Richard LeftleyRichard joined Opportunity International's Technical Services Division in January 2002 as insurance product development manager. Richard previously worked as a reinsurance broker for Benfield Greig Ltd, the world's largest independent reinsurance broking group. Richard was responsible for the African account and worked closely with three others in a team covering the Middle East and South East Asia. Richard pioneered the introduction of insurance products within the Opportunity Network and this work has placed Opportunity as a market leader in the provision of insurance to the poor. At the end of June 2007 a range of insurance products were available to 3,300,000 clients and family members in Ghana, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Philippines, Mexico and Columbia. In 2004 Richard was promoted to the position of Vice President for Planning & Operations and led a team of specialist consultants providing technical assistance to Opportunity partners in 29 countries in all areas of lending, savings, insurance, money transfer and client impact monitoring. During 2005, Opportunity International launched the Micro Insurance Agency to provide a larger number of clients with access to insurance products; as President Richard has established the organisation and is setting its strategic direction. |