I joined because…

... I am eager to support one of LGT VP organizations on its impactful and purpose-driven mission and to apply my knowledge and experience. LGT VP provides the framework to become part of a larger mission and network of individuals who share the same values - with a desire to contribute and transfer knowledge to initiatives that have a sustainable and socially beneficial impact. More than that, the engagement provides an opportunity for personal growth, awareness, and valuable experience abroad and in a country facing very different challenges.

Background:

I have an MSc. in Economics and Business and a BSc. in Technology and Management and worked in consulting for several years. After three years in management consulting, I moved to an artificial intelligence service provider two years ago, where I work at the interface between project and product management.

I joined because…

As the founder of a social enterprise in the tourism industry in Malawi I joined this fellowship in order to learn how to preserve cultural heritage but also to promote Malawi not only as a tourist destination but ensure that I am able to economically empower the young single mothers that I work with in Malawi, I am excited to learn new things and also contribute to the development and sustainability of tourism in Africa.

Background:

I am Communications Specialist by profession and Human Rights Activist with a particular interest in Body Politics and Bodily Autonomy; she uses her talent and privilege to highlight and combat issues the reality of young women in rural Malawi through story telling and art advocacy. Over the past 6 years Chimwemwe has worked both in the public and private sector including the United Nations Development Program and the Malawi Government.

I joined because…

I am passionate about global equity and the economic empowerment of disadvantaged peoples.

I have wide experience across economic development, namely in natural resources like water and agriculture. I would like to marry this with a deeper understanding of the environmental impacts of economic growth and how conservations efforts can mitigate this.

I am also seeking to better understand grants as a financial instrument and their potential to catalyze increased commercial investment in developing countries.

Background:

Earned an MBA from Berkeley Haas; background in economics and finance.

Worked as an AmeriCorps member supporting college preparation for students in low-income communities across Los Angeles.

Worked in the private sector supporting strategy development with Bain & Company.

Worked in the NGO space with TechnoServe, leading program design and feasibility studies centered on smallholder farming across Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and India.

Most recently, have been leading the project finance and capital raise effort for a potential groundwater public-private partnership with the Government of Uganda.

I joined because…

… I want to use my financial and business skills to contribute to an organization making a strong, social impact on the world. The Fellowship presented itself as a unique opportunity to support the work of one of LGT’s many incredible portfolio organizations, immerse myself in a new environment, and pursue a career path focused on impact.

Background:

After growing up in the Washington, D.C. area, I studied mathematics and economics at the University of Michigan. I have lived in New York ever since, where I began my career in mergers & acquisitions and financial restructuring at Moelis & Company, a global investment bank. Afterward, I worked at the U.S. financial institution Capital One in an internal consulting capacity, helping business leaders identify opportunities for growth and improve operations. Following an opportunity to travel extensively, both internationally and domestically, I helped the consumer fintech startup ValueChampion launch a new business segment for India. I enjoy volunteering in my local community, where I have made contributions to organizations focused on social services, education, environmental protection, and politics.

I joined because…

... LGT shares in my belief that economic returns go hand-in-hand with positive social and environmental results. It develops and advises impact investment funds that focus on small business development, energy and resource efficiency, conservation of biodiversity, and climate action. This will give me an opportunity to work on an exciting project that seeks to protect biodiversity and landscapes by creating sustainable livelihoods for the local community.

Background:

I have been working as an impact investing analyst at AWF and Okavango Capital Partners, a conservation-lens investor that helps commercial businesses realize their potential for disrupting environmental degradation while expanding economic opportunity for investors and rural communities, as a Financial Analyst with the Gatsby Africa for two years and prior to that as a corporate finance analyst with PKF Eastern Africa for three and a half years.

I hold a Bachelor of Economics and Statistics from University of Nairobi, a graduate diploma in finance from the University of London  and I am Certified Public Accountant (C.P.A - K).

I joined because…

... of the adverse effects of COVID 19 on communities that depend on tourism as the main source of income. Establishing alternative revenue streams can help mitigate the effects of COVID 19 on the rural poor.

Background:

Decision Analyst

I joined because…

… I am looking to combine my previous experience in the international sector as well as my studies (international relations and diplomacy) with my experience in the private sector in order to facilitate my transition back to the international arena, as I aim to continue working in international development.

Background:

I was a management consultant for Accenture with widespread experience in process and business analysis as well as conceptional and strategic planning within the public sector industry and more specifically for IT and digitalisation projects. I have experience in project management and design thinking methodologies. My experience cuts across designing, programming, managing and implementing various projects while communicating with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds. Before joining Accenture I was a Policy Adviser or the Permanent Mission of Liechtenstein to the United Nations in New York, where I advanced Liechtenstein’s interests over various topics, such as The Oceans Conference, Security Council Monitoring, Human Rights issues, ECOSOC, the Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty  etc.

I joined because…

... I would like to develop professionally by stepping outside of my comfort zone, while doing impactful work that matters at the same time. In South Africa we have a unique concept known as ‘Ubuntu’, or a ‘sense of community / togetherness’. I joined the fellowship to live by this principle more directly in my professional career.

Background:

Investment consultant at a local Investment Fund Management Company

Africa & Emerging Markets Research Consultant at Deloitte

Research Fellow for a Japan-based youth NGO (remote work due to COVID-19)

I joined because…

... I liked the role offer by the LGT through EG as a data analyst. While working as a business analyst I feel necessity of upgrading my skillset in data science it will help me to decode the some of the impotent social science facts/ data. I like the idea of LGT to work globally and I would like to be part of there global network of like-minded people.

