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. 

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. 

His original training was in environmental science, leading to his doctoral dissertation on the management of renewable energy technology innovation. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Harvard University, and master’s and Ph.D. from Sussex University (U.K.).