Team
Till is the regional technical advisor for UNCDF and manages the PFIP team. In addition to providing direct technical assistance and training to partners, he is responsible for developing PFIP's policies and procedures as well as business planning, budgeting, fundraising, staff recruitment and management, and more reporting than he believed to be humanly possible.
Till has nearly 20 years of experience in commercial banking, microfinance, and financial inclusion. Prior to joining UNCDF in 2008, Till co-founded Alternative Credit Technologies (ACT), a consulting company specializing on building inclusive financial systems. He started his career as a commercial banker with Chemical Bank and Chase Manhattan in New York in the early 1990s. In 1996, he moved to FINCA International to start, monitor and assess FINCA’s global microfinance network. He was adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and has taught regularly at Georgetown University. He received his Masters degree from SAIS after he graduated with a Bachelors degree from Duke University in the U.S.
Till is an avid diver, swimmer, skier and traveller, which makes the Pacific an ideal place for him to be.
Email: tillman.bruett@uncdf.org
Phone: +679 330 0399 ext. 214
Jeff's work focuses on financial literacy and competency building for developing inclusive financial markets - encompassing national financial literacy strategy formulation, financial education programme development for various target groups and advocacy on consumer and client protection.
Jeff comes to PFIP with over 25 years of development experience as senior technical adviser and project manager in the areas of development planning, integrated rural development, sustainable livelihoods creation, building inclusive markets and microfinance.
Jeff was the Sustainable Livelihoods and Financial Inclusion Specialist at the UNDP Pacific Centre before joining UNCDF. While at the Pacific Centre, he led its globally recognized work in building several successful pro-poor partnerships with private businesses.
Email: jeff.liew@uncdf.org
Phone: +679 330 0399 ext. 217
Anne has worked in the banking circuit for over 15 years, including Citibank and the Reserve Bank of Fiji. She was appointed to the Executive position at the Reserve Bank of Fiji as Change Manager to lead the implementation of the Bank’s change programme which involved managing the restructuring processes, transitions and employment-related matters. She has a background in Total Quality Management from the Hawaii Pacific University and has managed the TQM programme for the Reserve Bank of Fiji and several other institutions. Anne has also served in various capacities with other UN agencies, including the ILO, and UNFPA.
Anne’s current role includes the implementation of many projects, such as the Fiji Department of Social Welfare Progressive Payment System for Family Assistance Program, the Medium-Term Strategy for Inclusive Finance in Fiji, and the Consumer Awareness, Rights and Responsibilities Initiative. She also plays an important role in the Fiji Financial Education Curriculum Development, and regularly participates in knowledge building and knowledge sharing for PFIP.
When Anne isn’t at work, she immerses herself in drama and literature. Anne is also the reigning UNDP Hibiscus Queen.
Email: anne.nacola@undpaffiliates.org
Phone: +679 330 0399 ext.209
Mereseini is responsible for knowledge management for PFIP. She also coordinates scholarship programmes for partners of the PFIP team. In addition she provides support and assistance to the management of the team’s initiatives. Prior to joining the UNDP Pacific Centre, Mereseini was employed by UNDP Multi Country Office as a Young Professional for the Development Services Unit for two years and had a short stint with the Crisis Prevention Unit as a programme assistant. Mereseini holds a Bachelors of Arts Degree from the University of the South Pacific, where she doubled majored in Management and Public Administration, and Literature and Language.
Outside of the office, Mereseini enjoys reading, spending time with her family and loves to write.
Email: mereseini.senikau@undp.org
Phone: +679 330 0399 ext.230
Derek was brought in to assist in the management of G2P projects as a Transition Manager for PFIP.
Prior to joining PFIP, he worked for the Colonial Life and Health Insurance (CFL) and Bank of the South Pacific (BSP), formally Colonial National Bank, for 6 years specializing in Business and IT related project management. Since joining the Projects Office department, which was formed to concentrate efforts on Key Strategic Projects for BSP/CNB, he has completed a large number projects under BSP/CNB umbrella
Derek has worked on large inter and non inter organization projects such as Financial Transaction Customer details reporting project with RBF.
His role has allowed him to gain experience in reengineering, mapping and enhancing of existing system and processes. He also has experience in full product launches and implementation of new IT and Business technologies.
Derek has a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology from the Central Queensland University and aspires to further his education on Project Management in the near future.
In his spare time he enjoys reading, gaming and most any non-full contact sports.
Email: derek.tam@undpaffiliates.org
Phone: +679 330 0399
Abigail is a firm believer that every child should have the opportunity to be able to learn core skills necessary for life in any money economy. She joins PFIP as the National Task Manager tasked with ensuring the timely implementation of the financial education curriculum development strategy and the attainment of specific deliverables within the Fiji Financial Education Curriculum Development Project.
Abigail has seven years of central banking experience in the area of financial system supervision and regulation with the Reserve Bank of Fiji. She is also one of only two women, that have held executive management positions within the timber processing and sawmilling industry in Fiji.
Abigail holds an undergraduate degree, majoring in Banking & Finance and Economics and has postgraduate qualifications in Economics.
The Pacific is a good place for Abigail to be, given that when she can get the opportunity, she enjoys being able to absorb and appreciate Pacific art, culture, food and dance.