Background:

I’m a mechanical engineer and after that I worked with my father in his construction business. I completed my masters in Public health in Health Policy, Economics and Finance from TISS, Mumbai. I got opportunity to work in a digital health company where our main focus was on the data collection and data visualization. I have also worked on interesting projects using block-chain, real time monitoring, etc.

I joined because…

… it will give me the chance to get my hands dirty in the field and get a deeper understanding of the challenges that persist. I believe that the makings of meaningful and sustainable solutions come from listening to the voice on the ground.

Background:

I consider myself a citizen of the world, having lived in 9 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean.

Immediately prior to the fellowship, I was a Principal at Mercer across their Singapore and London offices, supporting clients to deliver holistic health and well-being programs to their employees. I recently completed a secondment to the World Economic Forum which was focused on Closing the Economic Gender Gap.

I am a qualified UK actuary and hold an MBA from INSEAD.

I joined because…

... the LGT Impact Fellowship is an opportunity to build my skills on social impact sector. I’m eager to use my knowledge and skills to support community centered development,  scalable and sustainable projects. I’m also looking forward to connecting with the global network of peer fellows.

Background:

I have 5 years experience in project management and advocacy in the development sector. My experience spans across planning, design, resource mobilization and implementation of projects. I have advocated for increased capacity of youth advocates to influence youth policy and resource priorities in the areas of Gender equality, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), Education and Climate Change.

I joined because…

... in the last four years I have come to see the importance of technology in delivering value across various platforms and value chains. Through this fellowship I aim to enhance my experience with start-ups while gaining hand-on experience in this growing sector. This experience would be vital for me to build leadership skills as well. Furthermore, having spent 3.5 years as a Management Consultant in Government & Policy Advisory, I was exposed to the field of Impact Investing. Exposure to LGT Venture Group’s own capabilities in the Impact Investing field would further help me add value to my experience.

Background:

I come from a small town in India known as Jodhpur located in the beautiful state of Rajasthan. Until recently, I worked as a Management consultant for over 3.5 years in Economic Development Team under Government Advisory vertical of KPMG Advisory Services Pvt. Ltd. India on projects/programs varying across sectors and policy making initiatives. I hold a B.E.(Hons.) in Electronics & Instrumentation from BITS, Pilani (Pilani), an MBA in International Management from MDI-Gurgaon and an MEB from ESCP Europe. I enjoy reading, writing, playing chess, running and listening to music in my free time.

I joined because…

... I was seeking for more. I have always had a keen interest in catalyzing and creating Impact. After a lot f soul searching, I opted to pursue something that was more fulfilling and could create long lasting impacts in society. Something that gave me purpose and a reason to look forward to working every morning.

Background:

An accomplished professional in integrated multi-channel communications, creative writing, digital and social media, public relations, media relations and brand optimization for the past 10 years with experience in large corporates in the UAE and Sub-Saharan Africa. Specialised expertise in corporate communications, planning, media relations, public relations, digital communications, content creation, search engine optimization, research and data collection, client relationship management, photography and videography. Additional experience in market survey and research.

I joined because…

… I wish to use my experience in the social sector for better results (impact) for those who are in need and to help less advantaged people to transform their lives for a better inclusive society as a whole. 

Background:

I am a public health professional with National and State level work experience in Emergency health care, operations research, project development, implementation, co-ordination, Monitoring & Evaluation, Planning & Strategy Making, policy Suggestions and research activities.

I joined because…

… of my passion for results management practice, impact creation and also to learn from the global network of peer Fellows.

Background:

I have over 7 years experience in program management, monitoring, evaluation in the development sector. My experience cuts across designing, programming and evaluating projects and setting up robust M&E systems which redefine programming and funding approaches to Gender, Human Rights, Education, and Climate Change programs. I have honed my skills in designing results frameworks, Theory of Change, Community Development, advocacy monitoring and advanced statistical data analysis.

I joined because…

… I wanted the opportunity to use my recently-gained Management skills within a nonprofit organization I admire. I was missing my NGO / non-profit roots and I liked that LGT gives the opportunity to combine hard management skills with field development work.

Background:

Being from Washington, DC, I have always had an interest in impacting the world around me. I went to pursue my bachelor’s degree in International Development at American University, after which I worked for the community development non-profit Partners for Livable Communities as a program and development associate. I then received an opportunity to move to Chicago and work for Independent Publishers Group in a more marketing and communications- focused role. I stayed there for four years before deciding to move to Lisbon, Portugal and pursue my Master’s degree in Management with a focus on Social Entrepreneurship and Nonprofit Management.

I joined because…

… I am eager to use my skills and energy to do meaningful and impactful work. LGT VP are pioneers in the social impact sector and the LGT Impact Fellowship is a very credible stepping- stone to a career in this space. I also feel strongly that I want to join a cause that I am passionate about, and contribute to a scalable and sustainable project, that will continue to deliver impact in the long-term. Harambee really is a special organisation, and I am extremely lucky to have had the opportunity to join them and contribute to their vision.

Background:

I’m a physicist with an MBA and 12-year experience in Corporate Finance and Commercial Finance in Italy and the UK.

