Caterina Meloni

Caterina is a gender finance specialist with over 20 years of experience in inclusive finance, women’s entrepreneurship, and gender lens investing. She works at the crossroads of finance and gender by demystifying gender lens strategies for businesses and mainstreaming gender risks in investment frameworks. Caterina supports development partners and government bodies in integrating a gender and climate lens across a range of private sector programs (finance, infrastructure, energy, water, agriculture) in a way that is pragmatic, cost-effective, and relevant to local business sectors. Similarly, she advises private companies and financial institutions in designing and implementing simple yet effective gender & inclusion strategies. Connecting Founders, an advisory firm she founded in 2015, is the Winner of the 2022 and 2021 WEP Thailand Gender-responsive Markets Award (SME Champions) in recognition of their work supporting female founders. Prior to founding Connecting Founders, Caterina worked for leading international development institutions, such as the World Bank and IFC, to design and execute projects in over 40 countries. Caterina holds an M.A. in International Relations and Economics from The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).