Atsumasa Tochisako founded Microfinance International in June 2003, following a 27-year career at the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi that included assignments in four Latin American countries. Mr. Tochisako realized that microlending has the potential to be both a commercially attractive business and to serve as a form of high impact developmental assistance.

He also knew that remittances from immigrants in industrialized countries provide the largest source of capital to many developing countries, often exceeding any other source of capital inflow and representing up to 20% of GDP in some countries.

Applying his banking experience and the world-renowned financial expertise of the team he assembled, he designed a business model that links remittances with microfinance for the benefit of immigrants in the United States and their families in developing countries.