Email: abigail.chang@live.com
Phone: +679 330 0399
Joep's main area of expertise is mobile money. He is based in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea and is the person on the ground for all PFIP projects in PNG and the Solomon Islands.
Joep joined PFIP from WING in Cambodia, a mobile payments business that is part of the ANZ banking group. He joined WING during its early project phase and helped develop WING into a fully operational business. He then transitioned through a number of roles culminating in a business development role where he was responsible for the key relationships with mobile network operators, MFIs and businesses.
Joep has a wealth of international experience having grown up and worked in countries in Africa, Asia and Europe. Prior to WING, Joep worked in a variety of project management roles for Reed Elsevier and Philips Electronics. His extensive mobile payments experience coupled with his relationship and project management skills should serve him well in his PFIP role.
Joep enjoys dirtbiking and kickboxing and is keen to explore the many dive sites PNG is famous for.
Email: joep.roest@uncdf.org
Phone: (675) 321 2877
Barry Maher is the ILO Microinsurance Fellow based in Suva,Fiji. The ILO’s Microinsurance Innovation Facility seeks to increase the availability of quality insurance for the developing world’s low-income families by nurturing a new generation of microinsurance experts. The fellow is hosted by the Pacific Financial Inclusion Program and will be based in Suva, building the capacity of organisations involved in microinsurance in Fiji. Barry has an actuarial, insurance and statistical background that includes experience working in consulting, underwriting and capital management. In his previous role he worked as an actuary developing new insurance products for the carbon and renewable energy markets.
Email: barry.maher@uncdf.org
Phone: (679) 3300 399
Oliver Ullrich is the ILO Microinsurance Fellow in Papua New Guinea. The ILO’s Microinsurance Innovation Facility seeks to increase the availability of quality insurance for the developing world’s low-income families by nurturing a new generation of microinsurance experts. The fellow is hosted by the Pacific Financial Inclusion Program and will be based in Port Moresby to help a national microinsurance provider improve its services provided to low-income people. Oliver is a German national with a background in the banking industry and has been working for a large international insurance company in the past.
Email: oliver.ullrich@uncdf.org
Phone: (675) 321 2877
Carol has a background that combines engineering analysis, project management, information and communications technology, and international development. Her prior work with MicroEnsure in Tanzania was an excellent exposure opportunity. She has taken on the fellowship with INFUSE as it leverages her background by harnessing pragmatic innovation and disciplined business analysis to impact the livelihood of the poor through demand driven products.
Email: carol.stewart@uncdf.org
Phone: (670) 799 4113
Ramanathan is a firm believer in the fact that insurance cannot be bought, it needs to be sold. He brings with him more than five years of experience in the insurance industry. He has managed several research projects for International organizations and will be working at PFIP as a Technical Analyst responsible for all research activities.
Having started his career as an insurance sales manager for TATA -- American International Group Inc, he understood the challenges of product design, distribution and client education. This experience was useful in shaping his views about microinsurance.
He has worked at The World Bank for three years on financial inclusion with focus on expanding insurance services to the low income segment in Mexico, Brazil and Colombia. Ramanathan has worked with the regulators, private sector, bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors and has done several market assessments and diagnostic studies. He was responsible for managing all aspects of the Global Microinsurance Database Project which brought out the key operational and financial performance indicators of microinsurance providers across six countries and 160 insurers.
Born and studied in India, he has completed his MBA in India and Masters in International Communication with specialization in microfinance and development at School of International Service, American University Washington DC. He likes to listen to classical music, play adventure water sports and loves to read and talk on cultural anthropology.
Email: ramanathan.subramanian@uncdf.org
Phone: +679 330 0399
Sanjeev was hired in January 2011 as it’s Deputy Project Manager for the Pacific to focus on the day to day non-technical operations of the Pacific Financial Inclusion Programme (PFIP) and the Inclusive Finance for the Underserved Economy (INFUSE) programme, including the overall management of financial resources, procurement, monitoring, evaluation, reporting, training and orientation. Sanjeev is the primary contact for the UNDP and UNCDF operations units in Fiji, Timor-Leste, PNG, Bangkok and New York.
Sanjeev has a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) and a Bachelors Degree (Majoring in Accounting and Mgmt. & Public Administration) from the University of the South Pacific (USP) and comes to the team having years of experience in finance and operations management.
Prior to this Sanjeev was employed with UNDP Pacific Centre as a Programme Finance Associate in charge of their Programme Support Team. He has also worked for UNDP Fiji as a Treasury Associate. Prior to working for UNDP he was employed by the Fiji National Fire Authority as their Accountant/Acting Board Secretary and for Courts (Fiji) Ltd as a Finance Supervisor. During his time with UNDP Sanjeev has been extensively involved in donor reporting, treasury functions, budget formulation and management and financial oversight, human resources planning/alignment along with procurement support to the thematic teams as well as being part of the senior management team. Sanjeev has also been on detail assignments to UNDP Fiji as Head of Procurement & Administration and to New York, UNDP HQ in their Management Support Unit.
Email: sanjeev.lal@undp.org
Phone: +679 330 0399 ext. 226
