The Management Team assists the Executive Secretary in decision-making and strategic planning

 

Makarimi Abissola Adéchoubou joined UNCDF in April 1995. He also served as the Regional Technical Manager for the joint UNDP and UNCDF Programme named "Building Inclusive Financial Sectors in Africa (BIFSA)" for Southern and Eastern Africa.

In October 2009 he has been appointed Head of the Regional office for Southern and Eastern Africa and in this position leads and represents UNCDF in the region, by ensuring high quality, on-demand policy advice, technical support in local development and inclusive finance and coordination with key partners.

He has more than 20 years in the field of the finance and rural development. His works cover informal finance, inclusive finance and rural development in Africa.

Before joining UNCDF in 1995, Makarimi has consulted for donor agencies in the areas of rural and informal finance while working, from 1990 to 1995, as the Director of the Network FECECAM-Benin, one of the biggest credit union in francophone West Africa.

He is a Rural and Development Economist specialized in rural finance and international development (CIRES – Abidjan University), certified in microfinance and SME finance (Harvard, KSG). He holds also a certificate in Development Sociology (Abidjan University).

 

Javier Barrantes, a Costa Rica national, joined UNCDF as Chief, Management Support Unit in May 2012.

As Chief of Management Support Unit, Mr. Barrantes is responsible for ensuring the highest efficiency and client service in the Management Support Unit (MSU) fostering collaboration and close cooperation with, and a strong service oriented approach to, other UNCDF units at HQs, Region and Filed offices. He is in charge of providing strategic guidance, analyses and operational oversight over the management of all UNCDF resources, and is responsible for safeguarding the financial accountability of the Executive Secretary. As Chief of MSU, he leads strategic planning for, and coordinates and manages the activities of the Headquarters Management Support Unit, advices the Deputy Executive Secretary on the overall strategic direction and activities of the UNCDF Programme Finance function and staff, and is accountable for ensuring UNCDF consistency with UNCDF/UNDP Regulations, Rules and procedures and good management practices.

Mr. Barrantes joined UNCDF following his assignment as Deputy Resident Representative with UNDP Laos (2008-2012) prior to which he served as Deputy Programme Manager with UNDP Cyprus (2005-2008).  Before starting his international assignments, Mr. Barrantes served at his home country with UNDP as Operations Manager (2001-2005). Prior to joining the UN System, Mr. Barrantes served in various positions within the Banking and Credit services in Costa Rica (1993-2001).

Mr. Barrantes holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Costa Rica.

 

Nicola, an Italian National, is responsible for UNCDF's Knowledge-Management, Policy and Advocacy. Nicola joined UNCDF in 2008 as Representative and Chief Technical Advisor in Cambodia. Prior to his experience with the United Nations, Nicola worked for over a decade at the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development) in Paris. His work focused on providing policy support on local development and governance to National and sub-National governments across Europe, Latin America and Asia. From 2005 to 2008 Nicola was Head of the OECD Rural Development Program, covering over 30 developed and developing countries. Nicola's work in the fields of local development, governance and inequality has been published and translated extensively. He has been visiting lecturer at several European Universities and is the co-Founder of the Kids Home Foundation. Nicola holds a Master in Public Administration at Sciences Po (Paris) and a Master in Business Administration at ESCP (Oxford). He is married and father of 3 sons.

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Henri Dommel, a French national, joined UNCDF as the Director of the Financial Inclusion Practice Area in 2007.

He is responsible for leading the Unit's strategy in promoting access to financial services and the development of inclusive financial sectors in least developed countries. In his position, Mr. Dommel helps develop UNCDF's strategy within Inclusive Finance, as well as support UNCDF's agenda on product innovation and diversification which includes microinsurance, remittances, financial services for youth, among others.

Mr. Dommel started his career at Banque Paribas in New Delhi as well as in Paris at the bank's department for Africa and the Middle East.

He joined the UN system in 1992, working as Programme Manager at UNCDF until 2001.

Prior to joining UNCDF again, Mr. Dommel worked from 2001 to 2007 as Senior Technical Advisor for the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

Mr. Dommel holds a Master's degree in International Affairs from the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, and a degree from the "Institut d'Études Politiques" of Paris, France.

