Who Is She

Personal information

Executive General Manager, Executive Director
Mayada Baydas

What I have done for Lebanon

Throughout my personal life and career, Lebanon has been HOME. The home for my children and family, and the home where I chose to build institutions professionally. The contributions with the teams I have worked with in the realm of economic development and particularly, financial market development known as Microfinance, have allowed me to add to these ends positively in Lebanon. Establishing two of the lead institutions in Microfinance has been a major factor in developing access to financial services to both women and men, all over the country, in rural and urban areas, and allowing these institutions to be sustainable.

Contact information / Work

Emkan Finance; Emkan NGO
Executive Management
Sadat Str., Sadat Tower, 5th flr.
Beirut
Lebanon
Phone: 
814901/2 1 961
Fax: 
814900 1 961

Education

Education: 
  • Doctorate degree, Agricultural Economics, 1993, The Ohio State University, United States of America
  • Master's degree, Economics, 1988, The Ohio State University, United States of America
  • Master's degree, Agricultural Economics (International Development), 1987, The American University of Beirut, Lebanon
  • Bachelor degree, Agricultural Sciences, 1985, The American University of Beirut, Lebanon
  • Diploma, Agricultural Engineer, 1985, The American University of Beirut, Lebanon

Areas of expertise

Expertise: 
  • Economic Development
  • Financial Market Development
  • Economic and Financial Market Assessments
  • Financial Market Technical Assistance
  • Policy and Research on Economic, Financial and Gender Issues
Languages: 
  • Arabic
  • English
  • French

Work history

Jobs: 
  • Executive General Manager, 2011 - present, Emkan Finance Sal
  • Executive Director, 2009 - present, Emkan (non-profit organization)
  • Senior Vice president & Managing Director, 2005-2009, Development Innovations Group
  • General Manager, 1998-2005, Ameen Sal/CHF International
  • Associate Director for the Office of Development Finance, 2003-2005, CHF International
  • Director for the Training and Research Center, 2004-2005, CHF International
  • Professional Researcher and Lecturer, January-July 2001, University of California
  • Research specialist, 1994-1998, The Ohio State University
  • Post Doctoral Research Associate, 1993-1994, The Ohio State University
  • Research Associate, 1988-1993, The Ohio State University
  • Research Assistant, 1986-1987, The American University of Beirut

Productions

Publications highlights: 
  • Baydas, M. (2004). Market assessment for housing microfinance. In F. Daphis and B. Ferguson (Eds.),Housing microfinance: A guide to practice. Bloomfield, Connecticut: Kumarian Press.
  • Baydas, M. (1995). Informal finance in Egypt: Banks within banks.World Development, 23 (4), 651-661.
  • Baydas, M. (1994). Credit rationing in small scale enterprises: Special microenterprise programs in Ecuador.Journal of Development Studies, 31 (2), 279-308.
  • Baydas, M. (1994). Discrimination against women in formal credit markets: Reality or rhetoric. World Development, 22 (7), 1073-1082.
  • Baydas, M. (1993). Information problems in lending to small scale enterprises: Evidence from Ecuador.Small Enterprise Development, (4), 48-55.

 

Exhibitions, lectures & performances: 
  • Keynote speaker at microcredit and microfinance summits, Sanabel conferences, USAID, World Bank, and other donors' conferences and workshops, 1993 - present.
  • Workshop trainer on commercial banking and microfinance, 1995-present.
  • Microfinance lecturer at the Boulder microfinance program, 2005-2010.

Awards and Distinctions

Distinctions: 
  • Selected by the Arabian Business Magazine among the 100 most powerful women in the Arab world, 2011.
  • Selected by the Financial Times among 40 Arab Women in finance, 2009.
Awards: 
  • Outstanding Research Award from the Ohio State University for outstanding academic record and reserach publications, 1993.