FINCA Microfinance Bank Ltd. serves clients with responsible and affordable financial services.
FINCA Microfinance Bank’s Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors brings a breadth of expertise and dedication to providing access to responsible financial services.
Zar Wardak
CHAIRPERSON
VICE PRESIDENT & REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR THE MIDDLE EAST & SOUTH ASIA, FINCA Impact Finance
Zar Wardak
Zar Wardak is a proven and respected leader in global finance. With over 10 years experience in executive financial management, she is currently the Regional Director of FINCA International (Middle East & South Asia), one of the leading microfinance organizations in the world. She is also the Chairperson for the Afghanistan Microfinance Association and Chairperson of Board for the MESA subsidiaries.
She is the former CEO of FINCA Afghanistan, where she transformed the subsidiary to sustainability within three years. Prior to joining FINCA, Zar was a financial services industry consultant in Afghanistan, and before that, Vice President with Citibank North America.
Ms Wardak completed a Bachelor of Arts in International Business at Southwestern College in Kansas, and a Master of Science in Peace Operations at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.
Being fluent in English, Dari, Pashtu and Urdu, and having a unique cultural understanding and perspective, allows Afghan-American Zar to achieve exceptional outcomes for the organizations she works for. She is a sought-after speaker, and has shared the stage with Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Muhammad Yunus on the topic of Microfinance as it relates to peace and prosperity.
Despite working in extremely complex and challenging environments, Zar Wardak has an impressive track record of transforming financial organisations into well-governed, high-performing and sustainable entities.
Amer Hussain Haider
BOARD DIRECTOR
Amer Hussain Haider
Mr. Haider has over 15+ years of senior management experience in Information Technology. He has a successful business track record in starting, acquiring and growing multiple companies with combined equity value over $2B. Most recently he was the CEO and Co-Founder of Doctella.com a company acquired by Masimo(NASDAQ: MASI) in 2018 His areas of expertise span across healthcare, cloud, mobility, networking, and semiconductors. He has been awarded 11 patents in digital security, mobility, networking, and processors. Mr. Haider completed his Masters in Engineering and MBA from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaignand Bachelors in Engineering from NED University in Karachi, Pakistan.
Jeffrey Smith
BOARD DIRECTOR
VICE PRESIDENT, GLOBAL CHIEF AUDITOR & CHIEF RISK & COMPLIANCE OFFICER, FINCA Impact Finance
Jeffrey Smith
Jeffrey Smith has nearly 40 years of experience in auditing, finance, accounting, risk management, internal control and regulatory compliance. He has led many restructuring efforts of global audit, risk management and compliance departments, as well as, many global efforts implementing effective risk controls and compliance monitoring systems.
Mr. Smith has worked in both the public and private sectors. He has been an independent consultant and held global positions at Citibank and Ford Motor Company. Most recently, he was the Chief Auditor at Rotary International.
Mr. Smith is a Certified Risk Professional and earned a Master of Business Administration from Wayne State University (Detroit, Michigan, USA). He also holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Eastern Michigan University (Ypsilanti, Michigan, USA).
Volker Renner
BOARD DIRECTOR
Volker Renner
Volker Renner has over 15 years of senior management experience in the microfinance industry. Prior to his current position, he served as Chief Operating Officer for FINCA’s global operations, and Regional Director for FINCA’s Eurasia Region. Before joining FINCA in 2004, Mr. Renner held positions as CEO of ProCredit Bank (Ukraine), Team Leader of EBRD/KfW’s joint Ukraine Microlending Program, and Bank Advisor to banks in Russia’s Siberia region. Throughout his career, Mr. Renner has served as board chairman, board member and audit committee member for numerous microfinance institutions and banks. He holds an M.B.A. with a focus on banking from the Mannheim Professional Academy.
