Oxus Microfinance Network

OXUS Holding Board of Directors

Frédéric Roussel – Chairman – ACTED Development Director

After graduating from the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences-Po), Frédéric travelled extensively in numerous countries. In 1989 he settled in Afghanistan where he worked for several International Organisations and assisted the launch of several local NGOs. As co-founder and Development Director of ACTED, Frédéric focuses on constructing integrated and sustainable regional strategies for the organisation’s activities in developing countries. He closely monitored ACTED’s microfinance programs since 1997, and he has played an essential role in the creation and development of the OXUS Group.

Sébastien Lyon – ACTED Finance Director

Sébastien graduated from ESSEC business school (Paris) in 2003, with a Masters degree in Corporate Finance and Financial markets. He first joined Euronext in the International Partnerships Department; before seizing the opportunity to match his finance skills with his interest for development, and becoming ACTED’s Afghanistan Finance Controller. Since 2004, he gradually moved to ACTED HQ and eventually became Finance Director for ACTED in late 2005. Sébastien acquired a sound expertise in project management and financial systems adapted to the non-profit sector. He participated actively in the successful shift from ACTED’s microfinance programs to the launch of the OXUS Group.

OXUS Development Network management team

Marie-Pierre Caley – President

Marie-Pierre obtained her Doctorate in geography from the Université de Paris 8 in 1991. After supporting two local NGOs in Afghanistan during two years, she co-founded the Kabul Emergency Project in 1992. In 1993, she co-founded the Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED) in Afghanistan. Since then, as General Delegate of ACTED, she has opened offices and launched programmes in 25 countries in Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. Marie-Pierre also created ACTED Regional Platforms in India, Kenya and Jordan. She has been President of OXUS Development Network since 2005 when the OXUS Group was launched.

Michaël Knaute – Chief Executive Officer

Michaël graduated from the Bordeaux School of Management in 1999 with a specialization in audit and finance. He started his career with Arthur Andersen in France. In 2003, he moved into the non-profit sector and joined ACTED where he acquired strong experience in the management of projects and organizations in crisis situations. In 2007, after being Finance Director in Afghanistan and Country Director in DRC, he became ACTED’s Regional Director for Africa. He then became Operations Director of MicroCred, a French microfinance operator. He joined the OXUS Group in October 2009 as Chief Executive Director of OXUS Development Network, where he leads the group’s development and supports ACTED and OXUS’ various microfinance initiatives.

Xavier Desmoulin -Operations Manager

Xavier obtained a Masters degree in Development Economics from the University Montesquieu Bordeaux IV in 2005 and another Masters degree in Development Projects Management from the University Jean Monnet Paris XI in 2006. He started working on SME support projects with NGOs in Senegal and Namibia as a business training and monitoring officer and on the realization of business market studies from 2006 to 2008. He then worked as a Branch Manager and Deputy Operations Manager with Financial Bank in Chad until march 2010. He then joined Oxus Development Network as an Operations Manager and is in charge of supporting Oxus subsidiaries in their operations and transformations plans.

Etienne Mottet – Group Operations Expert

Etienne is graduated from “École des Mines de Paris” one of the French leading engineering school. During his studies he got the opportunity to work already for two ACTED microfinance initiatives: first as Intern in charge of implementing the Octopus MIS software in the different affiliates of OXUS in Central Asia; then as an Intern for Babyloan.org, first French peer-to-peer lending website for microfinance. This made him develop a sure interest for Development, Microfinance and Central Asia. That is why after graduating in June 2009, he seized the opportunity to join the OXUS group as Chief Operations Officers for OXUS Afghanistan. Etienne speaks English, German and Persian.

Olivia Falanga -Operations Assistant

In 2010 Olivia passed the exam to enter Audencia School of Management in Nantes after two years of preparation in Bordeaux. In 2011 she starts her Masters degree at Audencia and decides to get more involved in the microfinance sector through associations and internships, namely at Grameen Bank in Bangladesh during the summer of 2011. In January 2012 Olivia chooses to continue on this path and thus joins OXUS Development Network where she is currently the operations intern.

Alexis Surun – Investment Manager

Alexis graduated from Dauphine University (2002) and holds two Masters Degrees: one in Asset Management from Dauphine University (2003) and the other one in Financial Engineering from EM Lyon Business School (2004). He first joined the private equity firm, PAI partners in Paris before seizing the opportunity to work for BNP Paribas in the New-York Leveraged Finance team. After four years in investment banking, he decided to move into the microfinance sector and joined the OXUS Group in November 2010. Alexis is fluent in French and English.

Clémence Rousselet – Investment Assistant

Clémence graduated from Dauphine University in 2011 and holds a Master in Banking and commercial engineering. Before joining the Oxus Group in April 2012, Clémence started working as an intern at Audexo Corporate Finance where she took part in audit and M&A activities.

 

Giulio Tamacoldi – Finance and Human Resources Manager

Giulio was born in Italy. After graduating from the Faculty of International Studies and Diplomacy in Trieste, he obtained a Masters degree in Development Affairs at the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences-Po) in 2005. He then worked for ACTED between 2005 and 2007, first at the Paris headquarters, and later on field missions in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Giulio joined the OXUS Development Network team in 2008 as the company finance and human resources manager.

Youssef Fakhir – Finance Assistant

Youssef is in Master’s degree Entrepreneurship Management and Corporate strategy at the University of Montpellier. He joined Oxus Development Network in April 2012 to do a professional training. Subsequently,  Youssef plans to integrate a Master’s degree specialized in finance.