PODCAST | Making the case for global financial inclusion

In this podcast, Accion president and CEO Michael Schlein explains why he’s bullish on fintech start-ups and shares how his organisation is leveraging investments in tech-led micro-finance innovation to reach the more than 2-billion people who are currently invisible and/or poorly served by the global financial system.

Schlein is a huge fintech fan, and Accion, one of the world’s largest non-profit impact finance organisations, is backing start-ups that seek to advance financial inclusion by giving people financial tools to improve their lives.

In this candid conversation with Andile Masuku, Schlein shares useful context about Accion’s origins and makes a case for increased co-operation between the legacy financial institutions, governments and impact investment non-profit organisations such as Accion to advance global financial inclusion. Listen to him address sceptics who hold that the commercial and social impact incentives of the aforementioned parties are hopelessly misaligned.

Michael is an MIT graduate who amassed nearly 30 years of international banking, management and public service experience before taking on his current role. Prior to joining Accion, he managed Citi’s network of chief country officers as president of Citigroup’s International Franchise Management. He also previously served as chief of staff at the US Securities and Exchange Commission in the Clinton administration, and served in New York’s City Hall during the Dinkins and Koch administrations.

This podcast is brought to you by African Tech Roundup in partnership with MultimediaLIVE.  

• African Tech Roundup is a Johannesburg-based media and insights organisation, aka village square, which tracks the progress of Africa’s emerging digital, tech and innovation industries.