Update: 31.03.2010  Socential has appointed Naoko Felder-Kuzu, who since January 2010 is also heading social investment management at Socential, as one of the new board members: http://www.socential.org/804

Naoko, born in Japan and raised in El Salvador and Guatemala, is an advisor on microfinance and impact investments based in Zurich, Switzerland. She advises asset managers as well as foundations. Her first book Making Sense-Microfinance and Microfinance Investments was one of the first books on microfinance investments. In her second book “Kleiner Einsatz, Grosse Wirkung” or Microfinance and Beyond: Introducing microfranchising and social businesses she portrays the innovative social/businesses models that provide sustainable solutions to the problem of poverty. Her expertise and passion is on promoting business models with a double bottom line (financial and social returns) and bridging the economic divide through the creation of entrepreneurs in developing countries. She is a board member of a family foundation in Switzerland.

We are very much looking forward to working with Naoko on our common vision to empower social entrepreneurs, and see a great value in having her expertise on board!