Gerhard Coetzee leads Customer and Provider Solutions at CGAP (working on customer-centric business models, financial innovations for smallholder households and digital finance solutions).

Gerhard was also a Head of Inclusive Banking Strategic Initiatives at Absa Bank (South Africa) responsible for its branchless banking proposition, founder and Director of the Centre for Inclusive Banking in Africa, Professor in Agricultural Economics at the University of Pretoria, technical lead and CEO of a consulting firm (owned by DAI) and had several senior roles at the Development Bank of Southern Africa. His specialization areas are development finance, financial inclusion, agricultural finance, and rural development. He is published widely and has worked in several countries, the majority in Africa. Gerhard holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Pretoria, South Africa.