Microfinance advisor firm Unitus Capital strengthens top management

Unitus Capital announces ex-Morgan Stanley exec Narayan Ramachandran joins as Co-Chairman and ex-UBS exec Terry Alan Farris as Chief Executive Officer. These Strategic additions to leadership team bring deep expertise in finance, emerging market investing and philanthropic services to expand financial service offerings to microfinance institutions and social enterprises.

Microfinance Focus, March 24, 2010: Unitus Capital, a financial services firm specializing in arranging capital for microfinance institutions and social enterprises, is very pleased to announce the addition of Narayan Ramachandran and Terry Alan Farris to its leadership team. Mr. Ramachandran will join the Unitus Capital Board of Directors and serve as Co-Chairman along with Geoffrey Woolley. Terry Alan Farris joins the senior management team as Chief Executive Officer.

In line with the Company’s growth strategy, Mr. Ramachandran and Mr. Farris will lead the Company’s expansion into new product and service areas to benefit the underprivileged in Asia-Pacific.

“The combined experience of Narayan and Terry will help Unitus Capital expand its service and product offerings to increase participation of social impact investors in businesses that are driving social change in the region.” said Kylie Charlton, Managing Director of Unitus Capital.

“We are very fortunate to have Narayan join Unitus Capital as Co-Chairman, given his incredible global emerging markets experience,” adds Eric Savage, President of Unitus Capital. “Not only has Narayan played a leading role in developing the capital markets for emerging economies around the world, but he has also been active in social impact investing for many years.  We have already benefited from his strategic advice in refining Unitus Capital’s strategy.”

Mr. Ramachandran has been actively involved as an investor in Emerging Markets for over 20 years. Mr. Ramachandran recently stepped down as Chief Executive Officer and Country Head of Morgan Stanley India.  Previously, Mr. Ramachandran held senior global positions with Morgan Stanley Investment Management, notably as Head of Morgan Stanley’s Global Emerging Markets and Asset Allocation businesses. Mr. Ramachandran has a keen interest in using market-based mechanisms to alleviate poverty, in areas such as micro-finance, social venture capital, micro-insurance and affordable housing. Mr. Ramachandran, a Chartered Financial Analyst, received a BTech from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay and an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan.

“We are very excited that Terry has joined Unitus Capital as our CEO,” remarks Savage. “Throughout his career Terry has demonstrated a strong commitment to making a large social impact. Importantly, he has an amazing network of relationships across Asia, experience building teams and a passion for Unitus Capital’s mission.”

Mr. Farris has over 20 years of diverse experience managing and advising privately held companies, multinationals, family offices and individual entrepreneurs globally on their philanthropic strategy, initiatives and governance. His core expertise lies in philanthropy and fundraising in Asia, totaling several billion dollars over the course of his career. Formerly, Mr. Farris was the Head of Philanthropy Services for the Asia Pacific region at UBS, based in Singapore, where he advised over 225 family-owned companies and 150 non-profit clients in 12 countries. Earlier, Mr. Farris was Head of Philanthropy Services for Asia Pacific at MeesPierson (presently Fortis MeesPierson). He has been instrumental in establishing associations, organizations, and resource programs that help build community capacity throughout the Asia Pacific region. Mr. Farris has a Bachelors degree in Business Administration from Pacific Union College in California.

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