Roshaneh Zafar
BOARD DIRECTOR
FOUNDER & MANAGING DIRECTOR, Kashf Foundation
Roshaneh Zafar
Ms. Roshaneh Zafar is the Founder and Managing Director of Kashf Foundation – the first specialized microfinance organization in Pakistan established in 1996. Kashf Foundation was awarded the Microfinance Excellence Award by the Grameen Foundation-USA for its groundbreaking innovations in the field of microfinance in Pakistan, while in 2005 it won the AGFUND International Prize for Microcredit 2005 out of 98 countries
Prior to establishing Kashf Foundation, Ms. Zafar worked with the World Bank in Islamabad in the Water and Sanitation department for several years. Ms. Zafar was one of the first Ashoka Fellows in Pakistan and has been a Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur since 2004. Ms Zafar has also been awarded the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, one of Pakistan’s highest civilian awards, by the President of Pakistan for her work in the field of development and women’s empowerment and was also awarded the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship in 2007. Ms Zafar is a graduate of the Wharton Business School, University of Pennsylvania, USA and also holds a Master’s degree in Development Economics from Yale University, USA.
Makhmud Saidakhmatov
BOARD DIRECTOR
CEO, FINCA Jordan
Makhmud Saidakhmatov
Makhmud joined FINCA in December 2006 as COO for FINCA Kyrgyzstan. After successful implementation of all strategic goals assigned to this role, in 2009 he has been appointed as CEO of FINCA Azerbaijan, and later in 2010 as the CEO of FINCA Kyrgyzstan. He held the position of CEO of FINCA Kyrgyzstan till February of 2015, and later he was assigned as an advisor to the management team of FINCA Bank Kyrgyzstan.
Prior to FINCA, Makhmud worked for over 4 years for “LFS Financial systems GmbH”, a German consulting and management company specialized in banking and SME finance projects in developing and transition countries. As a banking advisor, he managed projects in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan focused on establishment of micro and SME lending operations at various commercial banks. In 2003, Makhmud was working in Azerbaijan to develop micro and SME lending practices at Access Bank Azerbaijan. Makhmud commenced his professional banking career in 1998, at the National Bank of Uzbekistan, where he worked for three years as a Senior Investment Officer.
Makhmud holds a diploma in economics from the National University of Uzbekistan and Master’s degree in Economic and Social Studies from the University of Manchester, UK. He also holds a professional certification of Stonier Graduate School of Banking administered by the American Bankers Association at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA.
Farid Ahmed Khan
BOARD DIRECTOR
Farid Ahmed Khan
Farid Ahmed Khan (CFA) is the CEO of HBL Asset Management since September, 2016. He has been involved with capital markets for over 22 years and has a broad experience with bulge bracket firms in Fund Management, Investment Banking, Investment Research and Sales, Business Development & Project Finance. Prior to that, he worked for ABL Assets Management Company, where he was the CEO of the company and also worked for MCB Bank, initially as Head of Investment Banking Group and later as the CEO of MCB Asset Management. Farid has extensive experience outside Pakistan, having worked at Morgan Stanley, ING Barings Securities and CLSA Emerging Markets in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, London and Istanbul in a variety of senior positions. Farid also serves on the boards of NADRA Authority, FINCA Microfinance Bank and is also a member of Corporate Leaders Advisory Board of IBA, Karachi. He holds an MBA in Finance from Institute of Business Administration, Karachi and got his CFA qualification in 1998.
Fatma Safiye Ozuygun Sahin
BOARD DIRECTOR
Fatma Safiye Ozuygun Sahin
Safiye is a seasoned senior banker with vast experience across many banking functions, geographies and client segments. Over the last 20 years at Citi she worked as a Senior Banker both in Turkey and London covering several FTSE 100 clients overseeing complex financing transactions. Subsequently, as a Regional Head for Europe Middle East and Africa Citi’s Internal Audit and Risk Management Group she has led transformational global projects in risk and control functions. She is also a Senior Credit Officer.
She has recently been awarded ‘Champion for Women Award’ in 2014 by Women in Banking and Finance UK Network (WIBF) in recognition for her efforts supporting women in the workplace.
In order to pursue her life-long ambition and commitment for women’s economic empowerment, Safiye joined Citi Microfinance in 2009 as a Business Director.
She has since worked to address issues of access to finance for women entrepreneurs focusing on building scalable solutions. Safiye was part of a team in Citi Microfinance that has developed a Citi-Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) microfinance partnership providing funding to 40 microfinance institutions with outreach to almost 1 million micro-entrepreneurs in 22 countries, approximately 91% of whom are women. Safiye has expended considerable effort in creating and expanding women’s networks and platforms for women to gather and flourish. Safiye served as the co-chair of the Citi Women UK Network for two years and now sits on the steering committee.