I joined because…

… I am interested in applying my technical knowledge and skills to help those who are less privileged than I am. LGT Impact Fellowship is a good platform to contribute in the betterment of society.

Background:

PhD in Automatic Speech Recognition with Machine Learning (pursuing)
M. Tech in Electrical Engineering 
B. Tech in Electronics and Communication Engineering

I joined because...

After many years of working in logistics in heavy industries, shipping, ports, I am interested to work in agriculture (solve the problem from logistics perspective) industry and a startup organization to see how to combine social impact with a sustainable business model. The Fellowship Program provides me with the opportunity to learn firsthand from an entrepreneur on how to manage such companies effectively and bring my expertise of structured, evolved organizations to startups.

Background:
Avi worked for the past 8 years in supply chain and logistics in his home country India. He gathered experiences across various industries such as a steel company (Tata Steel) or the Indian Ministry of Shipping (Mumbai Port and JNPT Port) where he was Assistant Director. He especially joined the Fellowship Program to learn to solve problems from the logistics perspective of the industry and to see how to combine social impact with a sustainable business model as logistics plays a crucial role in terms of increasing margins to farmers and reducing wastage. Avi will manage business planning, strategic projects, digital business development and process optimization by sourcing directly from farmers and supplying to all B2B and B2C channels.
About WayCool: The company is one of India’s largest food development and distribution companies, working to positively impact the lives of half a million farmers in India. The company with its 800+ employees is moving 150 tonnes of products per day and across 13 cities in India.

I joined because…

After founding a social enterprise, I am interested on amplifying my knowledge about development from a more comprehensive and global approach. The Fellowship Program provides me an opportunity for sharing my abilities from the role of a business professional and my first-hand social entrepreneur`s experience supporting the social impact capability of a high impact social organization, while it offers me an environment for boosting my impact ability, exchanging good practices and even identifying collaboration opportunities for scaling the impact of my own social enterprise.

Background:

Diana decided to leave her home country Colombia to work for mothers2mothers in Malawi. She will support the executive team in the organization`s strategy management and will fundraise resources and propose new revenue streams, that enable empowering more women as role models to help other women and their families to access medical care. 

In Colombia, Diana worked as CEO for a social business that improves healthcare access for rural communities. She led impact investor relations efforts, managed relationships with main partners such as farmer associations, headed the expansion process to new Colombian regions and fundraised projects from international organizations on oral care, eye care, early cancer diagnosis, and health education. Diana knows the LGT Fellowship Program well, as she herself hosted an LGT Fellow in her social enterprise some years ago. 

I joined because…

After a number of years involvement in the international Eco Tourism Sector, I have been striving to find a unique opportunity to share my knowledge, experience, capabilities and support resources in order to make a tangible difference to the models of business currently in play. With my hands on experience and in particular the diversity of having worked both in remote area locations and city environments, the Fellowship Program provides an excellent model and support system in which to make a positive best practice measurable and sustainable impact on the ground.

Background:

Born and raised in South Africa, Justin gathered extensive experience in the field of Eco Tourism, Hotel Development, Strategy & Operations. He has opened, directed and managed numerous high-end hospitality properties in a variety of countries. His strong commitment to the core values of Eco Tourism, driving sustainability in Conservation Practices, Community Engagement and Cultural Values led him to join Basecamp Explorers Kenya to strengthen their strategic development. 

About Basecamp Explorer: The Foundation was established to fight the extinction of wildlife by teaming up with the local communities. Basecamp Explorer’s responsible tourism business supports projects like reforestation, waste management, empowering women and youth and securing land for wildlife to flourish.

I joined because…

I am motivated to share what I have learned over the course of my career in a large U.S. - based organization and help this younger, very able organization, which has so much to offer the country of China. At the same time, I am motivated to learn about the new culture and context of China, which is such an important country where so many multinationals now manufacture the majority of their goods. The private sector has figured out how to function at a very high level in China and all around the world; it is time for the NGO community to do the same!

Background:

Linda is an American environmental toxicologist who has nearly 30 years of work experience. She developed a green supply chain initiative to promote best practice improvements in industrial production efficiency to significantly reduce the use of water, energy and chemicals in manufacturing while saving companies’ costs. In her Fellowship year Linda will work for IPE – Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs in China as her work in the past was already strongly connected to China. In her role she will approach and convince more multinational corporations based in the West to use the IPE database and tools to oversee the factories in their supply chain in China.

About IPE: The Institute is a non-profit environmental research organization, collecting and analysing government and corporate environmental information for their data base which serves clients in the domains of green procurement, green finance and government environmental policymaking.

I joined because…

I want to make an impact. I have started to engage in various volunteering activities in my free time in the past and came to realize that having a social purpose is an important motivator for me. I would therefore like to offer a helping hand to LGT Venture Philanthropy, which I consider to be a foundation that achieves real impact, and take the opportunity to learn from leading professionals in the impact space.

Background:

Miriam started her professional path in the hospitality and tourism industry, working in Switzerland, Germany, France and China. Being curious about new learnings, she shifted into the financial sector gathering experiences in client advisory, innovation management, start-up financing and management support for the COO. Moreover, she coordinated the Junior Talent and Key Talent programs, where she was organizing different educational events/activities, coaching talents and acting as a middleman between business units and HR.

Miriam is joining the LGT VP team to assist the Fellowship program management. She will take care of the development and future implementations in addition to monitoring the fellowship cohort. Along with the local Investment Managers Miriam will also work with the various portfolio companies and will spend some months of her Fellowship year in Nairobi/Kenya and Mumbai/India to get further insights.

