakeholders including clients (actual and prospective), staff, regulators, and general public.
  • >  On-going, intensive staff communications and change management
  • >  Soft launch to announce acquisition to industry insiders (May 2013)
  • >  Hard launch (November 2013) including production of 8-minute documentary film, 400-guest gala dinner and evening of music, nationwide advertising campaign (print and broadcast), and complete rebranding of operations — new signboards, fascia, letterhead, business cards, product  brochures – every branded item, every branch, in more than 30 cities nationwide.
  • >  Media relations, including guest op/eds, press conferences, exclusive interviews.
  • >  Customized outreach plan for clients based on segment.
  • >  Speechwriting and media prep for FINCA executives (local and corporate).
  • >  Internal communications (10,000-person global staff as well as more intensive effort for Pakistani team).
  • >  Relaunch website – new content as well as new branding and navigation.

Project 2: 2012 Annual Reports

(summer 2013)

Description: The calendar year 2012 marked the first full year of existence of FINCA Microfinance Holding Company LLC, FINCA’s for-profit entity created late in 2011 to allow external equity investment into FINCA’s network. There was uncertainty among FINCA’s top executives about whether there should be separate annual reports for the holding company and the Foundation, or whether both entities’ financials should be presented in one volume (and if so, how such a volume should be structured). The consultancy consisted of an initial discovery phase to determine the best course of action and, ultimately, production of two annual reports.

 Responsibilities:

• P  Interview investor- and donor-facing executives to determine each audience’s expectations and set clear objectives for publication(s).
• P  Review comparable organizations (development-focused financial institutions with dual holding company / nonprofit identity) to map industry practice.
• P  Produce outlines and project workplans for each book.
• P  Write all original content.
• P  Coordinate and fact-check all materials (financials, donor lists, client profiles, key performance indicators) supplied by various departments.
• P  Hire and oversee work of graphic designer.

Project 3: On-going / on-call communications consulting

Responsibilities:

• P  Speeches, presentations, special reports for key constituencies (e.g., board of directors, actual and potential investors, staff), fundraising communications, special events production, action research (compensation and incentives structures for financial institutions transforming from NGO to holding company status), organizational development action research (exit interviews with voluntarily terminated key employees).

Project 4: Inspiring a New Generation

(published October 2009)

Anthology (300+ pages) of original research and case studies conducted among more than 25,000 microfinance clients all over the world over the course of four years.

Responsibilities:

• P  Review and select for inclusion the most compelling monographs.
• P  Comprehensive edit of each selected monograph.
• P  Provide vision/oversight for graphic designer for production of publication.
• P  Author for all original pieces (e.g., introduction, preface, acknowledgements, afterword).
• P  Design dissemination strategy.