Women’s World Banking

Introduction

Women’s World Banking supports millions of women entrepreneurs around the globe with credit and financial advice. So we were honored to support Women’s World Banking with strategic advice when the microfinance landscape began to change.

Women’s World Banking’s global network of 39 microfinance institutions has offered credit and financial advice to more than 24 million low-income people – 80% of whom are women – in 28 countries worldwide. A microloan – sometimes as little as $100 – can give entrepreneurs the help they need to make their business a success: it’s the resource to buy fertilizer to yield a bigger harvest, to expand the range of products a bodega carries, or to upgrade a stove at a bakery.'

Scope

As the microfinance market matured and evolved, Women's World Banking invited Oliver Wyman to help them analyze their competitive landscape and set strategic priorities.  Always data-driven, our team conducted extensive research on the state of the microfinance industry, examining the trend away from subsidized donor funding and into the commercial mainstream. Then they interviewed a wide swath of stakeholders to learn their needs and expectations. They collaborated with WWB's management team to identify and evaluate strategic options.  And they held a series of workshops with a broader group from WWB to build consensus and make decisions.

Impact

• WWB reaffirmed its commitment to women entrepreneurs, understanding that women entrepreneurs are more likely to invest the profits from their businesses in ways that produce a lasting positive impact on their families and communities.
• WWB chose to focus on expanding access to microfinance - not just credit but also financial products like savings and insurance, which helps the poor build a financial safety net - in underserved regions of the world.

For more information, visit the website of Women's World Banking.