NMB boss recognised for focus on girls
The National Microfinance Bank (NMB) chief executive officer, Ms Ineke Bussemaker speaks at a past event. PHOTO|FILE
What you need to know:
- NMB said in a statement yesterday that Ms Bussemaker has been officially welcomed to serve as a board member for the Women’s World Banking (WWB) after the group got convinced that she has already been playing a vital role in serving women and girls with innovative financial products in her capacity as CEO and managing director for Tanzania’s most profitable bank.
Dar es Salaam. National Microfinance Bank (NMB) chief executive officer Ineke Bussemaker has been appointed as a member of the board of trustees for a global group that focuses on offering credit and other financial services to women.
NMB said in a statement yesterday that Ms Bussemaker has been officially welcomed to serve as a board member for the Women’s World Banking (WWB) after the group got convinced that she has already been playing a vital role in serving women and girls with innovative financial products in her capacity as CEO and managing director for Tanzania’s most profitable bank.
WWB is a non profit organisation that provides strategic support, technical assistance and information to a global network of 40 independent microfinance institutions (MFIs) and banks that offer credit and other financial services to low-income entrepreneurs in the developing world, with a particular focus on women.
“Ineke and her team at NMB are valued partners for WWB in their mission to serve women and girls with innovative financial products. Through this partnership, Ineke has already become a close ally and advisor to Women’s World Banking’s mission,” the president and CEO for WWB, Ms Mary Ellen Iskenderian said in the statement yesterday.
According to the statement, Ms Bussemaker shepherded a strong partnership between WWB and NMB, in which the two organisations are working together to develop products for women and girls across Tanzania.
Ms Bussemaker, who boasts a 30-year experience in banking, is also touted for being a strong advocate of digital financial services and financial inclusion. Prior to becoming the NMB CEO in 2015, Ms Bussemaker was head of payment services and savings for Rabobank in The Netherlands. She has also worked in the UK, Denmark and Ireland.
Apart from Ms Bussemaker, other members for the WWB board of trustees include the CEO for Diamond Bank PLC of Nigeria, Ms Uzoma Dozie; a senior Vice-President of the African Development Bank in Côte d’Ivoire, Dr Frannie Léautier and Dr Dr Michael Useem who is a professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Leadership and Change Management at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
