Our Board of Directors are leading experts in their field, representing our diverse membership in different regions. They bring a wealth of experience and represent multiple stakeholders, including insurers, non-profits, tech companies, supervisors and regulators, microfinance institutions and think-tanks. The directors are elected by Network members for a three-year term, most recently in November 2020 for the 2021-2023 period.
Chair of the Board (2021-present)
Board member (2017-present)
President and CEO of Pioneer Inc. (holding company of the Pioneer Group, Philippines), Lorenzo is considered one of the champions of microinsurance in the country. He brings decades of industry experience to the Network, having continually championed insurance for the middle and low income markets through products and distribution channels beyond the traditional.
Vice-Chair of the Board (2023-present)
Board member (2021-present)
Born in Mexico, based in France, Laura is a strategy and performance manager for AXA Emerging Customers, where she provides technical guidance in business development, consumer insights, and operational implementation to AXA subsidiaries. Laura has a global understanding of the inclusive insurance market in Asia, Africa, MENA, and Latin America, with experience in designing, developing and launching inclusive insurance products, as well as operational insights on the market and regulatory obstacles for product delivery.
Board member (2021-present)
Anne is an insurance professional with over 15 years’ experience designing, prototyping and managing distribution of inclusive insurance in Kenya and other Sub-Saharan countries. Anne has a deep perspective and understanding of the African microinsurance customer, gained from years of research and hands-on experience designing insurance solutions for them. She is a Co-Founder of AB Consultants, a consultancy firm in Kenya, and also a Co-Founder of CoverApp, an InsurTech solution that makes insurance accessible through mobile phones.
Board member (2021-present)
Carlos is a Swiss-Colombian citizen, graduated in Economics and Business Administration, with 25 years of reinsurance experience working at Swiss Re where he mostly focused on Latin America. For the last six years he has been leading the Microinsurance Catastrophe Risk Organisation (MiCRO) to strengthen the resilience of the vulnerable and low-income population with appealing and affordable inclusive insurance. Carlos is currently based in the United States.
Board member (2022-present)
With 18 years of extensive experience in life insurance and banking, Nilofer Sohail is associated with EFU Life since 2013 and is currently working as General Manager Channel Strategy & Growth Segments. She drives financial inclusion and delivers stakeholder value through innovative business models enhancing financial literacy, savings, and protection. Leading product management initiatives, exploring emerging market segments, and developing alternative distribution models are among her key responsibilities. Her focus lies in creating digital, inclusive, and paperless insurance solutions. Recognizing the pivotal role of data in strategic decision-making, she established a business support and analytics division to ensure data-driven insights guide key decisions and initiatives.
Overseeing the wellness segment, a dynamic area aimed at enhancing happiness and well-being alongside traditional insurance services, she has recently expanded responsibilities into the retail health segment. Driven by her belief in health as a fundamental right, her goal is to ensure accessible and comprehensive health solutions for all individuals.
Additionally, she serves as an Independent Director for Pakistan Microfinance Network (PMN).
Board member (2023-present)
Driven by the desire to restore insurance to its original purpose of providing mutual aid for those who
need it most, but can afford it least, Michele founded Democrance in 2015. Prior to that, Michele worked in strategy and distribution at global insurance powerhouses AXA and MetLife in France, Egypt and the UAE. He is a frequent speaker at microinsurance, entrepreneurship and social innovation events, as well as a frequent contributor to publications in the Middle East and wider region.
Board member (2024-present)
Paul Weber is a diplomat at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade. He oversees Luxembourg’s Development Cooperation initiatives in inclusive and innovative finance, focusing on identifying and effectively supervising related programs.
He joined the Luxembourg Development Cooperation in June 2020 and specialized in inclusive and innovative finance, digital for development and private sector engagement
Prior to this assignment, Mr. Weber acted as Chargé de Mission in the Directorate for European affairs and international economic relations, where he worked in the unit responsible for the Benelux Union and the bilateral relations with the neighboring countries.
Paul Weber is a qualified sociologist and political scientist and holds a Master degree from the RWTH Aachen University and a bachelor’s degree from the Universität zu Köln.
Board member (2024-present)
Board member (2019-2024), Executive Director at the Microinsurance Network
Vice-Chair of the Board (2015-2023); Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer at AM Best
Board member (2019-2021), Founder and Managing Director of Kashf Foundation
Board member (2019-2020), Secretary-General at Federación Interamericana de Empresas de Seguros (FIDES)
Board member (2017-2020), Deputy CEO at Milvik (BIMA)
Board member and HR Committee Chair (2015-2016), Chair of the Board (2017-2020), Managing Director at Cenfri
Board member and Secretary of the Microinsurance Network (2015-2020), previously CEO of Hollard International
Board member (2015-2018), Director of Financial Inclusion and Sustainability at Fasecolda
Board member (2015-2018), Previously Senior Technical Specialist; now Country Programme Manager - Rwanda/Tanzania at IFAD
Board Member (2015-2016); Founder and CEO at MicroEnsure
Board member and Treasurer of the Microinsurance Network (2014-2018), President of Denis Garand and Associates
Board member (2014-2016); Vice President and Senior Fellow at Abt Associates
Board member (2013-2016). Held positions as Treasurer, Vice-Chair and Chair of the Board; President at the MicroInsurance Centre
Board member (2013-2014); Previously Microinsurance Programme Coordinator at the Belgian Raiffeisen Foundation (BRS); now Founder of Microinsurance Master
Board member (2009 - 2014); Founding member of the Microinsurance Network and previous Chair of the Board; Chief of the Social Finance Programme at the International Labour Organization
Board member (2009-2014); Head of Sector Project Financial System Development at GIZ on behalf of BMZ
Board member (2009 - 2014); Vice-Chairman at Munich Re Foundation
Board member (2009-2013); Previously Head of Emerging Consumer at Zurich Insurance Company; CEO at Stonestep AG
Board member (2009 - 2013); Lead Operations Specialist at Multilateral Investment Fund, Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)
Board Member (2009-2013); Previous Deputy-CEO at the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP); Managing Director at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
Board member (2009-2011); Senior Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer at ICMIF
Board member (2009-2011); Director of Microinsurance Programmes at Planet Guarantee