I joined because...

I love working in development programs especially those that uplift the lesser advantaged in the community. This placement has come as a golden opportunity to grow in an environment where my prior experience in programs will give great impact to the communities and individuals I interact with. Not forgetting the wealth of knowledge and expertise I shall be exposed to while working at the MMWCA, the LGT team and fellows 2019.

Background:

Nduta, born and raised in Kenya, is active in community development projects since years. Her focus is on improving capacity through better/wholesome education, an improved healthcare & sanitation, proper food and shelter. Nduta will spend her Fellowship at the Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservation Association (MMWCA) working as a Program Manager. She will assist in planning and implementing programs related to gender and youth affairs.

About MMWCA: The organization is a key player in Kenya's overall national conservancies movement. Through a network of protected areas (conservancies and conservation areas) MMWCA conserves the Maasai Mara ecosystem for the prosperity of biodiversity, wildlife, the local population, recreation and tourism.

 

I joined because…

I want to work closely with social enterprises that foster long term sustainable change. The LGT Fellowship will help me in refining my understanding of social impact, how it can be financed and scaled. It also gives me the unique opportunity to work with impact focused people who are set to create a footprint on the global stage.

Background:

Saumya is an aeronautical engineer who ventured into finance. In the past years he worked as a consultant for governments and multilateral agencies. He helped develop smart cities, strategic plans, policies and financial institutions in Africa and South-East Asia. After consulting two large multinational firms, he shifted to the social sector and worked for a global non-profit organisation in the educational sector. At Varthana he will be responsible for product development, business expansion, process refinement and project delivery of consulting assignments.

About Varthana: The financial service company partners with owners of affordable private schools to substantially increase access to quality education in low income communities as access to loan capital remains a central need for the sector. The loans are used for infrastructure, training, new materials etc.

I joined because…

Simply put, opportunities like this do not come around often in a lifetime. To work with m2m’s passionate and committed experts devising remarkable solutions for one of the world’s most pressing public health concerns — I’ll drop whatever I’m doing to be on that team. It’s humbling to be selected for this fellowship, and also have the honor to engage with like-minded professionals from our cohort and LGT. Together, we are a potent Force of Good in this world!

Background:

After 30 years of experience in multinational public relations agencies and as the entrepreneurial founder of a marketing/brand strategy consultancy, Steve being an American citizen, shifted his professional and personal ambitions to support social impact and purpose-driven enterprises in emerging market nations. He joined m2m as he is excited about collaborating with colleagues located in eight sub-Saharan African countries, as well as the UK and US. Steve will work alongside m2m’s CEO in South Africa to devise new strategies for board of director engagement, governance and recruitment.  

About m2m: The organisation is bolstering African healthcare systems, while delivering empowerment opportunities for women. Focus of m2m is on prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and on improving reproductive, maternal, new-born, child and adolescent health.

 

I joined because…

I wanted the experience of working for a social enterprise with an inclusive business model. My ultimate goal is to stay involved in the impact investing and social enterprise arena, and this is a great opportunity to learn what it takes to be a successful inclusive business. The other reason I joined LGT is because I wanted some work experience in South East Asia, which has some of the fastest growing rural economies in the world.

Background:

Sushanta a US American citizen with Indian background started his career working as a product management analyst for UBS AG but left after a couple of years to start a fast-casual restaurant in Brooklyn, New York. After 3 years of launching and growing the restaurant, he was able to successfully sell the business to a restaurant group. Sushanta decided to change his life again and studied at Washington University in St. Louis. He concentrated on social entrepreneurship and impact investing and worked after his graduation as a Program/Product Manager for a startup in India.

About KFI: Kennemer Foods International is a Philippine agribusiness company specializing in the sustainable growing, sourcing and trading of high-quality agricultural crops such as fermented cacao beans sourced from smallholder farmers. The products and programs encompass the complete agricultural value-chain from planting materials, training, Agri-technology to market.

I joined because...

I strongly feel that children are the most vulnerable part of the society and hence the victims of a lot of crimes. I want to do my bit to change that by being a part of Aangan Trust. I am looking forward to being part of the team which is committed to working with children in dangerous situations like child trafficking, early marriage, hazardous work, harm and abuse. I also joined LGT Impact Fellowship to be part of and learn from a versatile cohort of fellows who have tackled and/or hope to tackle similar challenges from the impact sector across the globe.

Background:

Creating a positive impact on the learning and development ecosystem of children in India is what made Tracey join the team of Aangan. In her professional career she has taken on multiple roles in the development sector and hence has a diverse set of skills which include facilitating workshops, developing products for the ed-sector, working on complex projects, managing programs, and building strategy for growth and expansion.

Tracey will assist the senior management at Aangan Trust as a Management Consultant. She will drive strategies to scale the organization's impact through technology as well as help explore, define and build partnerships.

About Aangan Trust: Aangan works to strengthen India’s child protection system to ensure that the most vulnerable children are safe and supported and assured of a childhood free from trafficking, child marriage, hazardous work, violence and exploitation.

 

I joined the LGT Impact Fellowship because… “After many years of working in finance, I am interested to go into the field to share my skills and network.  I want to learn from and contribute towards a sustainable business model that strives towards social and environmental impact. The Fellowship Program gives me the opportunity to explore the entrepreneur in me while contributing positively to society.”

