In her final essay, Greta Bull reflects on several lessons learned in the course of her time as CGAP’s CEO:
- Beware of hype
- Serving the poor is hard, so manage expectations
- There is immense power in public/private collaboration
- Draw on the power of community
… and suggests areas where the financial inclusion community should focus its attention in the coming years:
- Making sure that poor people are actually part of the digital economy
- Pro-poor banks that are fit for the digital future
- A better understanding of fintech and what it can do for the poor
- To continue building the digital infrastructure that makes it possible for providers to reach poor customers
- Recognising and supporting the vital role of women in economic growth and increasing household incomes
The work of CGAP in recent years has indeed made a useful contribution to improving financial inclusion for the world’s poor. Read more here.