From Scaling Capital to Sustaining Operations
My journey with Credo began over 20 years ago when we were a small microfinance institution with just three branches. I have grown alongside the organization as it evolved into Georgia’s fifth-largest commercial bank, now managing over €1.2 billion in assets and serving 500,000 micro, SME, and retail clients through a network of 96 service centers.
Throughout my career, I have held diverse roles across international funding, sustainability, customer experience, and commercial directions. Recently, I stepped into the position of Head of Operations. My core motivation remains straightforward: ensuring that whether clients walk into a physical service center or open the MyCredo mobile app, they encounter a seamless, reliable experience every day, across every channel.
Building Institutional Stability through Strategic Funding
I am most proud of my contributions to the bank’s long-term funding base and institutional resilience. This work involved expanding our strategic partner network, issuing local bonds and capital instruments, and mobilizing technical assistance for priority projects. I have also focused on strengthening USD and EUR correspondent banking access and advancing critical core systems, such as our CRM, to better serve our growing base.
One defining moment stands out: during the height of the pandemic—which coincided with the peak agricultural season for our rural clients—market uncertainty threatened to leave thousands of farmers without vital working capital. We moved decisively to secure funding, ensuring that lending remained uninterrupted. In emerging markets, volatility is a constant; I have learned that stability must be built deliberately and protected fiercely.
The Evolution of Leadership: From Results to Resilience
Transitioning from focused funding leadership to full operational responsibility required a significant personal and professional shift. I had to move from a role where I delivered results directly to one where I build the teams that deliver them consistently. In funding, success is highly visible—a transaction closes, a deal is signed. In operations, success is found in daily discipline: quiet, continuous, and often behind the scenes.
The real challenge has been learning to step back, create clarity, and empower capable people to take full ownership. I continue to refine this balance. I am firm in my belief that institutions only grow sustainably when the people within them are given the space to grow as well.
The Future Outlook: Competence, Capability, and Opportunity
Financial services today are moving faster than ever. As technology evolves and client expectations shift, competence and adaptability have become far more important than formal titles. At Credo, 50% of our clients are women – many of whom are entrepreneurs balancing the demands of growing a business with raising a family.
When we invest in digital literacy for our clients or provide scholarships for rural women in technology, we are not simply running programs; we are equipping women with the skills to earn higher incomes and scale their enterprises. For me, supporting women in finance is about more than representation – it is about widening the landscape of opportunity and enhancing the competitiveness of the entire economy.
