MicroVest Capital Management : The MicroVest Team

Gil Crawford (Chief Executive Officer)

Mr. Crawford is Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer of MicroVest. He is responsible for leading the company's investment operations and strategy since MicroVest’s founding in 2003. As MicroVest's CEO, he led the launch of MicroVest I, LP, the first commercial private equity vehicle focused on microfinance in North America. Mr. Crawford has 25 years experience with microfinance institutions and capital markets across the globe.

Before helping to found MicroVest Capital Management, Mr. Crawford worked for the Latin American Financial Markets Division at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and focused on investments in microfinance institutions. Prior to joining IFC, Mr. Crawford created and ran Seed Capital Development Fund, a US based non‐profit firm, involved in creating financial instruments and attracting funds to capitalize microfinance institutions, primarily in Latin America, Asia and Africa. Specific projects included: Latin American Challenge Investment Fund (LA‐CIF), a $20 million loan fund for microfinance institutions in Latin America; DEVCAP, a shared return mutual fund whose total assets reached US$ 27 million dollars. Mr. Crawford has also been a Member of ProFund's Investment Committee and alternate member to the Board of Directors for many years. Prior to creating Seed Capital, Mr. Crawford was the Assistant Project Director for Africa Venture Capital Project, designed to create risk capital firms in Africa.

Mr. Crawford received his bank training at Chase Manhattan Bank in the mid‐80s after working in Africa for the Red Cross and State Department. He graduated from SAIS at Johns Hopkins University in 1983 and Bates College in 1980.

Mr. Crawford serves on the Steering Committee for the Agriculture Finance Support Facility, a World Bank initiative supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.  He also serves on the Boards of Lumni, Inc. and Seed Capital Development Fund and co‐teaches a finance course at Johns Hopkins SAIS.  He is fluent in English and conversant in French, Spanish and Swedish.

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Candace Smith (Chief Operating Officer)

Ms. Smith is Chief Operating Officer and a Managing Director of MicroVest. She is responsible for the oversight of operations for MicroVest Capital Management and the funds and facilities it manages. Her oversight responsibilities include portfolio risk management as well as managing the firm’s SEC compliance. Ms. Smith joined MicroVest in 2005 as CFO before transitioning to her current role in February 2011. Ms. Smith has 25 years of experience in development finance. Prior to joining MicroVest, Ms. Smith worked as an independent consultant, advising  clients such as the Inter-American Development Bank, Calvert Social Investment Foundation, and Corporacion para el Financiamiento de Infraestructuraon due diligence, credit evaluation and other matters. As the former Chief Operating Officer for Triodos PV Partners, she oversaw a $50 million joint business development and equity investment program to promote solar electric service enterprises in developing countries. Previously, Ms. Smith served as Senior Credit Officer and Portfolio Officer at the Inter-American Investment Corporation, with responsibility for developing and maintaining corporate credit risk guidelines and oversight of a $400 million portfolio of project loans and equity investments throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

Ms. Smith began her career in finance as a corporate lending officer with the former Continental Illinois National Bank. She holds a Masters in International Management from The American Graduate School of International Management (Thunderbird) at Glendale, AZ and a dual major Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Ms. Smith is fluent in English and Spanish and conversant in Portuguese.  Ms. Smith is an independent trustee of Praxis Mutual Funds, a registered fund complex with faith-based, stewardship investing criteria.

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Chris Laurent (Chief Financial Officer)

Mr. Laurent is Chief Financial Officer and a Managing Director of MicroVest, responsible for the finance, administration and strategic planning functions of MicroVest and the funds and facilities it manages. Mr. Laurent joined the team in 2007 as an Investment Officer focused on Central America and Mexico. In 2009, he transitioned to Senior Business Development Officer, responsible for business development activity and strategic planning. He held this role for two years before advancing into his current role.  Mr. Laurent has over 18 years of finance-related experience in international and domestic settings.  Previously, he worked in rural Bolivia developing the strategic planning and loan operations functions of a small microfinance institution.  Prior to entering the microfinance sector, Mr. Laurent served for six years as Vice President of finance and administration with Everdream Corporation in Silicon Valley.  Previously, he served for three years as Vice President with FleetBoston Capital in various capacities, working as a Business Development Officer, an Underwriter, and a member of the Credit Committee.  Mr. Laurent worked as a Senior Auditor with Arthur Andersen for four years, where he was responsible for the audits of three international, SEC corporations and for several M&A due diligence projects.  

Mr. Laurent earned his Masters in Accounting and B.S. in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is fluent in English and conversant in Spanish.  Mr. Laurent is an active volunteer at his church’s homeless shelter.

