Our Clients
and Projects

This is a select list of clients and projects we have been grateful to support. These examples illustrate the technical and geographical depth of our expertise to deliver quality assessments, strategies, tools and outcomes for our clients.

CASE STUDY

Athena Advisors Works to Embed Gender Equitable Outcomes with Impact Linked Carry

Case study on Athena’s work with a Gender-Leading, Early-Stage, Tech-Focused Impact Fund on synthesis of current impact-linked carry practices, identification and selection of gender impact metrics, and the development of a quantitative carry model.

Learn more

Athena Global Offices


 

DENVER, COLORADO, USA

 

/ Headquarters


 

JAKARTA, INDONESIA

 

/ Representative Office


 

TBILISI, THE REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA

 

/ Field Office


 

CABO, MEXICO

 

/ Field Office

DEI / Diversity, Equity & Inclusion


 

Athena Global evaluates various types of diversity and equity for clients in order to provide realistic, implementable solutions to create inclusive and systemic change within the financial and development sectors.

GLI / Gender Lens Investing


 

GLI involves making investment decisions with the intention of bringing about gender equity for clients and within an organization. We are focused on moving money for inclusive systemic change within formal and informal financial systems which includes addressing unconscious bias, and a quantitative approach to valuing women and diversity in an investment portfolio.

II / Impact Investing


 

We partner with clients to create positive social, environmental and organizational change through investments. This includes investment vehicle structuring, product development, portfolio analytics, impact measurement and workouts/restructuring. We work with clients to go beyond exclusion lists and ESG.

FIRM / Financial Institution Risk Management


 

We work with financial institutions of all types to develop predictive risk management tools, frameworks and systems for integrated financial, credit, organizational and operational risk management.

PD / Participatory Development


 

Our approach is grounded in asset-based strategies which involve empowerment and sustainability within integrated development programs.

EE / Economic Empowerment


 

We aim to create agency and consider underserved and unrepresented populations, like women and minorities, to be clients rather than benificiaries.

W&G / Women and Girls


 

This work starts with root cause analysis of the specifc problems preventing women and girls from full and equitable access to products and services, to positively change outcomes.

A2F / Access to Finance


 

A2F includes a variety of assessments and delivery modalities to provide access to financing or capital to under-represented populations through brick-and-mortar, digital or tech-enabled platforms. We work with a variety of organizations from banks and MFIs to FinTech platforms or other distribution channels.

PBI / Place-Based Investing


 

We work with clients to develop customized solutions that  effectively overcome systemic obstacles to financing in particular markets, ecosystems or environments.

Projects


We led a technical assessment and recommendations for gender lens investing program in southeast Asia to support commercially-oriented investment firms. Facilitated session at Gender Smart Investing summit in London (Nov 2018).


Athena conducted an enterprise risk management assessment and planning as part of investment due diligence in South Asia and the Caucuses; Change management planning for MFI transitioning into a bank.


In collaboration with Sri Lankan Ministry of Finance, Athena conducted an assessment and recommendations for large World Bank funded SME lending facility with 8 financial institutions.


We conducted primary and secondary research and publication on product costing for Islamic microfinance (musharaka and salaam).

Supported projects and trainings with MFI investee clients in the Balkans in organizational review, comprehensive risk management and investment restructuring.


We led teams for acquisitions and mergers of financial institutions into the FINCA portfolio in Eastern Europe.


We partnered with Value for Women to develop case studies, a guidance note and a technical paper on using UNCDF funding to catalyze private investmnts in gender lens investing globally.


Athena led the structuring and development of equity fund for minority owned businesses in the US.

We support Palladium to implement specific technical components within the USAID-funded CATALYZE Program, a $250 million 8-year program, designed to mobilize $2 billion in private capital, especially for underfinanced sectors, including women.


Athena advised on and developed plan for creating social impact accelerator to support program clients to foster sustainable SME businesses with blended finance capital.

 

We developed a strategy and priorities for Islamic Impact Investing.


Advisory for non-profit organization that issues retail (US $1,000) gender bonds to support women clients of MFIs in Afghanistan, Philippines and Guatemala.

 

We led Marshall Direct Fund to continue its commitment to alleviating poverty in Pakistani communities by providing free, quality education for girls and their brothers and economic empowerment opportunities for women by empowering and sustaining their local partner organization, Moqah Foundation, in Pakistan.

 

We supported GBF on a publication on impact investing as well as integrating gender equity into their investment process.

We designed and facilitated workshops for gender lens investing and unconscious bias.