Microplanet Technologies Names Daryl Skoog, Former Head of Opportunity International MIS, as Executive Director

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

WASHINGTON and DENVER – April 16, 2012 – MicroPlanet Technologies, a leading provider of technology implementation and support services to microfinance institutions (MFIs), announced today that Daryl Skoog, former head of technology at Opportunity International, has been named MicroPlanet’s Executive Director. As one of the pioneers in deploying banking technology in microfinance, Mr. Skoog brings a wealth of experience and hard-won lessons on how to deploy, manage and maintain technology in the challenging environments in which many MFIs operate.

“In my years with Opportunity, we learned over and over that the most crucial—yet most often overlooked—element of technology deployments is not the technology itself, but the services to deploy, manage and maintain that technology,” said Mr. Skoog. “This is why we started MicroPlanet and brought together this team of highly experienced technology professionals, and it is why I am so excited about the role we can play in this industry. Ten years from now, we want the microfinance sector to be filled with stories of successful technology deployments rather than the all-too-common stories of technology failure we hear today. We believe that MicroPlanet’s world-class implementation and support services will play a critical role in bringing that dream to fruition.”

As the leader of Opportunity International’s technology group for the past 12 years, Skoog oversaw the implementation of core banking systems at 23 microfinance institutions and regulated banks and instituted a variety of technology services to remotely manage infrastructure, helpdesks, data backups and end-of-day processes. In addition to these core services, Mr. Skoog’s team deployed ATMs, smart cards, biometrics, Point-of-Sale devices and services, and mobile phone banking. Kris Carter, Co-Founder and Managing Director of MicroPlanet said, “Our goal in forming MicroPlanet was to take many of the same approaches that Daryl and his team pioneered at Opportunity, and make them available to the broader microfinance and development sector. We are very excited to now have his leadership and vision at the helm.”

About MicroPlanet Technologies

MicroPlanet Technologies was formed to meet the critical technology service needs of the microfinance sector. While it is a new organization, the people of MicroPlanet have a long history in microfinance technology. For more than a decade MicroPlanet’s team of 30-plus technology professionals have been providing advanced solutions, service and support to large microfinance networks like Opportunity International and World Vision, as well as stand-alone MFIs like Fonkoze (Haiti) and Friendship Bridge (Guatemala).

MicroPlanet has now brought this broad array of technology expertise under one roof, offering MFIs access to a wide range of solutions, including core banking software implementation and upgrades, remote software and systems management, and network infrastructure design and support. From its service centers in the USA and India, MicroPlanet can manage technology services and provide 24/7 support to MFIs across all time zones, and in many languages. Learn more at www.microplanettech.org.

Source: Press Release

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Education, Technology
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microfinance