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Douglas Young (Managing Director, Investments)

Mr. Young is Managing Director, Investments, joining the MicroVest team in 2006. He oversees a team of investment professionals in developing investment pipelines, investment screening, due diligence, transaction management, and is responsible for developing and managing the portfolio of LIFI investments.   

Prior to being promoted to Managing Director in 2012, Mr. Young was the Investment Director, Latin America. He provided senior leadership on due diligence teams and overall portfolio management for Latin America and the Caribbean. Mr. Young has over fifteen years of experience in auditing and microfinance.  Prior to joining MicroVest, Mr. Young worked for three years as a senior manager with the Ernst & Young Capital Markets Group in Santiago, Chile, where he managed Chilean cross-border transactions in the energy and banking sectors. Mr. Young also worked for Arthur Andersen in Baltimore auditing publicly-traded healthcare, broadcasting and technology firms.

Mr. Young received an MBA from the University of California - Berkeley, Haas School of Business. While pursuing his graduate studies, he initiated a student-led microfinance speaker series and won the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship's Best MBA Paper in 2005. Mr. Young also studied at the IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain. Mr. Young is a Certified Public Accountant and earned his Bachelor's degree in Accounting at Loyola College in Maryland where he graduated Magna Cum Laude.  After leaving Loyola College, Mr. Young served for a year with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in metro Atlanta where he worked for the Taskforce for the Homeless, a well respected homeless advocacy and service organization. Mr. Young was a Shelter Coordinator working closely with local shelters to place homeless men, women and children in their facilities. Mr. Young is fluent in English and Spanish.

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Robert Ongodia (Investment Manager, Africa)

Mr. Ongodia is an Investment Manager for Africa, joining the MicroVest team in 2010. He is responsible for portfolio activities in Sub-Saharan Africa. Mr. Ongodia brings over 14 years of hands-on operational experience in microfinance and financial sector regulation with FINCA International, Bank of Uganda and Centenary Rural Development Bank.  While at FINCA Tanzania he led the company’s turn-around from loss making to a profitable venture.  Mr. Ongodia was also a member of the core team which transformed FINCA Uganda from a non-profit to the first regulated Micro Deposit taking Institution (MDI) in Uganda. Prior to working with FINCA, Mr. Ongodia was responsible for conducting site inspection of commercial banks in Uganda and was closely involved with preparing amendments to the Financial Institutions statute (FIS 2003) of Uganda.

Mr. Ongodia holds a Masters in Economic Policy Management from Columbia University in the City of New York, and a Bsc. in Economics from Makerere University, Kampala - Uganda. He is fluent in English and Kiswahili.

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Andreas Eichin (Senior Investment Officer)

Mr. Eichin is a Senior Investment Officer for Latin America, joining the team in 2009.  Prior to joining MV, he worked for eight years with Frontier Finance International as the U.S. Representative for Procredit Holding and IPC, serving as the liaison between U.S. capital markets and the financing needs of Procredit Holding AG. He actively participated in writing financial sector studies, business plans and banking license petitions which contributed to the establishment of new, full-fledged microfinance banks in several Latin American countries. He is skilled in applying valuation techniques to microfinance institutions.

Mr. Eichin holds a Masters of Arts in Economics from Albert-Ludwig University, Germany and a Master of Science in Finance from the George Washington University, Washington, DC.

Mr. Eichin is a native German speaker and is fluent in English and Spanish.

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Nathan Horst (Investment Officer)

Mr. Horst is an Investment Officer for Africa, joining the team in 2011. He is responsible for pipeline development, analysis, structuring of investments and portfolio management. His previous experience includes an Internship for FINCA International where he performed statistical analysis of microfinance client data and an Internship for the Overseas Private Investment Corporation performing credit analysis for low-income housing finance projects in Africa.  Prior to his internships Mr. Horst served as Grants Manager for St. Ann’s, a Washington Area non-profit organization.   Mr. Horst spent two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mali where he collaborated with host country nationals to design, finance and implement six rural development projects

Mr. Horst earned an MA in International Finance, Economics and Development in 2010 from Johns Hopkins University SAIS. He holds a BA in English Literature and Composition from Belmont University.

Mr. Horst is fluent in English and Bambara and proficient in French.

