Moumita Sen Sarma

Moumita Sen Sarma is the Director of Isha Leadership Academy, an initiative of Isha Foundation.

A Chartered Accountant by training, Ms. Sen Sarma has served the Financial Services sector for 23 years in several capacities, prior to joining Isha Foundation as a full time volunteer in 2010. Till March 2010, she served as the VP and Head of Microfinance and Sustainable Development at ABN AMRO Bank, India. In 2003 she set up the Bank’s Microfinance business and was also the Founding Board Member of the ABN AMRO Foundation India, (later renamed RBS Foundation India). Led by her team’s work, the Bank won many awards and recognition in the area of Sustainability, including the Global IFC / FT Sustainable Banking Award in the Emerging Markets category in 2007. Her team also produced a Sustainability Report of the Indian Operations of ABN AMRO, a first of its kind for the Financial Services Sector in India which won the Global GRI’s Reader’s choice Award.

Ms. Sen Sarma has served as a Board Member of Cashpor Micro Credit since 2003. She has also served as a Board Member of Oxfam India (2008 to 2014), Ananya Finance for Inclusive Growth (2010 to 2014), ABN AMRO Foundation (2006 to 2010) and as a Stakeholder Council Member of Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Netherlands until 2012.

She has been a frequent speaker at conferences on both Microfinance and Sustainable Development in India and abroad (incl USA, EU: World Bank/IFC, Tallberg Forum, WEC, Ethical Corporation, Women’s World Banking, Euro Market Forum, Sa-Dhan, WRI) as well as Business Schools in India (IIM Ahmedabad, ISB Hyderabad, S.P Jain Mumbai).

Ms Sen Sarma joined ABN AMRO Bank in the year 1998 and prior to setting up the Bank’s Microfinance business in India, worked within the Bank with several responsibilities ranging from Risk Management (wholesale credit) to lending (large Corporate clients).

Prior to joining ABN AMRO, Ms Sen Sarma worked with American Express Bank for 3 years (1996-1998) managing corporate relationships; prior to that she was looking after the leasing and hire-purchase business of SRF Finance (later acquired by GE Capital) for 3 years (1993-1996). She also spent a year in consultancy with Price Waterhouse Coopers (1993).

Ms Sen Sarma trained at Price Waterhouse Coopers for her CA and is a Graduate in Physics from the Presidency College, Chennai, India.