Movers & Shakers: Waleed Husain, Giancarlo Simonetti, Maria Mejia

May 28, 2026

Bob Coleman
Founder & Publisher

Movers & Shakers: Waleed Husain, Giancarlo Simonetti, Maria Mejia

Waleed Husain Appointed New Chief Risk Officer for CDC Small Business Finance and Capital Impact Partners

“Waleed’s extensive background in both the public and private sectors promises to significantly enhance our business resilience and portfolio optimization,” says CEO Ellis Carr. “His dedication to thoughtful risk
management while expanding our reach to more small businesses will be instrumental in advancing our mission.”

On the executive risk management side, Waleed K. Husain joins both CDC Small Business Finance and Capital Impact Partners as Chief Risk Officer. Husain is responsible for overseeing both organizations’ risk strategy, ensuring business resilience, and aligning enterprise risk management with corporate objectives and key performance indicators.

Husain brings 18 years of experience leading enterprise risk, insurance, and loss-mitigation programs across both the public and private sectors through periods of transformation and regulatory pressure. He has held roles within the Supervision & Regulation department at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, JPMorgan Chase, and Ryan Specialty Holdings. A U.S.-Commissioned Bank Examiner, Husain earned his Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Illinois.

Giancarlo Simonetti Added to CDC Small Business Finance as Small Business Loan Officer

“Southern California is our home market for small business lending, so we know how much it matters to our local partners that we have an experienced and passionate team on the ground,” says Susan Lamping, Vice President of Sales at CDC Small Business Finance. “These new team members bring over 30 years of combined experience to serve our partners and borrowers.”

Giancarlo Simonetti, based in San Diego, CA, brings over 10 years of credit experience in both traditional and SBA lending. He was previously with First Republic (now JPMorgan Chase), where he was responsible for an expansive real estate portfolio including both multifamily/commercial and residential lending.

Maria Mejia Joins CDC Small Business Finance as Small Business Loan Officer

Maria Mejia, based in Orange County, CA brings over 25 years of experience in commercial banking and small business lending.

Having held leadership roles at institutions including ABN AMRO Bank, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Union Bank, and Citibank, she specializes in lending, business development, and relationship management. She combines her financial expertise with a deep commitment to expanding access to capital for underserved communities, particularly women and immigrant entrepreneurs.