Background:

Heidi has more than 20 years’ experience of successfully working in consulting, marketing, sales, training as well as business development for financial services and insurance products in Europe. Heidi has lived and worked all over Europe, most recently she has been living in Amsterdam working as the Head of European Business Development and Investor Relations for the leading Dutch impact investor Triodos IM. Over the last 3 years Heidi has delved into the impact sector and has developed a passion to try and influence the wellbeing of people and the environment by ensuring that there are sustainable and responsible investment that have a genuine positive impact and reach the right people, she believes firmly that the way we invest our money today will shape the world tomorrow.

I joined the LGT Impact Fellowship because… “After countless scouting trips, site visits, and MBA case studies, I was eager to find an immersive opportunity at a sustainable tourism project that would allow me to learn more about the field while providing lasting impact. That the Fellowship Program offered this in the African savannah made it impossible to turn down.”

Background:
Upon graduating from Washington and Lee University in 2010, Sarah worked in communications and audience development for international arts organizations including art fairs, galleries, and museums. After 5 years, the passion she had for working closely with philanthropists abroad led her to a luxury travel agency, where she focused on promoting eco-tourism and cross-cultural partnerships. Most recently, at New York University’s Stern School of Business, Sarah participated in NYU’s Impact Investing Fund, developed a social enterprise, and volunteered with a non-profit that provides garden and cooking education to underserved elementary students.

I joined the LGT Impact Fellowship because… “The agribusiness industry exposed me to the huge potential that exists in alleviating poverty, as the vast majority of bottom of the pyramid consumers are engaged in agriculture as an economic activity. A desire to apply my skills and knowledge to help achieve this social impact therefore drove me to see how best I could do this in the private sector, and that’s how I eventually came across Impact Investing. The LGT Impact Fellowship Program was therefore exactly what I was looking for.”

Background:
Mwansa is a fully qualified chartered accountant (ACMA) that has been providing senior leadership teams with business insights to drive their decision making for the past 7 years. Majority of his experience was gained in the agribusiness industry, namely the Cotton and Tobacco sub-sectors. I have a wealth of experience in Sub-Saharan markets, having lived, studied and worked in Botswana, Zambia and Kenya, whilst having travelled to many others. This experience combined with my tertiary education allow me to bring unique perspectives to business operations regardless of sector or industry.

Rob is a fellow at Kennemer Foods International (KFI) who works with small-scale farmers to grow and buy cocoa and other agricultural crops, which they export to other countries in Asia. KFI is currently looking to scale the business and acquire new forms of capital, commercial partnerships and new technology to work with farmers. Rob will be working with the CEO to explore how to approach these opportunities.
I joined the LGT Impact fellowship because… “My role at Lendlease, developing the supply chain program, involved the measurement of social return on investment, which provided an initial understanding of social impact. I wanted to work for an SME whose primary purpose was driving social impact using a sustainable business model.”

Background:
The last 8 years has been working in the infrastructure sector, predominantly within renewable energy. He started his career in energy corporate finance at Ernst & Young, advising investors, project developers and governments on raising capital for renewable energy and energy from waste projects across Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa. Since then he has been living in Australia, working for 2 infrastructure companies; one in internet infrastructure and the other in broader infrastructure and real estate. Rob worked in strategic roles in these companies, latterly developing a supply chain transformation program to promote inclusion of Australian Indigenous businesses who had historically been excluded from the Australian economy.

Giovanni works as an Investment Associate Fellow for South East Asia structuring, negotiating, and implementing transaction terms with clients, conducting due diligence on prospective investee companies, leading market mapping and business development efforts, and monitoring portfolio companies, in line with LGT VP’s credit requirements and development mandate.

I joined the LGT Impact Fellowship because …I want to be able to learn about and invest in companies using innovative technology to address society’s pain points and alleviate poverty in a region with unprecedented growth. I am very excited to work in an organization that pioneered impact investing and is leveraging the best talent towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. I’m hoping to use my investing and E&S expertise to generate quantifiable impact in the region and help advance LGT VP’s development mandate.

Background:
Prior to joining LGT VP, Giovanni worked for the International Finance Corporation in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, providing growth capital solutions to companies with scalable impact potential. He has also worked with Ashoka in Washington, D.C. improving access to financing and sustainable capital for social enterprises, and with Shekere in Nairobi, Kenya generating last-mile distribution solutions. Giovanni holds a Master in Public Administration – Development Practice from Columbia University and a BA with a specialization in Investment Analysis from the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México. Gio is proudly originally from Chiapas.

Shayna works as a Regional Manager for STIR Education Uganda where she leads a team of six to implement the Teacher Changemaker program through delivery of high-quality teacher training and professional development for government officials in 15 districts in Eastern Uganda.

I joined the LGT Impact fellowship because… “I was excited about the possibilities available to me through the fellowship—the opportunity to gain more international experience and the privilege to share my expertise and unique skill set with those who could truly benefit from it. It was the first and only fellowship I applied for and I am so glad I did!”

Background:
Shayna holds a BA and MSc in Urban Management and Development and has worked in public administration and policy, education, land and housing. She has additional experience leading large-scale programs and projects, strategic planning and evaluation efforts, and organizational development in robust, high-impact environments at both government and community levels. She is process-oriented and is committed to innovation, improving systems, and working smarter.

