Tom Shaw
CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES
Tom Shaw has been the senior technical advisor for microfinance at Catholic Relief Services (CRS) since 2007, and is based at CRS’ headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. He has been working in the microfinance industry since the 1970s, focusing on the design and delivery of high quality, technical service provision to financial service providers and community-led savings groups promotors and networks in Africa, Latin America and parts of Asia. His focus is on training and mentoring on financial management (accounting, delinquency management, savings and credit product development, and financial education), governance, human resources development and research design and implementation. Mr. Shaw is committed to the ideas, practices and policies that promote inclusive financial service access for all, especially among underserved and vulnerable population worldwide. This includes sustainable environmental and social performance practices among all financial service providers, whether commercial banks, microfinance institutions, credit unions, or community-owned and -managed savings groups. He works with microfinance community of practitioners, national governments and central bank regulators. Mr. Shaw is known for his passion and commitment to making microfinance serve the poor, using a “hand up not a hand-out” methodology to bring the highest quality standards and level of effort to all organizations with which he has the honor to work and serve. Mr. Shaw is currently the vice-chair of the Social Performance Task Force. He received a master’s degree in Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology from The Ohio State University, specializing in rural financial markets and microfinance.