At LEAD, we believe in the power of communicating knowledge effectively to create impact – at every step in our journey, we have endeavoured to bring out the best possible outcomes for all stakeholders involved. As a leading action-oriented research organisation in the development sector, we also understand the value of timely thought leadership and making insights easily accessible to the broader ecosystem – especially in the current context, as decision-makers are navigating increasing uncertainty and must make informed decisions with urgency.
Our new website is a testimony to this commitment as we have tried to present our strategic goals, the work that we do and a library of relevant and useful resources in a clear and concise manner. We are very excited to announce the launch of our newly designed and curated website at www.ifmrlead.org, after almost a year of hard work and dedication. The website revamp was initiated as part of a new chapter in our journey – as we integrated with a new entity Krea University, under the IFMR Society umbrella. It marks the complete transition to our new brand identity – from IFMR LEAD to LEAD at Krea University.
The new website is faster, easier to navigate, and more user-friendly, ensuring that you can access rich insights and research content in a few clicks. We endeavour to provide our partners with the most accurate, up-to-date information and share our knowledge and expertise in the field of research under our themes of focus – Financial Inclusion, MSME & Entrepreneurship, Health and Institutions.
Our goal with this new website is to provide you with an easier way to learn about LEAD’s expertise, collaboration opportunities and to browse information based on your own choice. The new website gives you a snapshot of who we are and how our journey has evolved over the last 15 years. It showcases the strength of our collaborative networks and partners, and latest publications, articles and events. You also get a glimpse into the amazing talent at work behind the scenes.
Our current and prospective partners will find useful information about our expertise and knowledge outputs on the homepage of our website. We will be constantly updating our content with the latest projects, publications, events and all the wonderful work we undertake. In the careers section, you will catch a glimpse of our unique work culture and opportunities for learning and professional growth. We look forward to bringing young talent on board, as our team expands.
We thank our amazing team at LEAD who dedicated their time and energy to bring this site to life, and all the stakeholders in our ecosystem who have been instrumental in helping us get to where we are today through the myriad opportunities for collaboration and co-creation.
As we look forward to creating transformative change in our areas of work in the coming years, we hope this website will serve as a platform for us to learn from each other and spur meaningful conversations and dialogues.
For any questions, suggestions, and comments, please reach out to us at [email protected].
Thank you, and stay safe!
Sharon Buteau, Executive Director, LEAD at Krea University
Preethi Rao, Associate Director, LEAD at Krea University
Sharon Buteau combines expansive experience of over 18 years in research and international development, with over seven years in the field of digital financial services financial inclusion. Sharon is deeply passionate about finding effective solutions to promote enterprise growth and development, and realising the untapped potential of micro and small businesses. At LEAD, Sharon focuses on bringing the right combination of talent, expertise and stakeholders together to ensure that investments and efforts are perfectly aligned with the desired goals. Prior to joining LEAD, Sharon was an economist with Analysis Group in Montreal Canada.
Preethi Rao oversees the leveraging evidence function (collaborations, training, learning and communications, and innovations) and contributes to strategic decision-making at LEAD. Preethi has served the organization in various capacities such as Head – Innovation, Senior Operations Manager and Researcher (MSME). As an Innovation Champion, she drives new initiatives and is responsible for conceptualizing new areas of interest for the organization. Prior to heading the Innovation vertical, Preethi has overseen the entire field data collection and digitization operations (spanning more than 10 states) of LEAD in her capacity as Senior Manager (Operations & Development).