Category: SCF Leader of the Year

Winner: Sunil William Mascarenhas – IFC

Entry:

The SCF Leader of the Year award for 2019 is given to Sunil William Mascarenhas for his work with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) where he held an advisory role and was responsible for launching multiple SCF programmes across key Asian markets, including Bangladesh, Vietnam and Mongolia.

His role involved the setting up of end-to-end SCF solutions including the product design, technology platforms, training and legal documentation. He has more than 20 years of SCF experience.

“[Mascarenhas] is a true expert in structuring SCF programmes and was instrumental in promoting the support of SCF programmes through IFC,” says Michiel Steeman, executive director of the Supply Chain Finance Community and chair of the judging panel.

In Bangladesh, Mascarenhas worked with large corporates including agro-producers Pran and Paragon.

In Vietnam, he engaged closely with banks to launch SCF programmes, one of which is now up and running. He also spearheaded a SCF programme in Mongolia for the country’s largest mining company.

“It is an honor for me to be awarded for the SCF Leader of the Year. Launching SCF in Bangladesh was extremely challenging on multiple fronts – regulatory, infrastructure, technology awareness and knowledge,” Mascarenhas tells SCF Briefing.

“With this as background, the opportunity to design and launch SCF businesses in four banks in Bangladesh was a great challenge and one I absolutely enjoyed tackling. I would like to thank IFC for giving me the opportunity to work in the Bangladesh market and my teams both at IFC and the banks involved for supporting the project so strongly,” he adds.

His work with regulators within various jurisdictions in the Asian region was instrumental to ensuring the foundations for successful SCF programmes were put in place. Through his efforts, he has supported the enrolment of more than 50 companies and more than 800 suppliers and dealers onto SCF programmes across the region.

Mascarenhas was nominated for the award by IFC. Earlier this year he moved to a new role at the Asian Development Bank where he will continue to support the growth of SCF in the region.

This is the fourth year in which the SCF Awards judging panel has presented a ‘Leader of the Year’ award to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the development of supply chain finance. Last year the award was given to Professor Hua Song of Renmin University of China in Beijing.

The previous year the winner was TradeIX and PrimeRevenue founder Robert Barnes. In 2016 the winner was Joost van den Hondel, who supported the set-up of Betaalme.nu.