Staff Directory

Maria Fernandez Vidal

Senior Financial Sector Specialist

Maria Fernandez Vidal is a Senior Financial Sector Specialist and has led CGAP’s Data team since its establishment in 2020. She leads CGAP’s work on open finance and AI and was the lead author for the Key Considerations for Open Finance, a joint publication by CGAP, the BIS, the IMF, the UNSGSA’s office and the World Bank. Her work focuses on the role of data in advancing financial inclusion and financial health, covering both the public and private sectors.  She has also led work on fintech innovation, platforms and advanced analytics.

Before joining CGAP, Maria spent five years at McKinsey & Company advising financial and public sector clients on strategy, risk, operations, and organizational transformation. She previously worked at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Maria holds an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, with a double major in strategic management and finance, and earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in economics from Universidad Torcuato Di Tella.

By Maria Fernandez Vidal

Blog

Study Shows Kenyan Borrowers Value Data Privacy, Even During Pandemic

Research in Kenya shows that low-income borrowers value data privacy so much that most are willing to pay higher interest rates for better privacy protections, even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Blog

COVID-19 Highlights Need for Stronger Safety Nets for Gig Workers

COVID-19 has highlighted the volatile nature of platform work and the need for platforms to provide stronger social safety nets to workers.
Research

Platform Business Models

Most “unicorn” companies are platforms. But what exactly are platforms? What are the main business models? Are to what extent are they relevant to financial inclusion for low-income customers? Explore the answers in this slide deck.
Blog

E-Commerce Is Taking Off in Rural China: 3 Lessons for Other Countries

China's e-commerce market has $2 trillion in annual sales and is growing as digital services reach rural areas. CGAP visited several villages and spoke with farmers and manufacturers about e-commerce. Here's what we learned.
Research

Is Data Privacy Good for Business?

Do poor customers value data privacy? Six experiments in India and Kenya indicated they do and are willing to pay for it. For providers, this suggests that offering products with privacy and protection features can give them a competitive market edge.