Mayada El-Zoghbi is a senior microfinance specialist and the manager of the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor's (CGAP) Paris office. El-Zoghbi manages the Donors and Investors Team and overseas CGAP’s work in the Middle East and North Africa region. She also is a member of the CGAP Operational Management Team. The Donors and Investors Team works to improve funder effectiveness. El-Zoghbi oversees all work products of the team as well as serves as lead technical specialist on core evaluation products offered by CGAP such as the SmartAid Index and portfolio reviews. El-Zoghbi also leads CGAP’s research agenda on Shari’a compliant microfinance.
Before joining CGAP, she founded and managed a development consulting firm working with funding agencies such as the IFC and USAID. El-Zoghbi led numerous technical assistance, evaluation, and research assignments and also served as a research director for a USAID knowledge management initiative on microfinance and conflict, where she authored numerous papers and facilitated many industry learning events. Prior to this, she supported the start-up and growth of financial institutions in Palestine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo.
From 2006 to 2008, she was an adjunct associate professor at Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) teaching courses on microfinance. She holds a master’s degree in international affairs from SIPA at Columbia University and a bachelor's degree in business from the University of Minnesota. She is bilingual in Arabic and English.
Before joining CGAP, she founded and managed a development consulting firm working with funding agencies such as the IFC and USAID. El-Zoghbi led numerous technical assistance, evaluation, and research assignments and also served as a research director for a USAID knowledge management initiative on microfinance and conflict, where she authored numerous papers and facilitated many industry learning events. Prior to this, she supported the start-up and growth of financial institutions in Palestine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo.
From 2006 to 2008, she was an adjunct associate professor at Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) teaching courses on microfinance. She holds a master’s degree in international affairs from SIPA at Columbia University and a bachelor's degree in business from the University of Minnesota. She is bilingual in Arabic and English.