Linda works as a senior fellow with the Chinese environmental organization called the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs (IPE). Her goals are twofold: to raise global awareness, enthusiasm, and appreciation for the power of information to drive improvement in environmental conditions -- and to foster increased use of IPE’s pollution database and mapping system by multinational corporations to track and reduce the impacts of their manufacturing abroad.
I joined the LGT Impact Fellowship because … “I want to contribute my technical and advocacy expertise to furthering the use of the very innovative and transformative tools that IPE has developed to reduce China’s pollution load. The transparency that IPE’s work provides on day to day industrial operations around the country can and should serve as an excellent model for other countries around the globe to adopt.“

Background:
I have a Ph.D. in Environmental Toxicology and a Masters degree in Environmental Science and Engineering and more than 30 years of advocacy experience in policy and regulation of industrial discharges, emissions, and wastes. Most of my career was focused on U.S. domestic pollution problems, but I turned my attention abroad over the past ten years, following the migration of major sources of pollution caused by globalization. Though trained as a scientist, I have been motivated to use my science background as a lever for social change throughout my career.

Smiti is a fellow with Varthana, the market leader in the school financing market in India is. The organization provides secured and unsecured loans to private schools serving the low-income population to improve the quality and infrastructure of shcools. Varthana is poised for significant growth over the next few years by expanding into new segments. As a Fellow, Smiti is facilitating and reviewing regular operational reporting, ensuring that it is relevant, timely and insightful. Additionally, she helps drive strategic decisions by analyzing new business opportunities and opportunities for M&A. Smiti will also be involved in sharing the analysis and findings with senior management, investors and the board of directors.

I joined the LGT impact Fellowship because… I want to see a tangible impact of my work for the betterment of the community around me through sustainable solutions. I have been passionate about the impact sector and involved in fund raising and volunteering activities which I now want to turn into a full-time role. The Fellowship enables me to work at the intersection of profit and impact by working with one of the leading players in the market providing sustainable financing solutions in the education sector.

Background:
Smiti has worked in the corporate sector for more than 5 years, in multiple roles, across Finance and Consulting. She graduated from IIT Guwahati and has a MBA from XLRI Jamshedpur in India.
Smiti has worked at Goldman Sachs for the last 4 years where for the past year she was a part of the Corporate Treasury and Risk functions, managing the Firm’s liquidity and capital for business and regulatory requirements. Prior to that, she was an analyst in the Global Investment Research division, where she analyzed company fundamentals, projected financials, built fundamental and relative valuation models as well as undertook extensive industry research to identify the relative investment opportunities in the space. Before her MBA, Smiti worked in consulting at Deloitte where she was involved in client facing projects and provided implementation and advisory services through vendor evaluation, due diligence and execution of technology solutions. In parallel, she has been actively involved in the impact sector. Smiti facilitated an investment of $20,000 into the SELCO Foundation, a sustainable energy solutions provider as a part of the Goldman Sachs India Impact Fund, for investment in their solar-powered digital learning solutions. She has gained extensive international exposure during her work and study, through interaction with GS clients in London and an internship at the University of Basel in Switzerland, as well as exchange semester during her MBA at EM Lyon, France.

Fellow role:
As impact investors we aim to achieve both attractive financial returns and measurable, positive societal impact. As an investment associate fellow, Richard will be supporting LGT Impact’s regional office in Nairobi by sourcing investment opportunities across the African market focusing on five sectors: financial inclusion, education, energy, health and environmental technology. This includes; screening, financial modeling, due diligence, deal structuring, post-investment monitoring and supporting our portfolio companies with their growth strategies.

I joined the LGT Impact fellowship because… “Having gained solid technical experience in multiple international environments, I believe very strongly that now is the right time for me to use my skills to help contribute in a more impactful manner. Growing up and working mostly in emerging markets I have witnessed the enormous challenges they face, but at the same time, I remain hopeful and excited by their huge potential. LGT epitomizes my values, by responsibly directing capital to where it is most needed and supporting our investees as they scale, we can ensure a meaningful contribution and lasting impact for society and the environment.”

Background:
Dynamic finance & investment professional with several years of experience in managerial & supervisory positions, mainly within corporate finance & control, working in emerging markets (Cape Town & Abu Dhabi) as well as in developed markets (Dublin & New York City) across a range of sectors. Qualified Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Chartered Accountant (CA(SA)). Most recently, graduating from the full-time MBA programme at the University of St. Gallen (HSG) in Switzerland (2017/2018), focusing on private equity & impact investing and complementing finance knowledge with business strategy and innovation. Passion for driving sustainable long-term value creation, both social and financial, for organisations and their stakeholders and positively impacting the lives of the underserved.

Gayatri is a Venture Philanthropy Associate based out of the Mumbai office, she is working on refining the investment thesis for VP in India. She works with the portfolio companies on select capacity building activities and is working on building a strong pipeline by identifying suitable investment opportunities in line with VP’s investment principles.

I joined the LGT Impact Fellowship because… “I became familiarized with the social impact sector more than a year ago and subsequently developed a keen interest. By educating myself about the sector I gradually became cognizant of the opportunities and challenges present in this sector as well as the immense untapped potential that a market like India offers - being largely underserved and having significant headroom for scale. LGT offers a unique platform that deploys patient capital for financial returns and social impact. I believe this Fellowship will help me apply my skills to and learn more about investing in social enterprises in India thereby bridging the gap between my intent and my actions.”

