Starting in November 2024, Valentina Seiciu, former Director of Treasury & Finance at Tarfin, has been appointed the company's new General Manager following Adina China-Birta's stepping out from this position. Adina will remain a member of the company's board, as she has successfully positioned Tarfin as a strategic player in the agri-fintech market in Romania, pioneering the microcredit segment for small and medium-sized farmers.

Over the past three years, Adina rapidly grew the entire Tarfin ecosystem by establishing long-term partnerships with over 120 agriculture input retailers. Moreover, with over 1000 loans granted to small and medium-sized farmers, Tarfin has reached a turnover of €15 Mn.

"The Tarfin experience represents an innovative journey for me with strategic perspectives in agri-business. Launching a fintech in this dynamic niche market has brought unique challenges, from understanding various industry regulations to building the company's reputation in a market deeply rooted in traditional practices and significantly impacted by geopolitical, economic, and climate changes in recent years.

This environment has also offered me extraordinary opportunities to present new financing solutions for distributors and farmers, improving their access to resources and creating a conducive environment for sustainable growth. Tarfin's pioneering role in the Romanian agri-fintech market has required adaptability, a deep understanding of farmers' needs, and the ability to translate complex financial instruments into accessible and practical solutions for them", says Adina China-Birta.

Valentina Seiciu is a recognized finance expert with over 17 years of experience in the banking sector, including 9 years in multinational companies. Throughout her career, Valentina has achieved significant results in liquidity management and financial risk management and in developing long-term financial strategies. Over the past two years, Valentina has been Director of Treasury & Finance at Tarfin, transitioning from a highly regulated environment to one where flexibility, the freedom to propose solutions, and innovation are critical ingredients for business success.

“The essential role of fintechs in the financial industry landscape is obvious through the innovative solutions they bring, which have already changed the paradigm. Tarfin became one of these fintechs based on Adina’s innovative and pioneering perspectives. The company strongly believes in the Romanian agriculture sector and has a solid future perspective. We aim to remain near small and medium farmers and provide our support whenever needed. 

My new role as General Manager at Tarfin represents an extraordinary chance to explore innovation opportunities. I am thrilled to have a talented and dedicated team by my side and to contribute to the company's growth. In the upcoming period, I aim to develop new financing solutions for the market segment we are targeting, which has an increasing need for alternative financial solutions. So far, I have created a strong partnership with Symbiotics Investments, the Swiss platform for impact investments, and the conclusion of a second loan agreement. This is strategically important for Tarfin, as it will further support us in continuing our mission and have a relevant social impact among small and medium-sized farmers and agricultural input retailers, facilitating their development, mitigating the risks they face, and thus supporting the local economy and short supply chains”, says Valentina Seiciu.

The last three agricultural seasons have been a turning point for Romania and all the players involved. The Romanian agricultural sector has significant development potential, given its crucial position in the European ecosystem, but at the same time, it needs support. In this context, innovative and flexible financial solutions can support the small and medium-sized farmers category, underserved by the traditional financing segment. Tarfin aims to create the necessary premises to bring added value for farmers and agricultural input retailers, with a clear need for technology and process efficiency.

In the near future, Tarfin Romania is preparing for an accelerated expansion of its retailer network to offer customized fintech solutions tailored to farmers' needs. These solutions will target agricultural inputs and access to advanced farming technologies like irrigation systems or agricultural spraying drones.

About Tarfin

Tarfin is a company founded in 2017 in Turkey by Mehmet Memecan. With the support of Quona Capital, Syngenta Group Ventures, Yara Growth Ventures, Collective Spark Fund, Wamda, and Elevator Ventures - the international shareholders of Raiffeisen Bank, the agri-fintech company expanded its operations in 2022 to the Romanian market. Tarfin aims to facilitate farmers' access to fast and convenient financing through technology and an extensive network of distributors.

Tarfin received technical assistance in financial reporting and independent auditing under the "Pre-investment Preparation Program" of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in 2019. In 2020, Tarfin was entitled to technical assistance provided to microfinance companies under the Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) Program of the European Commission. 

*This is a Press release.