NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Eriko Ishikawa has over 20 years of development finance experience in the World Bank Group. At IFC, she leads the organization’s initiative to support private sector companies that reach populations at the Base of the Pyramid (BOP) and she has co-authored several publications on this topic.  During her career at IFC, she spearheaded several new practice areas including Business Linkages—providing technical assistance and advisory support to IFC clients to strengthen their local supply chain in emerging markets.  She also pioneered IFC’s engagement in Central Asia, where she led investments in local commercial banks, microfinance institutions, and small and medium enterprises.

Prior to joining IFC, Eriko was a Vice President for International Corporate Finance at Citibank in New York. She was born in Japan, grew up in Brazil, and has been educated in the United States. She has an MBA from Stanford University; as well as AB and EdM degrees from Harvard University.  Her main hobby is scuba diving—in Micronesia, South Pacific, the Red Sea, and the Caribbean.

Kathleen Gaertner Mignano With over seven years of experience in international development, Kathy has in-depth knowledge in the field of inclusive business. She identifies IFC clients that qualify as inclusive business and led the development of guidance pieces on how to recognize inclusive business models in various sectors.  She also collaborated with  the Development Economics and Chief Economist department on the creation of the Global Consumption Database.

Prior to joining IFC, Kathy worked for The Urban Institute, based originally in Washington, D.C., and later in Indonesia. She has had short-term assignments with USAID, Liberia’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and Wise Solutions. Kathy holds a master’s degree from Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Furman University.