Background:
Gayatri has been working in the Investment Banking industry for close to 5 years across India and London. Her last role was with Ernst & Young LLP where she was part of the Chemicals / Agri team for the past three years. Prior to this, Gayatri was a part of the Investment Banking team at Goldman Sachs aligned to their Natural Resources division in London. Her work has been largely focused on domestic and cross-border M&A deals, conducting activities spanning the entire transaction lifecycle. Gayatri’s years in Investment Banking have helped her gain hands-on experience in deal origination, preparation of deal collaterals, financial modelling & valuation analysis, coordination of the due diligence process; and evaluation / coordination of the legal documentation process to ensure smooth and timely closure. Gayatri holds a MSc. in Finance and Economics from London School of Economics (LSE), London and a BA (H) in Economics from Lady Shri Ram College (LSR), Delhi University, India.

I joined to LGT Impact Fellowship because … “I have always been interested in roles that directly seek to improve the quality of life of people. Having worked in the university system I am cognizant of how long it takes to realize the impact of one’s work. The LGT Impact Fellowship Program provided me an opportunity to not only deliver social impact in a short time but also to scale up in terms of people reached and lives changed.”

Background:
Martha has a PhD with 12 years of experience in teaching chemistry at the undergraduate level at universities in the United States of America and in Kenya. In addition to teaching, Martha has carried out scientific research in innovating new nanomaterials for fuel cell catalysis and drug delivery, and even worked in a public health function to make the county she was living in (Broome), lead (the heavy metal) safe. In her spare time, she mentor girls, young women and young men in collaboration with other organizations, as well as on a personal level in career pursuit and educational goals. Prior to her move to the fellowship, she spent her free time organizing and running free medical camps in several counties along the Kenyan Coast.

Amber works as Investment Associate Fellow with the LGT IV China team on investment analysis to facilitate investment decisions, portfolio companies management to guarantee an effective implementation of our investment principle, pipeline development to promote LGT IV and to find investment opportunities.

I joined the LGT Impact Fellowship because... "China has developed to a stage where resources need to be very effectively used to guide or initiate positive transformation. Joining LGT IV, I am excited to learn from an international organization that has rich experience in investment and impact making, and I can use my experience to make meaningful and quantifiable social impact that is most needed in China at this stage."

Background: CFA / PMP / MBA with experience in corporate finance, M&A, international project finance, corporate digital transformation, and business development in over 10 countries. Has an established track record of leading cross-functional teams to make effective deliverables under multi-cultural environment. Goal-oriented with strong organizational skills and rich negotiation experience.

I joined the LGT Impact Fellowship because... "I blieve in 'Be(ing) the change you wish to see'. Since moving to India, I had been looking into social avenues where I could interject and help bring about impact in a meaningful way. The LGT Impact Fellowship is perfectly placed for such an introduction."

Background: Kausha started her professional career as an architect, with a Masters in Environmental Design of Buildings. After having worked on various residential and commerical projects across UK, she decided to make a foray into the world of branding through internships; followed by a freelance contract with LPK, London. During a holiday in India, she was charmed by the optimism and enthusiasm vibrant in the air and decided to move to Mumbai in 2013. Kausha has since worked freelance with various branding and design agencies and also independently with clients across various sectors ranging from tech to hospitality to kite strings.

I joined the LGT Impact Fellowship because... "after completing a few years in the corporate world, I found myself introspecting about my next career move and realized that I have been extremely passionate and at my most confident self when associated with developmental organizations. I applied to the program with an intent to bridge the gap in my purpose and my professional acumen in the development space. The program came across as a perfect opportunity to gauge how I can make a meaningful impact career."

Background: After obtaining an MBA specializing in Human Resources from XLRI School of Business, Prinka has been working for the past 3+ years with Standard Chartered Bank working in various capacities covering the gamut of HR roles including Talent Acquisition, Employee engagement, Talent Management, Organizational culture & design, Rewards & recognition platforms, PeopleSoft implementation, strategic workforce planning etc. Beyond work, she was associated with the Akanksha Foundation for a mentoring program and launched project Ankur wherein a local govt. school was adoptedand provided with curriculum and infrastructure support. During her MBA, Prianka was also the secretary for CII – Young Indians which primarily focused on mobilizing youth to meet developmental goals and was the recipient of the UN Peace, Mercy & Tolerance Award for her work with Rotary International in the last year of her schooling.

I joined the LGT Impact Fellowship because... "my extensive experience in the charitable sector within finance related roles as well as running my own company was my motivation to join the Fellowship Program especially with my experience and association with NGOs in India."

Background: When Andrew applied for the Fellowship, he was employed by a UK bank providing quality assurance, training and procedural documentation writing. Prior to this he was based in New Delhi from 2013 to 2015. The decision to move to India was to further his business development, training and fundraising experience in the charity sector. During his time there, Andrew was involved with two projects that involved training and education. In the UK he has worked for several years as a business manager to an environmental charitable Trust that is now a large, successful organisation. Andrew has also worked for retail organisations, publishing companies and ran his own start-up business for many years.

I joined the LGT Impact Fellowship because... "I believe that every person deserves the opportunity to live their lives to the fullest potential. Through the LGT Impact Fellowship, I seek the opportunity to transfer my skillset to a career that actualizes this belief by creating positive social impact through the use of best practices in corporate strategy in the venture philanthropy/non-profit space."

