By the Caribbean Journal staff

Georgette Jean-Louis, the Chief Operating Officer of Fonkoze, a Haitian microfinance institution, has been named to the board of the country’s central bank, the Bank of the Republic of Haiti.

Jean-Louis, who has worked in the Haitian banking industry for more than 20 years, joined Fonkoze Financial Services in 2009, rising to COO of both the Fonkoze Foundation and Fonkoze Financial Services in 2010.

She had previously worked at the Central Bank for seven years as director of the bank’s Department of Supervision of Banks and Financial Institutions, where she worked to strengthen the supervision of banks and address trends leading to money laudnering.

“I see the Central Bank’s potential to act as a leader in our economy, demonstrating an innovating model of inclusion,” she said. “It’s time for financial institutions at all levels to represent the diverse voices of Haiti.”

Fonkoze Kole Zepol is Haiti’s largest microfinance institution, with more than 55,000 borrowers and 255,000 savers. Fonkoze COO Joins Haiti Central Bank