Richard O. Wilson, JrChief Executive Officer Inclusion [Social Ratings]

Richard is a specialist in social performance and corporate responsibility ratings. His activities in these areas include advisory, methodology development and training services. He has developed ratings and assessment methodologies for a number of local, regional and international rating agencies in the areas of microfinance, banking, corporate, project finance, and corporate governance.

Richard founded the first global social rating agency, Inclusion [Social Ratings], which provides Social Performance & Impact Ratings to Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) and other Social Enterprises. It has recently launched ESG Ratings in South Africa, having established a regional office in Cape Town.

He has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Global Credit Rating Co. of South Africa, acting as Independent Non-Executive Director. Richard has developed and conducted training in corporate governance at board level for various international institutions, as well as corporate governance training for senior management at the Islamic Development Bank. He has been a Senior Training Consultant for Moody’s Analytics, where he delivered a wide range of financial training courses, including Train the Trainer (ToT) sessions for other senior trainers at that institution.

His other previous experience includes Head of Ratings Advisory at Societe Generale’s Investment Banking unit (SGIB) where he established that bank’s first ratings advisory group. Prior to SGIB, Richard held the title of Regional Director at Duff & Phelps Credit Rating Co. (DCR), where he was responsible for all of that agency’s rating activities in Central Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Richard holds a Masters in International Management from the American Graduate School of International Management (AGSIM) and a Bachelor’s Degree in International Economics from the University of Texas-Austin. He is also fluent in Spanish, with a working knowledge of Portuguese and French.