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Citi Perspectives for the Public Sector
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2015 – 2016
35
The New NGO
C-Suite: Unlocking
Efficiency, Control and
Transparency
A new breed of executives has infiltrated the executive
offices and finance departments of humanitarian and
social aid organizations in recent years. Fondly referred
to as “bridgers,” they are managers who have migrated
from the world of profit-driven enterprises to the
not-for-profit universe of NGOs and similar entities.
These managers typically bring with them insights into
advanced financial and cash management practices that
transcend operating differences between the workplaces
they’ve left behind and the ones they’ve joined.
Their motives for shifting vary. Some are driven by situational events such as 9/11 or the fallout of
a global financial downturn. Others have chosen to transfer strategic and managerial skills honed
during successful careers in the corporate world to social causes that are important to them.
Calls for accountability
Whatever their reasons for change, these executives often find that the pressures of meeting
earnings and shareholder expectations are replaced by the financial expectations of a new set of
stakeholders. These include aid donors who want assurances that their financial contributions are
used wisely and responsibly. Whether these donors are government agencies, private corporations
or philanthropic foundations, they typically seek accountability and transparency into how the funds
they provide are disbursed, tracked and managed.
In fact, these days it is rare to find an aid donor that is willing to extend no-strings-attached
funding. Whether their donations are measured in thousands of dollars or millions of dollars,
donors expect specific goals and expectations to be met and are willing to delve into the details of
how their funds are used both in the field and at headquarters. They want to know that processes
and technologies are in place to account for every dollar to minimize financial risks and to optimize
benefits to aid recipients.
Geoff Gursel
Director, Citi Treasury
and Trade Solutions,
Sub-Saharan Africa
Sales Head
John Finnigan
Managing Director,
Public Sector Group,
Head of Development
Organizations, Citi