Matthew Gamser is CEO of the SME Finance Forum. He has over 35 years of experience in private enterprise and financial sector development, with an emphasis on emerging markets. He has spent the past 10 years with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the previous 25 years in the private sector working as a management consultant and policy advisor.

He has worked with commercial banks and non-bank financial institutions in broadening and deepening financial services, as well as with governments and private businesses around the world to create an improved policy and regulatory environment for private-sector growth and poverty reduction.

Prior to joining the SME Finance Forum, he led IFC's advisory work in increasing access to financial services in the East Asia and Pacific region. He helped to develop a benchmarking system for SME banking services, and other tools and techniques for building capacity in financial institutions and financial sector regulators. He also helped introduce mobile banking/electronic payments systems as a new business area. From 1998-2004, he served as an international advisor to the SIDBI Microfinance program in India, helping grow a small pilot effort into a major part of SIDBI's portfolio (and one of the world's largest microfinance sectors).
His original training was in environmental science, leading to his doctoral dissertation on the management of renewable energy technology innovation. He has edited and authored several books and numerous journal articles. He holds Bachelor's and Master's Degrees from Harvard University, and Master's and Ph.D. Degrees from Sussex University (U.K.).