Daryl Collins

CEO, Decodis

Dr. Daryl Collins is the CEO and Founder of Decodis (www.decodis.com), a social research firm that creates tech-led, customized data capture and analysis to elevate the voices of vulnerable populations. She is the author of the acclaimed Portfolios of the Poor and a pioneer working at the intersection of finance and human vulnerability. Over the past 25 years, Dr. Collins has built a broad portfolio of work with social businesses, foundations, bilateral donors, and governments. Her work is grounded in a deep understanding of the financial lives of individuals through the execution of Financial Diaries studies in over 10 countries.  

Dr. Collins spent the last decade as Managing Director and CEO of BFA Global, a niche financial inclusion consulting practice.  

She holds a B.Sc. and an M.Sc. in economics from the London School of Economics and a Ph.D. from New York University.    

By Daryl Collins

Blog

Tailoring Formal Financial Products for the Poor

In our last post, we shared findings from the South African, Bangladeshi and Indian Financial Diaries that built the case for formal and informal financial services serving different purposes in the portfolios of the poor. We found that the two should be viewed as complements rather than alternatives to each other.
Blog

Benefits and Costs of Financial Products for the Poor

As professionals in the financial inclusion space, we work with a common assumption that formal financial services are better than informal products. But are our assumptions correct?
Research

Incorporating Consumer Research into Consumer Protection Policy Making

This Focus Note describes CGAP's experience to date gathering qualitative and quantitative information directly from low-income consumers to inform financial consumer protection policy.
Blog

Financial Safety: In the Eyes of the User and Regulator

The perception that a financial institution is “safe” is perhaps not only a matter of whether it is regulated or solvent, but also whether it offers consumers a consistent, reliable experience.