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J. Miguel Jongewaard (Investment Officer)

Mr. Jongewaard is an Investment Officer for Latin America, joining the MicroVest team in 2011.  He is responsible for business development, analysis, structuring of investments, and portfolio management in Latin America.  He has twelve years of experience in distressed asset management, emerging markets financial services, and global operations management across North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia.  Mr. Jongewaard’s expertise includes business partnering and support for small to mid-sized businesses globally as well as due diligence assessments, deal structuring, and financial health analysis. Mr. Jongewaard worked in London and Singapore for 3 years on an expatriate assignment with Cargill Inc’s independent subsidiary, CarVal Investors LLC, to assess operational risk in the copyright acquisition business and establish the operations/investment regional headquarters in Singapore respectively.

Mr. Jongewaard also worked for a non-profit CDFI in Minnesota, dedicated to economic development in low income neighborhoods, as a Loan Officer and Small Business Consultant. He established the organization’s first financial health program for small businesses designed to prepare them for the impact of light-rail construction in the Twin Cities.

Mr. Jongewaard has a BA in International Management from Hamline University in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He is fluent in English and Spanish.

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Dasha Kuts (Investment Associate)

Ms. Kuts is an Investment Associate for the European and Asian regions, joining the team in 2012. She is responsible for pipeline development, analysis, structuring of investments, and portfolio management. Prior to joining MicroVest, Ms. Kuts worked as a Senior Associate at the International Resources Group (IRG), where she managed USAID-funded seminars on various subjects regarding financial inclusion and mobile financial services. While at IRG she regularly contributed to the Enterprising Ideas Blog on Microlinks. Previously, Ms. Kuts provided financial consulting with the Russian Microfinance Center (Moscow, Russia), World Relief (Baltimore, MD), J.E. Austin & Associates (Arlington, VA), and MicroFinance Transparency (Washington, DC).

Ms. Kuts holds an M.A. in Applied Economics from Johns Hopkins University and a B.A. in International Business from Towson University. She is a Board member of the Financial Inclusion Forum of DC.

Ms. Kuts is fluent in Russian and English and conversant in French.

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Abiskar Shrestha (Investment Associate)

Mr. Shrestha is an Investment Associate for the Asian and European regions, joining the team in 2011.

Prior to joining Microvest, Mr. Shrestha worked at Moody’s Investors Service in New York as an Associate in the Credit Derivatives division. He also co-founded a 501 (c) 3 organization, Youth for Nepal, in 2007 that supports grassroots projects in areas of health, education and environment across Nepal. He is still actively involved in the organization.

Mr. Shrestha completed his Masters in International Business Degree from The Fletcher School, Tufts University, in 2011, focusing on International Finance and Political Economy. He completed his undergraduate degree in Economics from Grinnell College, Iowa, in 2006.

Mr. Shrestha is fluent in English, Nepali and Hindi.

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Brian Weinberg (Investment Analyst)

Mr. Weinberg is an Investment Analyst for Latin America, joining the team in 2010. Mr. Weinberg supports the team on financial analysis of MFI market potential, current portfolio and country risk. 

Prior to joining MicroVest, Mr. Weinberg worked as a business consultant on behalf of a Fortune 500 financial technology company and several social enterprise start-ups, performing due diligence, financial analysis, and business development activities.  Mr. Weinberg has served as an Ashoka Youth Venture Ambassador, Director of Recycle to Eradicate Poverty, and a Fellow for Starting Bloc.

Mr. Weinberg graduated Summa Cum Laude from University of North Texas with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and a BA in Spanish.  While pursuing his studies, he published a microfinance thesis with the Honors College, was named Finance Student of the Year in 2008, and received the University nomination for the Rhodes scholarship competition.  Mr. Weinberg is fluent in English and Spanish.

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David Wedick (Business Development Manager)

Mr. Wedick is the Business Development Manager at MicroVest, joining the team in 2009. He is responsible for researching, structuring and launching new investment vehicles and raising capital. He actively participates in strategic planning, financial modeling and market research. Mr. Wedick has over ten years of financial experience with a focus on equity research, microfinance and mobile banking. He has three years experience working in Tanzania initiating and managing a successful micro-loan and business training program, followed by managing a mobile banking IT start-up. Prior to his time in Tanzania, Mr. Wedick spent four years with JP Morgan as an Equity Research Analyst, where he was responsible for building complex financial models, writing detailed reports, presenting investment cases, analyzing business plans and assessing broad economic trends.

Mr. Wedick holds a Masters degree in Economics & Mathematics from the University of Edinburgh. He is a CFA charter holder. Mr. Wedick is fluent in English and speaks conversational Swahili.

