Paul DiLeo attended the closing seminar for the fifth cohort of Fellows of the Africa Board Fellowship program.

The Africa Board Fellowship program is represented by 10 countries from Africa and the closing seminar was held last week in Cape Town. Paul and Anna Kanze are subject matter experts for the program, covering board responsibilities and dynamics.  At this closing seminar Paul led sessions on the board’s role in responding to the threat and opportunity posed by digital financial services, managing through competitive environments, and navigating tensions and divergent interests on the board and among shareholders.  Each cohort meets in person twice over a sixth month period, participates in eight webinars and an on-line discussion platform, and meets with advisors in the interim.  The four year program, funded by MasterCard Foundation and FMO and implemented by the Center for Financial Inclusion, is designed to strengthen governance of the continent’s dynamic microfinance institutions. Grassroots has been involved since inception in developing the curriculum and materials for the Africa Board Fellowship program and has been asked to participate as subject matter experts again for the upcoming year 2018.