PlaNet Finance
International Solidarity through the development of Microfinance
One mission: to reduce world poverty
By providing the poorest populations with access to financial services, the financial intermediaries, including banks, cooperatives, Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and the Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), have shown for thirty years that microfinance is one of the most efficient tools to fight poverty.
PlaNet Finance is a non-profit organization, which develops and promotes networks of MFIs, experts and local players in order to support the development of professional projects for men and women who wish to get out of poverty with dignity.
One desire: to be close to entrepreneurs all over the world
- 38 offices in 60 countries
- more than 800 microfinance institutions already supported
- 7 million micro entrepreneurs in 2006
One commitment: 6 activities to develop the Microfinance sector
The PlaNet Finance group responds to all the needs of those involved in microfinance by providing them with a wide range of services.
ACTIVITY NO 1: TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
69 programmes; 5.9 million euros budget; 27 offices; 228 employees (2006 Balance)
Through technical assistance, PlaNet Finance offers its services and experiences to all types of microfinance officer: Microfinance institutions and networks, governments, banks, insurance companies and APEX institutions, and micro entrepreneurs.
THE 10 FIELDS OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE:
- Regulation
- Setting up MFIs
- Risk management
- Developing Products, Services and Methodologies for micro finance
- Institution Building
- Strategic & Business Planning
- Market & Impact Studies
- Downscaling / Pre-downscaling
- Business development service (BDS)
- Training / Training Centres.
ACTIVITY NO 2: FINANCIAL SERVICES: PLANET FINANCE INVESTMENT ADVISORS AND MANAGERS (PIAM)
23 MFIs financed ; 30 million euros funding ; 12 finance experts (2006 Balance)
PlaNet Finance provides financial services to MFIs at all stages of development, thus adopting a unique global position, with amounts of loans ranging from 5,000 to 20 million euros. Currently, PlaNet Finance is working with 6 microfinance funds and manages its own fund, thus providing a service at all stages of the funding cycle: MFI identification, due diligence and disbursement followed by the loan.
ACTIVITY NO 3: RATING: PLANET RATING
Nearly 240 MFIs; 770,436 euros investment for 2006; 5 offices; 15 analysts (2006 Balance)
Ratings allow MFIs to improve their efficiency and to attract new funding thanks to the transparency they provide to their financial partners.
Rating/ update/ mini rating: Evaluating performance and institutional risk of MFIs, by using the GIRAFE methodology.
Training sessions on the GIRAFE methodology: Training on the GIRAFE evaluation guide through a participatory approach and case studies.
Stockholders: PlaNet Finance, CDC, Coface and Viel & Co. Finance
ACTIVITY NO 4: INVESTMENT: MICROCRED
2 operational MFIs and 2 pre-operational MFIs; 19.05 millions euros total subscribed commitments ; 11,544,700 euros of subscribed capital; 7,269 active clients; 3,426,682 euros of gross portfolio; 21 persons employed by the holding company; 337 persons employed by the group (Figures as at August 31, 2007)
MicroCred is an investment company focused on the establishment and development of a commercial MFI group serving clients excluded from conventional financial systems.
Stockholders: PlaNet Finance, IFC, AXA, Bank Belgium, AFD, EIB.
ACTIVITY NO 5: VENTURE CAPITAL COMPANY : FINANCITÉS
Fund size: 5 million euros of capital, created in 2006 in France, it is one of the first MFIs in the world to provide micro entrepreneurs with capital instead of a financing in debt.
FinanCités is a venture capital company dedicated to micro entrepreneurs from French Sensitive Urban Neighbourhoods. It provides an equity funding as well as loans.
The objectives: improving living conditions in the suburbs and decreasing unemployment by making micro enterprises sustainable.
FinanCités should be replicated by PlaNet Finance in other countries in the months ahead.
Stockholders: HSBC, CDC, Club du XXIe Siècle, Mme. Taittinger, Fondation Evens.
ACTIVITY NO 6: MICROINSURANCE: PLANET GUARANTEE
PlaNet Guarantee is a company specialising in micro insurance which aims to provide technical assistance to MFIs, banks, insurance and reinsurance companies, in order to protect micro entrepreneurs from life accidents, by developing micro insurance and micro guarantee products.
PLANET FINANCE'S INVOLVEMENT IN NEPAL
PlaNet Finance is the leading organization for the SMElink project taking place mainly in Nepal. PlaNet Finance indeed answered and won the call for proposal launched by the European Union on the Asia Invest budget line on late September 2007.
SMElink is the first implemented project of PlaNet Finance in Nepal.
As the leading organization, PlaNet Finance has chosen his partners among local association as FWEAN and FHAN for their specific expertise in the Nepalese market and handicraft as well DHS, SMElink's Indian partner, chosen for his specific expertise within the Indian and South Asian handicraft sector and its promotion, SLPSM, SMElink's Sri Lankan partner, for its South Asian expertise.
SMElink has recently included another partner in its board: SNV for its specific expertise of sustainable tourism in Nepal.
ADVISORY BOARD'S PRESIDENTS
Mr. Abdou Diouf
Former President of the Republic of Senegal, Dakar
And Secretary-General, International Organization of French-speaking Nations, Paris
Mr.Muhammad Yunus
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate 2006, Founder and President of Grameen Bank, Dhaka
PLANET FINANCE'S KEY FIGURES & CONTACT
President:
Mr. Jacques Attali
Vice President:
Mr. Arnaud Ventura
13, rue Dieumegard 93400 Saint-Ouen, Paris, France
Tel: 33 (0) 1 49 21 26 26
Fax: 33 (0) 1 49 21 26 26
Email:
contact@planetfinance.org
Other Partners' Presentation
