Eugene Spiro Email & Phone Number

Budapest, Hungary

Leading teams at USAID’s Partnerships Incubator, a $47 million global service hub established to expand and diversify USAID’s partner base, catalyze innovations, and implement best practices to advance development impact and build in-country organizations' readiness to partner with USAID. Overseeing provision of capacity strengthening services to facilitate partners’ access to USAID resources, preparing partner landscape assessments to help USAID Missions identify new and local partner organizations, and preparing a Roadmap for Accelerating Localization for USAID's Bureau for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security. Regional focus on Latin America and the Caribbean and West Africa.

District Of Columbia, United States

Taught MBA and undergraduate cohort courses on International Relations, Economics of International Development, International Trade Theory, Management of Non-Profit Organizations, Leadership and Organizational Behavior, and Comparative Political Systems.

Haiti

Spotlight Haiti is a three-year program (2020-2023), conceived and implemented in partnership among the Government of Haiti, the United Nations, and the European Union, aiming to protect women and girls from domestic gender-based violence. Prepared diagnostic tools and planned and implemented a training program for officials at selected state ministries, including the Ministry of Planning and External Cooperation and the Ministry on the Status and Rights of Women, to strengthen capacities in budgeting and advocacy for gender-equity programs.

Malaysia

Prepared research and analysis assessing public policy initiatives taken by the Government of Malaysia to reinforce the enterprise ecosystem and identifying effective private and third sector solutions that build MSME resilience and sustainability, in particular in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Brought applicable initiatives and solutions to other Member Countries of the Islamic Development Bank based on evaluation of interest and absorptive capacity to apply and scale solutions to benefit MSME sectors.

Washington, D.C., Istanbul, And Gaziantep

Led a capacity strengthening program for Syria Civil Defense (White Helmets) through the USAID/Office of Transition Initiatives Syria Regional Program II and the German Federal Foreign Office. Program built on an organizational capacity assessment that I prepared based on USAID’s Organizational Capacity Assessment Tool. Supported implementation of recommendations to strengthen SCD’s corporate governance and management structures and capacities in strategic planning, compliance with donor requirements, and communications to ensure sustainability.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Prepared market assessment and provided business development support for Diligent, a leading provider of Cloud-based corporate governance solutions, targeting international financial institutions, foundations, and civil society organizations to build efficiencies, reduce costs, and enhance security of governance documents and processes. Arranged demos of the product for C-suite executive teams at a range of international organizations based in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., Central And Eastern Europe, Middle East And North Africa

USAID, Washington, D.C., September 2016 – presentEvaluation, Corporate Governance. Prepared evaluations of USAID-administered Enterprise Funds, a series of investment funds established to support private sector development and strengthen the enterprise financing ecosystem in emerging market economies. The funds ($300 million in Egypt, $80 million in Tunisia, and $1.2 billion in Europe/Eurasia) invest in small and medium-sized enterprises, accelerators, and financial institutions with the objective of supporting gender and youth employment and regional development. Focused on corporate governance of the funds, including Board composition and engagement, internal controls, disclosure and reporting practices, and stakeholder engagement.

Kyiv And Washington, D.C.

Prepared strategy and implementation plan for establishment of a legacy advocacy mechanism in Ukraine to support civil society in motivating and monitoring reforms, with focus on anti-corruption initiatives. Examined local mechanisms for support of advocacy to suggest ways forward; assessed horizontal coordination and direct sub-granting; reviewed international lessons of sustainability mechanisms that have graduated from international donor funding; and established local support network among CSOs and private sector actors.

New York City Hq, Istanbul Regional Hub, Central Europe And Central Asia

Financial Institutions Team, Partnerships Group, Bureau for External Relations and Advocacy. Co-authored UNDP’s Strategy for Partnership with International Financial Institutions supporting achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, and prepared series of knowledge materials (Guidance Notes) to support UNDP Country Offices in IFI Partnership Strategy implementation. Separately, prepared evaluation of UNDP-supported private sector development projects in the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic, and prepared strategy for UNDP Country Office engagement in IFI-supported projects in Turkmenistan.

New York City And Washington, D.C.

Prepared an After Action Review of the World Bank - United Nations - Islamic Development Bank partnership in establishing a Concessional Financing Facility for the Middle East and North Africa region. The CFF is a mechanism to support, in the first instance, Jordan and Lebanon in their efforts to mitigate the refugee crisis emanating from the conflict in Syria through blended, concessional finance provided by the international donor community. Conducted desk research and engaged with senior staff at the three institutions and a range of UN agencies to draw out lessons learned and prepare recommendations to benefit replication.

