Assistance to bankers

Assistance to bankers, SME proprietors and SME consultants in enterprise and rural finance

The core of Bert's work has always been the financing decision, both from the point of view of entrepreneurs and the point of view of bankers. Thus, he worked with and trained SME proprietors and SME consultants to undertake cost calculations, formulate a marketing plan, and set business strategy. He worked on dozens of business plans, many of which resulted in a financing request to a bank. Conversely, Bert worked with bankers to properly evaluate such loan requests, assess repayment capacity, structure loans and manage risks. The work has always been highly participatory, and often combined with training seminars and on-the-job training.

Of particular interest have been restructuring projects in the former socialist countries, aiming to adjust the company to operations in a market economy. The work process consisted of a company diagnostic, strategic planning, and implementing management change. The implementation phase included management advice on marketing and distribution, finance and cost calculation, personnel policy, production technology, quality management, and other factors to rehabilitate the company. Staff training was undertaken as well. Bert's most important experience was gained in food processing industries. To know more about this, read the Seminar paper "Post-Privatisation Restructuring".

Date	Location	Description
Oct '17-Mar '18	Rwanda	Team Leader. Capacity building of financial management of 12 local CSOs.
Mar ’16 - Mar '18	Zambia, Malawi	Business expert. Development of BDS for SMEs, linked to EIB credit programme (pipeline building, strengthen performance of end-borrowers (nine missions to Zambia and Malawi)
Jan ’12 - Jan ‘13	Worldwide	Fairtrade: development of strategy and business plan for Global Producer Finance Unit (FLO-GPFU) (based on 6 agricultural value chains in 10 countries)
Feb ’09 - Jan ‘11	Rwanda	Risk management for two banks: BRD and BCR (9 missions) · Development of credit risk rating systems (SME loans, agricultural loans) · Management of financial and balance sheet risks (interest rate, exchange rate and liquidity risk), and optimising the funding structure of different currencies and interest types · Training and coaching in risk management
Aug ’05 - Nov ‘10	Uganda and Rwanda	Improving financial management of Institutions of higher learning · The Judicial Studies Institute in Uganda: review (1 mission) · Institute of Legal Practice Development Rwanda: preparation of a financial procedures manual, budget preparation, training of staff (6 missions) · National University of Rwanda: development of a financial procedures manual, budget preparation, training of staff (6 missions) · National Institute of Higher Education Ruhengeri Rwanda: costing, budgeting (2 missions)
Sept-Oct ‘06	Guinea Bissau	Establishing solar-powered water pumping systems in rural areas · Determining financial viability and sustainability of water pumping systems · Advice on management of revenues and savings by user groups
July ’04, Jan ‘05, Jun ‘05	Afghanistan	Institutional strengthening of Afghan NGOs (3 missions) · Management review of 3 large humanitarian organisations (CHA, ADA, AREA) · Development of capacity strengthening programme · Training of staff in planning, budgeting, control and financial reporting
Dec ‘04	Montenegro	Due diligence of a dairy factory and report on agricultural financing
Feb, Jul ‘03	Bosnia	Enterprise restructuring project (2 missions) · Advice and training of 7 food-processing companies in financial management, financial analysis and costing · Restructuring plan for a meat factory
Aug ‘02 - Nov ‘10	Netherlands	Assistance to starting entrepreneurs in business and financial planning, management, and financing. Preparation of their credit applications (17 companies)
Sept ‘01 - May ‘02	Montenegro	Dairy development project (3 missions) · Development of leasing scheme for provision of modern equipment to dairy farmers and processors (1,000 pieces of farm equipment and 7 factory installations) · Selection of participating banks · Due diligence and credit assessment of 7 dairy factories
Aug ‘01 – Jun ‘02	Kyrgyzstan	ADB Agricultural Credit Line (3 missions) · Assistance to the Kyrgyz Agricultural Finance Corporation in loan appraisal for farm and agri-business lending · Building cash projection and loan structuring model · Training of loan officers in loan appraisal and risk evaluation
Aug ‘00 - July ‘02	Kazakhstan	World Bank Agricultural Post Privatisation Credit Line (6 missions in 8 provinces) · Assistance to 7 banks in loan formulation and credit appraisal for farm and agri-business lending · Assessing farm / agri-business repayment capacity, structuring loans to match the client’s cash cycle, and completing World Bank credit requests · Training of loan officers in 8 oblasts throughout the country, and cyber-support to banks
Apr ‘00 - Jun ‘10	Netherlands	Participation in credit committee to review requests for credit guarantees of immigrants wishing to invest in their country of origin (regularly). Debt collection
Oct ‘99	Cambodia	PRASAC Rural Credit mission (rural savings and credit associations) · Establishing an internal audit and control system, recommending methods for loan appraisal, loan administration and repayment
June ‘99 – June ‘01	Mongolia	Restructuring of a meat factory. Restructuring of a cookies and candies factory. (intermittent, 300 days over 15 missions) · Company diagnostic and development of a restructuring plan · Management advice on marketing, finance and cost calculation, personnel policy, production technology, profit centres, and other factors to rehabilitate the company · Obtained bank credit for investment and working capital · Training of staff and coaching of management · Presentation of the results in private sector seminars (2 publications)
May ‘98 – Jan ‘99	Kazakhstan	Enterprise restructuring project (7 missions) · Training of management consultants in enterprise restructuring, business planning, financial analysis and product costing · Financial analysis of companies in the retail trade, food processing and telecoms sectors · Product costing and financial management of a poultry (egg) farm
Dec ‘97 – Jun ‘99	Ukraine	Enterprise restructuring project (8 missions) · Training of management consultants in enterprise restructuring, business planning, financial analysis and product costing · Financial analysis of a brick-making, nail- and screw-making, and pharmaceutical company · Product costing of a meat factory and break-even analysis for future profitability
Sept ‘97	Cape Verde	Establishment of a microcredit programme for small scale and rural entrepreneurs (statutes, procedures manual, loan administration system)
Mar-Apr ‘97, Apr ‘98	Lesotho	Establishment of a rural enterprise evaluation unit, linked to the establishment of savings and credit groups. Assess rural business potential, loan repayment capacity and development strategy (2 missions)
Feb ‘97	Macedonia	Creation of a network of ten agricultural credit advisors. Selection, training, and development of their work and training programme
Mar ‘94	Guinea-Bissau	Preparation of Business Guides for starting entrepreneurs. Guides: 1 Planning, 2 Legalisation, 3 Licensing, 4 Bookkeeping, 5 Credit.
Nov ’91 - Dec ‘94	Guinea-Bissau	Project Manager of industry support project and SME credit fund · Strengthening of the Ministry of Industry, Directorate of Investment Promotion and Assistance to Industry, and management of an SMI credit fund · Two years in charge of investment study division for preparation of business plans and loan applications (30 studies) · One year project manager / Team Leader, in particular in charge of SME credit programme