She was recipient of the Citi Diversity Employee Network Star Award in 2009 and 2010.
In addition, in 2011, Safiye co-founded ‘Women Advancing Microfinance’ (WAM) to connect women interested in financial inclusion and social businesses in the UK and internationally. WAM is the only UK network for the advancement of women in the microfinance industry.
She has MSc degree in Banking and Finance from Nottingham University.
FINCA Microfinance Bank’s Management Team
Our management team brings vast experience, professional skills and expertise from various industry backgrounds.
M. Mudassar Aqil
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
M. Mudassar Aqil
M. Mudassar Aqil is the CEO of FINCA Microfinance Bank Ltd. Since 2011, he has overseen the bank’s rapid growth and its acquisition by FINCA which makes the bank a part of one of the largest global network of microfinance institutions spread across 21 countries in 5 continents. Mr. Aqil is a banking industry veteran. Prior to joining FINCA, he worked for 14 years at a leading commercial bank in Pakistan and the United States. He serves as a director on the board of Pakistan Microfinance Network. He holds an MBA from Salisbury University, Maryland.
Shahid Hosain Kazi
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Shahid Hosain Kazi
Shahid Hosain Kazi is a banking industry veteran. He has 22 years of banking experience in different institutions, departments, territories & jurisdictions and in various capacities, including in Leadership roles. Shahid’s experience covers key banking functions such as Corporate & Retail Banking, Strategic Planning, Risk Management & International Business.
Shahid started his banking career with Emirates Bank in 1994. Over the years, he held senior positions at Bank Alfalah and Habib Metropolitan Bank (subsidiary of Habib AG Zurich). Most recently, he served for 4 years as “Group Head – Corporate & Transaction Banking” at Habib Metropolitan Bank.
He holds an MBA in Banking & Finance from Institute of Business Administration (IBA) – Karachi.
M. Mubashar Bashir
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
M. Mubashar Bashir
Mubashar Bashir is a seasoned Chartered Accountant with 18 years of experience in senior executive roles in corporate and public sector organizations. During his career he has also practiced public accounting and appraised investment opportunities worth USD 15 Billion in infrastructure, banking, insurance, power, cement, etc. His last position was heading the Structured Finance Unit at WAPDA. Prior to that he was at MCB where he oversaw strategic initiatives and marketing among other assignments in Finance.
Manzoor Ahmed Janjua
HEAD OF LEGAL/COMPANY SECRETARY/ GROUP HEAD HR
Manzoor Ahmed Janjua
Manzoor joined FINCA Microfinance Bank as Assistant Manager Legal and Corporate Affairs in 2009. He is a graduate of Law, and Masters in Political Science from University of the Punjab. Manzoor has 15 years of practical experience in representing a diversified clientele and pleading a variety of civil, criminal and corporate cases. He has expertise in both financial and non-financial industry sectors. His tenure at the Bank witnessed and successfully processed a major equity injection from a US Based Microfinance organization, FINCA Impact Finance. An avid Corporate Secretary and a gifted lawyer, Manzoor rendered valuable legal advice on critical projects of the Bank. He is currently a member of the Management Board, Disciplinary Action Committee and Sexual Harassment Committee of the Bank. He also provides managerial, corporate governance and legal advice on the highest decision making echelon of the Bank
Muhammad Shahzad Sadiq
GROUP HEAD RISK MANAGEMENT
Muhammad Shahzad Sadiq
Muhammad Shahzad Sadiq has joined us as Group Head Risk Management of the bank. He is a banking sector veteran with over 25+ years of progressive experience in different institutions, departments and in various Leadership roles
His experience covers the following key segments/functions:
- Risk Management
- Credit and Marketing
- Legal and Corporate Affairs
- Finance and Budgeting
- Project and Corporate Finance Management
- Planning and Audits
Muhammad Shahzad is a diverse and experienced professional and prior to joining the FINCA Family, he has held a number of positions including Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Internal Auditor to mention a few. He has worked with some of the leading commercial banks in the country and his last assignment was with Allied Bank.