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Monica Slovik (Business Development Associate)

Ms. Slovik is a Business Development Associate supporting the Business Development Team with marketing, capital raising and business development. Joining MicroVest in 2006, Ms. Slovik spent 5 years as the Executive Assistant to the CEO. While at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, Ms. Slovik was an active member of the Part-time MBA Association (PTMBAA), serving as both a Member and Vice President of Community Development. Ms. Slovik serves as Treasurer for the Board of Directors of Chapter One, a nonprofit dedicated to easing the decision making process for transplant patients and their families.

Ms. Slovik holds a BA in International Business & Management from Dickinson College and an MBA with a concentration in marketing from the Robert H. Smith School of Business (University of Maryland).  She is fluent in English and proficient in Spanish.

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Christine Saffold (Business Development Analyst)

Ms. Saffold is a Business Development Analyst, joining the team in 2013. She supports the Business Development Team with capital raising, market research, and business development. Prior to joining MicroVest, Ms. Saffold was an Investment Banking Analyst for Barclays, where she gained experience in valuation analysis, conducting in-depth market research, and financial modeling. Ms. Saffold has volunteered extensively with Women’s World Banking, providing business strategy research and recommendations to senior management regarding entry into the Mexican microfinance market. She also volunteers for Endeavor Global, a global nonprofit that provides strategic support to high-impact entrepreneurs.   

Ms. Saffold holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Yale University. She is fluent in English, has advanced proficiency in Portuguese and Spanish and speaks intermediate French.

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Giulio Areinamo (Portfolio Analyst)

Mr. Areinamo is the Portfolio Analyst at MicroVest, joining the team in 2012. Mr. Areinamo supports the Investment Team with data management, reporting, portfolio analysis, monitoring, and risk analysis. Previously, Mr. Areinamo worked in the Claims office of the Export-Import Bank of the United States and as an Accounting Analyst for Abaco Brokerage House (Venezuela). He is experienced in accounts reconciliation, debt restructuring, and financial analysis.  

Mr. Areinamo holds a Bachelor in Business Administration and Finance from the Universidad Central de Venezuela and an Executive Certificate in Financial Planning from Georgetown University. He is fluent in English and Spanish and proficient in Italian.

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Brenda Hansen (General Counsel)

Ms. Hansen is General Counsel for MicroVest, joining the team in 2012. Ms. Hansen has over twenty years of experience in international structured and corporate finance, corporate governance, compliance issues, and human rights mediation. Ms. Hansen’s previous experience includes Corporate Finance at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher, & Flom, O’Melveny & Myers, and Davis Polk & Wardwell, and Senior Counsel, Finance for GE Capital, Satellite Communications.

Ms. Hansen holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law, where she served as Editor of the Journal of Law and Politics. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia.

Ms. Hansen is actively involved as a Mediator with the Maryland Commission on Human Rights and the Conflict Resolution Center of Montgomery County, and as Co-Editor of Mediators Beyond Borders. 

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Akhil Gupta (Finance Associate)

Mr. Gupta is the Finance Associate at MicroVest, joining the team in 2012. Mr. Gupta supports the fund finance and accounting functions of MicroVest and its family of funds, including managing fund financial transactions, servicing portfolio investments, and fund reporting to investors. He brings experience in financial accounting, valuation, and investment management from his prior work with Osaka Capital, Royal Bank of Canada, and the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB).

Mr. Gupta holds a Bachelor of Engineering from Thapar University, Patiala, India, and a Master of Operations Research & Finance from Cornell University. He is fluent in English, Punjabi, and Hindi.

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Susan Blake (Human Resources)

Ms. Blake brings 25 years of business management experience to her position in Human Resources at MicroVest, joining the team in 2005.  She has expertise in small and medium sized business administration; specializing in human resources, business development and reorganization.  For the past five years Ms. Blake has served as the program coordinator for the Joint Summer Internship Program in Microfinance in Washington, DC.  She is a current member of the Human Capital Institute, SHRM and Women Advancing Microfinance.  Ms. Blake holds degrees in Business Administration, Architecture and Dance.

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Katherine Olderman (Legal Assistant)

Ms. Olderman is the Legal Assistant for MicroVest, joining the team in 2012. She is responsible for supporting the General Counsel with the execution of investments, maintenance of company records, reporting and compliance.  Ms. Olderman’s previous experience includes providing administrative support at the National Institute of Childhood Health and Human Development and at Bradley Wellness, LLC. In addition to executive administrative experience, Ms. Olderman has conducted research on sustainable development for farming and food services.   

Ms. Olderman holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Studies from Pitzer College. She was a National Fulbright Fellowship Nominee, and was awarded the Maryland Certificate of Meritorious Service for 500+ hours of community service.

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