Insights

12.01.2023

2022 Project Impact Summary

LFS are proud to showcase the key advisory services provided in 2022. Thank you to all of our project partners for the great collaborations this year. We will look forward to future projects.

15.11.2022

LFS Supports Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) in Latin America and Sub-Sahara Africa

LFS recently carried out a study for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to support the development of the Forest Landscape Restoration Implementation Hub (FLR Hub), a joint initiative by IUCN, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and the World Resources Institute (WRI).

01.03.2022

Agrifinance Webinar sponsored by the SANAD Technical Assistance Facility

LFS Advisory is pleased to invite you to join the Agrifinance Webinar sponsored by the SANAD Technical Assistance Facility: Facilitating Knowledge Exchange on Agrifinance - What can MENA and SSA learn from each other on Agrifinance?

WHO WE ARE

LFS is an advisory and management firm based in Berlin, Germany. The company has been operating previously as LFS Financial Systems GmbH, and changed its name to LFS Advisory GmbH in 2018.

We specialize in banking and financial sector projects in developing countries. Our particular focus is on micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) finance. Starting in 1997 as a consulting firm, LFS is today also a manager and investor in MSME finance. We are proud to have brought together a team that combines a variety of professional, academic, and regional backgrounds, but shares a commitment to excellence and integrity.

“At LFS we combine the power of financial instruments and technology to improve peoples’ lives in emerging markets.”

Dan Balke, Managing Director & Partner

At LFS, we believe in the power of technology and innovation in solving key challenges, that are global: social participation and advancement, protection of the environment and sustainable economic growth. We also help other impact investors and financial institutions to identify, fund and scale up such business ideas. LFS is an advisory company and an impact investor.

With our high caliber expertise in investing in, founding and managing banks in emerging markets, fund management and bringing innovations in technology into financial institutions we bring value to our clients worldwide. We are passionate about delivering projects with a commercial and social return.

Our goal is to become a leading European management and advisory company in the field of impact investment and technology for emerging markets.

What we stand for

SPECIALIZATION

Our long-standing specialization on micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) finance has enabled us to accumulate substantial in-house expertise; our continual market research and exchange of cross-project experience ensure that our centres of competency are always up to date in terms of product and process innovations.

CUSTOMER ORIENTED

LFS Advisory does not provide isolated experts or resources, but designs project and programme concepts focused on the client’s needs. Within our area of specialization, we offer integrated service packages that combine a range of inputs including management, advisory, training and IT services.

CONSISTENT STAFF

In contrast to other firms in this field, LFS Advisory works primarily with permanent staff. We are convinced that successful implementation of long-term advisory and management projects requires not only individual qualifications, but also a strong team play and a high degree of consistency in the working methodology.

DISTINGUISHED TRACK RECORD

LFS Advisory has built a distinguished track record for providing high-quality services and delivering impeccable project results even in difficult operating environments. LFS has evolved into a leading provider of integrated service solutions for greenfielding, downscaling, upgrading, and other advisory service projects.

RESPONSIBILITY

LFS Advisory assumes responsibility not only for the timely implementation of the agreed work plan, but also for the results of a project. Most of our service contracts include a variable fee component based on a set of both quantitative and qualitative performance indicators.

QUALITY

At LFS, we strive to manage and continuously improve our projects and services in the best way possible. Our new quality management system is designed to support us with this. As a seal of quality, we are certified according to the international standard for quality management ISO 9001:2015. Read more about our quality policy here.

OUR WORK

LFS believes in specialization. Our work is focused on financial services industries in emerging markets and transition countries. We develop tailour-made solutions to strengthen financial institutions, promote financial inclusion and support the productive use of financial sector resources. Our longstanding managerial experience on the inter-section of banking and technology enables us to connect the realms to generate lasting impact and value.

Since its inception in 1997, LFS has built up a distinctive track record of successful management mandates and advisory services in our key areas of work. In the past 20 years we have implemented over 120 projects across the developing world. Our global project portfolio spans from Peru in the West to Fiji in the Southeast. Please see our Project Showcase section for a more detailed references.

Areas of Work

MSME Finance

LFS Advisory provides financial institutions with consultancy and managerial solutions for the implementation of financial services for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs)

AGRICULTURAL FINANCE

Financing smallholders and SME farmers requires adjusted products, underwriting processes, and delivery methods. LFS provides tailour-made solutions based on regional conditions for optimal performance and impact.

DIGITAL FINANCE

LFS has been at the forefront of promoting alternative delivery channels for financial inclusion. We combine the business and technology expertise to support financial institutions in scaling up and managing risks of DFS.

GREEN FINANCE

Leveraging investments into renewable energies and climate change resilience is a key challenge to financial operators. LFS connects the expertise required to design and roll out green finance solutions.

Information Technology

Using IT solutions for your digital business to stay ahead of your competitors. Select, build and run innovative core banking solutions, components and services.

ENVIRONMENT & SOCIAL ADVISORY

LFS provide a wide range of services in the business line of Environment and Social Advisory and benefit from a strong worldwide partner network in the field.

RISK MANAGEMENT

LFS has developed a comprehensive toolkit for the management of risks in financial institutions. We support institutions in the design and implementation of RM systems based on individual risk mapping/diagnostics.

STRATEGIC FINANCE

We offer a comprehensive range of transaction services for impact investors, including target identification, valuation, due diligence, deal structuring and M&A. We support institutions in raising growth funds.

CAREERS

Working for LFS

In contrast to other firms in our field, LFS works primarily with permanent staff. We are convinced that successful implementation of long-term advisory and management projects requires not only individual qualifications; of equal importance are strong team play and a high degree of consistency in the working methodology. In our experience, this can only be warranted if all team members are familiar with and committed to the way the firm works and thinks. We work with freelance consultants only for project assignments of limited duration which require a high degree of technical or regional specialization.

Working for LFS usually means being ready to live in – or travel extensively to – developing or transition countries which can be challenging in a variety of ways. This puts high requirements on our consultants’ resilience, assertiveness and expertise. Most of our successful applicants have had prior work or study experience in developing or transition countries, speak various relevant languages and have specialized (through work or study) on banking or finance topics.