Experience

GSMA
• United Kingdom
• Telecommunications
• 700 & Above Employee
• Head of Financial Inclusion & AgriTech

  • Mar 2021 - Present


AECF

• Kenya
• Non-profit Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Sector Team Lead - Agribusiness

  • Feb 2019 - Feb 2021

  Responsible for the Agribusiness Sector Investment Portfolio across sub-Saharan Africa totaling $19.5m in assets under management, executing mission-driven investment strategies to fund sustainable business models through a team of 10 investment professionals. Championed gender lens investing and new E&S investment practices.

• Acting Director, Investments Portfolio

  • Jan 2020 - Mar 2020

  Managed the 24-person Investments Portfolio Team, kicking-off annual planning to deliver on a $30m annual budget.



Acacia Studios

• United States
• Individual and Family Services

• Founder & Director

  • Jun 2013 - Dec 2019

  Founded a yoga and fitness studio in Nairobi, Kenya, building and managing an operational and instructor team, successfully building a client database of over 3,300 in less than 5 years. Achieved an average 34% year-on-year growth in revenue over the life of the company and successfully exited the business with a full company buy-out. Founded a yoga and fitness studio in Nairobi, Kenya, building and managing an operational and instructor team, successfully building a client database of over 3,300 in less than 5 years. Achieved an average 34% year-on-year growth in revenue over the life of the company and successfully exited the business with a full company buy-out.



Mastercard Foundation

• Canada
• Non-profit Organization Management
• 500 - 600 Employee

• Senior Program Manager

  • Dec 2018 - Feb 2019

• Program Manager, Financial Inclusion

  • May 2017 - Dec 2018

  Managed a $97m program portfolio under the Foundation’s Rural and Agricultural Finance and Next Generation Digital Financial Services portfolios. Responsible for partnership governance and investment decisions. Led the Agricultural Technical Team under the Foundation's Young Africa Works Strategy development.Member of the Access Finance Rwanda Investment Committee and Fund for Rural Prosperity Investment Committee.



Financial Sector Deepening Africa (FSD Africa)

• Agricultural Finance Programme Manager (retained consultant)

  • Jun 2014 - May 2017

  Managed the £1 million agricultural finance program to accelerate financial inclusion to rural smallholder farmers and marginalized communities. Developed all work plans, budgets, and program and project-specific results management frameworks. Led the FSD Agricultural Finance Working Group, comprising of participants from the wider FSD network. Managed the £1 million agricultural finance program to accelerate financial inclusion to rural smallholder farmers and marginalized communities. Developed all work plans, budgets, and program and project-specific results management frameworks. Led the FSD Agricultural Finance Working Group, comprising of participants from the wider FSD network.



Independent Freelancer

• 100 - 200 Employee

• Agricultural Finance Development Consultant

  • Apr 2014 - May 2017

  Between 2014 and 2017, I operated as an independent consultant, focused on financial systems development within the agricultural sector, across sub-Saharan Africa. Clients I worked with include: • Financial Sector Deepening Trust (FSDA) - long term retained consultant since 2014 (detailed information provided) • Agri Experience Ltd. - long term retained consultant since 2014 (detailed information provided) • Farm Africa - August 2014 - December 2014 • AgroInnovate - April 2014 - June 2014



Agri Experience Ltd.

• Client Project Manager/Finance Specialist (retained consultant)

  • Apr 2014 - May 2017

  Advised private sector businesses in strategic financing needs. Managed projects, project teams and third-party consultants/firms for a variety of cross-cutting initiatives under the Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) approach, integrating key donor interests such as gender and climate-smart agriculture into all current and future project planning. Advised private sector businesses in strategic financing needs. Managed projects, project teams and third-party consultants/firms for a variety of cross-cutting initiatives under the Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) approach, integrating key donor interests such as gender and climate-smart agriculture into all current and future project planning.



Root Capital

• Real Estate
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Innovation Portfolio Manager Africa

  • Sep 2010 - May 2014

  Designed a new investment strategy, supported fundraising efforts to raise $9m, and launched Root Capital's new Innovation Fund. Operationalized the Fund, identifying viable candidates for sustainable lending along the agricultural value chain, conducting and overseeing loan officers in due diligence, including environmental and social scoring, and loan underwriting, growing the portfolio AUM to $5.8m in 3.5 years. Advanced Root Capital’s Women in Agriculture Initiative by conducting field research and informing global strategy to include a more developed gender lens within existing lending operations.



Nuru Energy

• Rwanda
• Non-profit Organization Management
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Country Manager - Kenya

  • Dec 2009 - Jul 2010

  Set-up the organization's operations in Kenya, securing project funding for pilot operations. Established relationships with three of the largest microfinance institutions in Kenya to identify and develop entrepreneurial financing options within the business model. Conceptualized a mobile money scheme to garner franchise payments from entrepreneurs. Set-up the organization's operations in Kenya, securing project funding for pilot operations. Established relationships with three of the largest microfinance institutions in Kenya to identify and develop entrepreneurial financing options within the business model. Conceptualized a mobile money scheme to garner franchise payments from entrepreneurs.



TechnoServe

• South Africa
• Appliances, Electrical, and Electronics Manufacturing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Volunteer Consultant

  • Aug 2009 - Oct 2009

  Provided investment advisory support to three agribusinesses in Uganda seeking growth capital- developed business plans and financial models, conducted operational analysis delivering operational efficiency proposals, and implemented electronic accounting systems, effectively training management and accounting personnel. Assisted the Uganda TechnoServe Team in developing 2010 program initiatives for the Uganda Country Plan, after in-depth analysis and modeling of current projects, current progress, and desired deliverables



Havas Media

• Türkiye
• Advertising Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Internal Consultant - Internship

  • Jun 2008 - Aug 2008

  Analyzed the organization's employment capacity development needs to foster on-going growth and created a training program for all market research tools including financial impact analysis, supplier profiles and offerings, risks and opportunities, and a timeline for implementation. Analyzed the organization's employment capacity development needs to foster on-going growth and created a training program for all market research tools including financial impact analysis, supplier profiles and offerings, risks and opportunities, and a timeline for implementation.



General Mills

• United States
• Manufacturing
• 700 & Above Employee

• Buyer II

  • Jun 2005 - Aug 2007

  Managed ingredient categories, aggregate $92m, negotiating large scale contracts and quality claims with third party suppliers. Responsible for supply chain optimization and value chain improvement projects using value stream mapping, achieving $4.6m in productivity, cost savings, and cost avoidance. Led process improvement teams, decreasing quality claims over $1m (83%) in four months. Managed ingredient categories, aggregate $92m, negotiating large scale contracts and quality claims with third party suppliers. Responsible for supply chain optimization and value chain improvement projects using value stream mapping, achieving $4.6m in productivity, cost savings, and cost avoidance. Led process improvement teams, decreasing quality claims over $1m (83%) in four months.