Europe and Central Asia Small and Medium Enterprise Banking

completed

The project will support financial institutions in the Europe and Central Asia region to improve their SME banking capabilities. The IFC, through this project, is endeavoring to help the partner banks to develop a sustainable and profitable SME banking business in order to increase lending to the sector. The project uses a two phased approach in working with banks. During Phase I the project's team implements a diagnostic of the financial institution to uncover the gaps in the current SME banking operating practices. The result will detail the findings as well as recommendations for follow on advisory to close the identified gaps. Phase II involves the implementation of an agreed upon modular activity plan based upon the outcomes of Phase I. Depending on the scope of work this may entail anything from a short directed training program to a longer term advisory team working in-depth with the institution. The project will offer a holistic value proposition to client banks through the introduction of innovative products including women-entrepreneurship banking. The project plans to work with local banks in Caucasus, Central Asia, Balkans, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova and Turkey.