Palestinian Territories

Prepared, through site visit and desk research, evaluation of the corporate governance environment in the Palestinian Territory, including assessment of corporate governance and sustainability of the Palestine Governance Institute, with recommendations for reform of the Institute's Board structures, internal control environment, succession planning and relations with stakeholders in the local enterprise sector.

Washington, D.C.

Senior Projects Officer, Corporate Governance, Advisory Services. As Task Team Leader, designed and implemented a technical assistance and capacity-building program supporting corporate governance reform in Asia in partnership with local civil society organizations, regulators, the international institutional investment community, and multilateral organizations. Designed and led a global media program in collaboration with Thomson Reuters Foundation and Agence France-Presse, building journalists'​ capacity to investigate and report on corporate governance issues. Led a team in performing a corporate governance assessment of a local institute of directors and oversaw timely implementation of recommended reforms regarding board structures, stakeholder engagement, and internal controls to improve the organization's transparency, performance and sustainability. Supported the Forum’s donor relations and led initiatives in raising USD 1.1 million in project funding from the Government of Japan.

Washington, D.C.

Senior Operations Officer, Trust Funds Operations Unit, Partnerships Department. Managed over twenty technical assistance trust funds set up at IFC by bilateral donors. Oversaw identification, review and submission of project proposals in the areas of public-private partnerships, access to finance, climate change, health and education for donor support. Liaised with donors and project teams to develop and refine proposals for submission in line with donor priorities and framework agreements, communicated with donors on emerging corporate business line and product strategies, and contributed to and oversaw donor reporting on use of trust funds and project results and impact. Ensured compliance with World Bank Group procurement requirements, prepared ad hoc communications to and briefings for donors, and engaged in team strategic planning, pipeline development and project and portfolio reviews.

Washington, D.C.

Designed and managed implementation of CIPE projects in Middle East North Africa and Africa regions to improve the environment for business, address corruption, reform corporate governance and foster corporate social responsibility. Programs support related advocacy and communications initiatives and training, targeting regional business and policy-making sectors and the media. Was responsible for project development, reporting and regular communications with CIPE’s principal donor, the National Endowment for Democracy. Managed a multinational programmatic and administrative staff of 17 based at CIPE’s Washington, D.C. headquarters and in field offices in Cairo and Amman.

Budapest, Hungary

Provided marketing and product development advisory services and expanded client base in the Central European region with focus on asset management and trust and fiduciary services for high net worth individuals. Leveraged extensive network in the regional entrepreneurial and venture capital communities, targeting individual and family-owned enterprises in the information technology and health care sectors.

Zurich, Switzerland

Private Banker, Central and Eastern Europe Team. Doubled assets under management of high net worth client base (minimum USD 1 million in investible assets) targeting the small- and medium-sized enterprise sector in Hungary, Slovakia, Poland and other countries in the region. Introduced strategy focusing on high value-added sectors, typically information technology and biotechnology, leveraging off venture capital network in the region. Established distribution channels, marketing platform and business development strategy for client acquisition based on provision of wealth management products and trust and fiduciary services. Worked in close cooperation with the bank’s investment advisory, product development and risk management units.

Budapest, Hungary

Director, Banking and Finance Assistance Center. Designed and implemented a program of assistance supporting regional enterprise development and financial sector reform in Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Raised USD 1.5 million in financial and in-kind support for programs and developed relations with donors, in particular the United States Agency for International Development and the Mellon Foundation. Coordinated programs with regional governmental initiatives promoting enterprise and capital market development and banking and pension reform, arranging technical assistance programs targeting, among others, local governments, banks and SMEs. Convened and participated in international seminars, conferences and task forces in the region to raise relevant issues, advise senior policy makers and identify and promote regional policy reforms. Developed ‘east-east’ assistance strategy, transferring knowledge gained by practitioners in Central Europe to counterparts in Southeastern Europe and Central Asia. Managed a programmatic and administrative staff of five.

Washngton, D.C.

Oversaw design and implementation of range of USAID-funded projects targeting Legal and Regulatory Reform across the Central and East European region.

Washington, D.C.

Maintained macroeconomic model and aid pipeline for Ghana, engaged in consultations with Ghanaian governmental and regulatory agencies in setting country strategy.

Washington, D.C.

Prepared reporting on member countries' exchange rate policies for the IMF Board of Directors, alongside assignments analyzing exchange and trade policies across the Fund's membership.

New York City

Provided statistical and analytical support to C&L's Management Consulting Services.

Washington, D.C.

Meridian International Center is a public and cultural diplomacy institution dedicated to preparing public and private sector leaders for the complexities of the global environment, providing a neutral forum for international, multi-sectoral collaboration and introducing visiting international leaders to American culture. Responsibilities included events planning and management, liaising with the media and a range of stakeholders regarding Meridian’s activities, and development of Meridian’s extensive database.

Master Of Arts (M.A.), International Economics

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), International Relations