Gil Crawford is the CEO of MicroVest Capital Management. He has over 20 years experience with microfinance institutions and capital markets and has worked extensively in Latin America and Africa, as well as in Asia. MicroVest Capital Management is the first private microfinance investment firm in the United States. Crawford has grown the company from a single $30MM debt and equity fund to a global microfinance intermediary, most recently originating and servicing a $39MM collateralized loan obligation with Lehman Brothers and acting as a sub-advisor to eBay's MicroPlace.
Previously, 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.
Before founding SCDF, Crawford was the Assistant Project Director for Africa Venture Capital Project, a $7.1 million USAID contract designed to create risk capital firms in Africa. Crawford received his bank training at Chase Manhattan Bank in the mid-80's after working in Africa for the Red Cross and State Department.
Gil Crawford graduated from the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University in 1983 and Bates College in 1980.
One of the myths that we heard when we first began talking to investors about microfinance ... investing in microfinance was that the poor can't pay a high enough interest rate to make this profitable and that simply is just statistically is not true and there are you know, 500 or more microfinance ...(Full transcript available to logged in subscribers.).
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Gil Crawford Provides Suggestions For Courses To Take As An Undergrad If You Plan To Become and Entrepreneur
Gil Crawford Discusses Experience At Chase and Decision To Create Seed Capital Development Fund
Gil Crawford Discusses Importance of Understanding How Country Risk Will Impact Microfinance Institution
Gil Crawford States Importance of Having Understanding Of Entire System In Microfinance
Gil Crawford Discusses Myths Related To Microfinance and States Microfinance Is Actually Less Risky
