Dr. Johannes Feist 2019 Speaker

Head of Division Financial Systems Development Southern Africa and Regional Funds

KfW Development Bank, All Africa

Biography

Johannes Feist is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Microfinance Enhancement Facility (MEF), a Luxemburg-based public-private refinancing facility for MFIs globally. He also serves as Member of the Board of Finca Microfinance Holding, a global network of 20 microfinance banks in Africa, Latin America, the Caucasus and Asia. Furthermore he is independent member of the investment committee of a commercial microfinance fund set up by Deutsche Bank / DWS.

He has over 18 years’ experience in financial services and economic development based on a progressive career at KfW, a German development bank. At KfW, he was the Resident Director in Kosovo and Serbia, led KfW’s promotional activities in the EU and managed KfW’s corporate strategy department. Since April 2015, he heads the division for “Financial System Development in Southern Africa and Regional Funds,” therewith being responsible for most of KfW’s equity investments in Africa and cross-continental. Before joining development finance, Mr. Feist served in the German security and defense establishment. He holds a PhD and a Master Degree in Economics, from Universities of Munich (Germany) and Bordeaux (France).