Nuvin Jatala
HEAD OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Nuvin Jatala
Nuvin Jatala is the Head of IT. She joined in November 2007 and led the setup and implementation of the bank’s information and communication infrastructure as well as the core banking system. She was also responsible for assembling the IT team and developing the requisite policy/procedures. In addition to managing the IT operations, she is also overseeing the implementation of technology-based channels for the bank, which involve deployment and maintenance of ATM’s at all branches, and other such initiatives.
Prior to joining FINCA, she was working with City Schools Private Limited from 2004-2007. Her initial work experience comprises of software project management and re-engineering at two software service providers. Her total career span is now more than 13 years. She holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Systems from N.E.D University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi and Masters in Computer Science from SZABIST, Karachi.
Muhammad Qaisar
HEAD OF DISTRIBUTION
Muhammad Qaisar
Mr. Qaisar brings over a decade of experience working in the microfinance industry. He started his career at the grass root level, successfully performed different roles like credit officer, branch manager, area manager, regional manager and finally attained the position of head of business banking at FINCA.
Mr. Qaisar possesses multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural and multi-institutional knowledge of working closely with rural/urban segment of the society; grip on individual and group based lending model, knowledge of social sector, implementing efficiency measures, in-depth understanding of effective communication and ability to travel extensively in operational areas.
Mr. Qaisar has a degree in Master of Arts in Sociology and also has a Post Graduate Diploma in Development Support Communication from University of the Punjab Lahore.
Syeda Noshina Bukhari
HEAD OF SYSTEMS & OPERATIONS
Syeda Noshina Bukhari
Syeda Noshina Bukhari is an experienced banker. She has over 10 years of commercial banking experience before joining the Microfinance sector in 2008. She has worked at Union Bank Limited, Askari Commercial Bank and Prime Commercial Bank before joining FINCA. She has experience in branch banking operations, trade finance and SME financing. She has also worked as a main trainer and director management trainee program at Prime Commercial Bank Limited. She has developed and implemented the Banking Operational Policies and Procedure, Internal Control Processes and played a vital role in implementation of the Banking software.
Mrs. Bukhari’s has done her Masters in Public Administration from Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad.
Saqib Ahmed Khan
HEAD OF PRIORITY & TRANSACTION BANKING
Saqib Ahmed Khan
Saqib Ahmed Khan has over 30 years of vast exposure to liability, corporate finance, Islamic and investment banking. He has also worked in multi-disciplined business functions having a track record of successfully developing individuals and teams; and demonstrated expertise in implementing the strategies for long, short and mid-term successes.
He started his career from Bankers Equity Limited (BEL) as Manager Projects. He worked with National Development Leasing Corporation (NDLC) as Head of Corporate Finance and afterwards, he joined Islamic Investment Bank Ltd as Vice President. He also served with Escorts Investment Bank as Senior Vice President. His last assignment was with Bank Alfalah as Head Liability & Cross Sell where he worked for 12 years. Saqib graduated in Business Administration from Western Illinois University before going on to do his MBA from the Loyola University, New Orleans, USA.
Q&A
Who or what inspired you to choose your life’s path?
During my college days in the late seventies, I was impressed by bankers working for foreign banks in Pakistan and abroad; like in Chase Manhattan, Citibank, Bank of America, Grindlays, Mashreq, Emirates, HSBC , BCCI etc. They were mostly MBAs from USA as there were not too many good MBA schools in Pakistan at that time except IBA, Karachi. As such, I proceeded to USA in 1981 to do my BBA and subsequently MBA to become a banker upon my return to Pakistan.
If you could spend the day with one person from history, who would it be and why?
I would like to spend one day with Mr. Nelson Mandela. He has inspired me because of his long and peaceful struggle against apartheid. He was kept in jail for 28 long years on Roberts island off the coast of Cape Town in South Africa by the white supremacists government but he did not budge. He wanted equal rights and opportunities for all South Africans be they white, black or of Asian origin. After becoming President of the country he did not take punitive actions against the previous white dominated government officials and advised the South African people to move forward.
If you were given the ability to change one thing in the world, what would you choose and why?
The foremost thing I would change in this world is to ensure speedy and swift justice to all without any regard to caste, color, creed, social status and religious beliefs. I feel that without justice the society would crumble in the long run and one would witness a bloody revolution like the French and Russian revolutions. Hazrat Ali said 1400 years ago and I quote, “A Society can live with Kufr but cannot survive on injustice and cruelty.”