 

Andrew Fyfe joined the Evaluation Unit in UNCDF in early 2010, after a career working primarily for the external relations departments of the European Commission at both Headquarters and in a Delegation in Central Asia, and then as an external consultant applying results-oriented monitoring and evaluation methodologies to a wide range of donor-funded programmes and projects throughout the developing world. Originally from Scotland, Andrew has an academic background in liberal arts from Edinburgh University, and in economics and development management from Birkbeck College and the London School of Economics. As Head of Evaluation in UNCDF, Andrew is responsible for managing external evaluation exercises as well as supporting UNCDF embed evaluation approaches throughout its planning and management cycles.

 

David Jackson, a British national, joined UNCDF as Regional Local Development Advisor in 2009.

In October 2009 he was appointed Head of the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific and in this position leads and represents UNCDF in the region, by ensuring high quality, on-demand policy advice, technical support in local development and inclusive finance and coordination with key partners.

He started his career in the 1980s in London local government in the United Kingdom.

In the 1990s he worked in Mozambique as planning advisor to the Ministry of Planning and Finance and then as Senior Technical Advisor to the UNCDF district planning and financing project.

Mr. Jackson ran a company providing technical consultancy services to local development programmes in African and Asian countries for national governments, the World Bank and UN Agencies.

Prior to joining UNCDF, Mr. Jackson worked as Decentralization Advisor for UNDP Indonesia and was responsible for leading UNDP's work in strengthening local governance in post conflict situations.

Mr. Jackson holds a BSc degree from the London School of Economics and an MA in development planning from the University of East Anglia. He has taught at London University (SOAS) and published in local development.

 

Magnus Magnusson, a Swedish national, joined UNCDF in 2006 as Chief of the Partnerships Unit. In his position, Mr. Magnusson oversees strategic partnerships, executive board relations and communications.

Mr. Magnusson started his career as first secretary at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs with desk responsibility for the World Bank, regional development banks, IFAD and the Consultative Group to Assist the Poorest (CGAP).

In 1997 he joined the Secretariat of the Nordic Council of Ministers as Senior Advisor with responsibility for the finance and transport sectors. He also acted as secretary to the Board of Governors of the Nordic Investment Bank, Nordic Development Fund, Nordic Project Fund and the Nordic Baltic Investment Programme.

Thereafter Mr. Magnusson worked for the United Nations Environment Programme/GRID Arendal as Head of the UNEP/GA Stockholm Office.

Prior to joining UNCDF, Mr. Magnusson was a Regional Manager with the Nordic Development Fund (NDF) responsible for Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Ghana and Ethiopia.

Mr. Magnusson has an academic background in social sciences, business administration and environmental studies from Uppsala University, Swedish Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm School of Economics and University of California, Berkeley.

 

Chiara Pace, an Italian national, joined UNCDF in 2005 as Programme Officer in Mozambique, where she managed  3 local governance projects for total amount of 25 million. She then moved to UNCDF Headquarters in New York as Business Development and Communications Officer and in September 2008 she has been appointed Communications Specialist.

In her position she is responsible for overall management and oversight of UNCDF Communications function, including branding and positioning; external and internal communications; media production and management; and outreach products and tools.

Prior to joining UNCDF, she worked within UNDP Albania where she managed the UNV Programme and 30 local and international UNVs in the country. Prior to that, Chiara served Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador as Representative of the NGO CESTAS, managing a regional project in partnership with WHO; and in Senegal as Project Manager for a capacity building and microcredit project funded by the EU and the NGO COOPI.

Her first career steps started in 2000 with the Local Economic and Employment Development Programme of the Organization for the Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), followed by the UNDP Human Development Report Office (HDRO).

Before joining the development sector Chiara worked in private sector (Media sector), which gave her a strong knowledge in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with leading international media.

Chiara holds an Advanced University's Degree in Sciences of Communication cum laude, an International Master's Degree in Co-operation and Development and a Postgraduate Degree in Emergency and Humanitarian issues.