Hamayun Aslam Bhutta
HEAD OF RETAIL BANKING
Hamayun Aslam Bhutta
Hamayun has almost 16 years of banking experience in the major areas of business development, branch banking, customer experience, compliance and regional office. Before joining FINCA, he had been associated with Bank Alfalah for more than a decade.
Hamayun’s focus in FINCA has been to develop the liabilities team to enhance their professional skills in order to achieve and exceed the desired targets. As a result, new deposit trends and products have been introduced to not only meet the customer requirements, but also increase the FINCA’s overall deposit book.
Q&A
What activities enrich your life?
I believe enriching your life means making your life as fulfilling, meaningful, and filled with joy as possible. There’s no one trick to enriching your life, as there are many ways you can take to have new experiences. My ideas on enriching my life include chasing my fears, knowledge, caring for my friends and family, recognizing that it’s difficult to please everyone and trying to be less of a perfectionist at times. Though I do think these are some of the starting points in a broad and amazing journey that I’m taking 🙂
What words of wisdom would you share with a young person?
Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life – think of it, dream of it, and live on that in your muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. That is the way to success.
If you were given the ability to change one thing in the world, what would you choose and why?
I’d like to moderate the obsession with technology in today’s world. Our typical day is consumed so much by technology like smart phones, tablets, and laptops. We spend so much time with our faces glued to the bright little screens! We’ve become anti-social. At a restaurant, I see people sitting down at the table with their attention completely on their phones and not on the people sitting next to them. We should spend more time bonding with the people we care about. Technology is great for educational purposes but we have to recognize our limits.
“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible’!”
Audrey Hepburn
Muhammad Asif Javed
HEAD OF COMPLIANCE
Muhammad Asif Javed
Mr. Asif Javed is a veteran banker with a cumulative banking experience of 20 years in leading commercial banks of Pakistan. He started his banking career in 1999 from MCB Bank and later on worked with HBL for 8 years in different capacities. Before joining FINCA, he had been at Barclays Bank, Pakistan for a period of 8 years, working as the Head of Trade Finance (central region).
His expertise includes foreign trade finance, core banking & branch operations, internal audit, customer service, compliance & internal controls. Mr. Asif obtained his MBA from Al-Khair University. In his position as the head of compliance, he looks after compliance related matters of the bank.
Syed Asghar Hussain
HEAD OF PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Syed Asghar Hussain
Asghar is a Product Management and Consumer Insights professional with more than 16 years of experience. He has worked in a wide variety of roles within the financial sector. He is skilled in the areas of business strategy, P&L management, research, product & project management. Asghar started his career in 2000 and has since worked with companies like Outreach Digital, Gallup Pakistan, BearingPoint, Oasis Insights, Standard Chartered Bank & Tameer Microfinance Bank. His last assignment was with The Pragma Corporation, an agency working with the USAID, where he served for 1 year as SME Banking Advisor. He holds a Masters in International Marketing from University of East London, London & an MBA from IBA, Karachi.
Syed Haris Ali
HEAD OF CREDIT RISK MANAGEMENT
Syed Haris Ali
Syed Haris Ali is a seasoned banker. He has more than 13 years of experience within Risk Management across multiple credit domains e.g. Retail Lending and SME, Commercial Banking, Leasing and Modaraba. His area of expertise includes Credit Risk, Operational Risk, Portfolio Management, Credit Policy, Risk Analytics, Collections & Recoveries, Special Asset Management, Portfolio Due-diligence, Internal Audits and Credit Operations etc.
He started his banking career with Standard Chartered Bank in 2005 and over the years held senior positions within the Risk function. Most recently, he served as “Head of Credit & Risk Management, for Standard Chartered Leasing and Modaraba”. There, he successfully established Risk functions of both the subsidiaries on global Risk framework.
Haris is the Harvard University’s EMSEL fellow where he earned ‘Emerging Leaders Certification’ in ‘Leadership & Management’. He is also the ‘Omega CSA’ holder from Omega Performance, USA; a Global certification in Retail & Commercial Credit. Haris also holds an MS degree in Information Systems from University of Karachi.
Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
Steve Jobs
FINCA Impact Finance Global Leadership
The FIF Management Team manages a global organization of more than 10,000 employees