Background: As an undergraduate at Tulane University, Andrew studied Communications and Philosophy, which he applied to the non-profit social justice and public service sectors after graduating. In 2009, he obtained an MBA from Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business where he concentrated his studies on international corporate strategy. Since 2009, Andrew has worked as a management consultant across a host of public and private sector projects, focusing on diverse sectors including education, healthcare, and transportation. After several years as a client facing strategy consultant with Grant Thornton, he transferred internally to Grant Thornton's corporate strategy office where he has focused on transformation management, process improvement, and mergers & acquisitions.

Steven worked as Business Development Fellow with the Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association (MMWCA) and Naboisho Conservancy.  He primarily worked on developing social enterprise business models to generate profit to pay for large-scale conservation initiatives.  He also raised $3m of start-up funding for these social enterprises, as well as to start-up a new conservancy and for vocational training courses.

I joined to LGT Impact Fellowship because … “I wanted to have the opportunity to use the experience I had built up in the UK in a new setting.  And I wanted to live in a country and a culture that I was not used to and learn everything that it could teach me.  When I found out that there was an exciting opportunity to join a locally driven conservation organisation in the Maasai Mara and help them with the challenges they faced I was very excited and motivated.” 

Background: 10-years’ experience in the social enterprise and charity sectors including senior management roles in leading UK wide organisations.  Experience is broad and spans social investment, consultancy, business development, managing change, managing complex teams, project management, service design, implementation & re-engineering and policy-directed research & evaluation.

Samantha worked as a Business Development Consultant for the Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservation Association (MMWCA) in Kenya. This role required her to develop ideas for sustainable revenue streams in order to secure land for wildlife corridors and local communities in the precious Maasai Mara ecosystem where wildlife is steadily declining and local communities marginalised. This was a challenging role which required Samantha to work extensively in the field and adapt to cultures which differe greatly to the usual corporate office environment which she had experienced in the past.  Working with communities and local businesses Samantha managed to develop ideas which we then went on to successfully raise money from institutional and private donors for.

I joined the LGT Impact Fellowship because... “Having worked the asset management industry for over ten years, I had developed a keen interest in impact investment.  I wanted to apply my extensive skills in business development and investment for positive social impact in a new and exciting environment.  The LGT Impact Fellowship scheme allowed me to do this.”

Background: Samantha has worked for small & mid-sized investment firms in Edinburgh and London since graduating in Business over ten years ago.  She specialised in business development, marketing and latterly was involved in SRI (Socially Responsible Investing) projects and ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance).

Dennis, worked with M-Kopa Solar Ltd to leverage the finance teams role in partnering with the business in budget and forecast process, financial modelling, revenue, cost of product, cost of service and cost of sales management, cost rationalization to achieve profitability, loan covenant tracking & investor reporting, financial reporting (IFRS) and end to end financial controls to seal revenue leakage and fraud.

Dennis joined the LGT Impact Fellowship because… “he has a huge passion for and keen interest in enterprises that are solving social and environmental challenges hence the reason for studying MBA in Global Social and Sustainable Enterprises and Finance to solve the biggest challenges in Africa. The fellowship experience was immensely rewarding and has underscored his desire to continue working in the impact investment and social enterprise sectors. Working directly with impact investors and a high-growth energy and Fintech start-up enabled him to learn a great deal about how to manage and operate a social enterprise. He feels incredibly grateful for the support and trust given by LGT and M-Kopa Solar teams.”

Background: MBA in Finance and Global Social & Sustainable Enterprises, FCCA, 10 years of financial services experience in financial analysis (financial modelling), financial reporting, risk management, credit documentation and operations in a multinational company. He has Team leadership experience, strong business partnering skills, Process risk analysis experience, strong communication and presentation skills and exposure to working with diverse cultural orientation and high-level executives.To further improve himself, he has completed Acumen+ online courses in Financial Modelling for startups, Business models for start-ups, human centered design, start-up methodologies and storytelling and Udemy’s Financial Modelling & company Valuation online courses.

Michael was a market entry manager at M-Kopa in Kenya. His role has contributed towards project management, product development and operations. He was responsible for a significant grant budget and he has been working on an impact measurement strategy, further he managed product pilots for the Solar fridge.

I joined the LGT Impact Fellowship because… “it makes sure that your decision to leave home for far away places is a big success. From ensuring that positions are meaningful, to providing training and communication with your cohort whilst away, the Fellowship helps with many of life’s necessities allowing you to focus on what you do best.”

Background: Michael is an engineer by background, he has a BEng in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Southampton and Meng in Geological Engineering from the University of British Columbia. On top of Michael being an engineer, he is also a certified Business Accountant. He has had experience in bringing new products to the market and has also assessed business models in developing world.

Camila works as Investment Associate Fellow with the LGT Impact Africa team and is based in Nairobi. She spends most of her time assessing potential investments and executing transactions, but also engages in portfolio companies’ management and pipeline development that is aligned with LGT Impact’s investment strategy.

I joined the LGT Impact Fellowship because... “I am passionate about supporting successful business models and entrepreneurs that create a relevant social impact in different sectors. By joining LGT Impact, an organization with a relevant track record in investing in impactful businesses I can learn from its previous investments and its global network, as well as leverage my traditional private equity background to facilitate the funding and subsequently social impact promoted by fast growing companies in Sub-Saharan Africa.”

Background: Camila started her professional career as a private equity investor in Brazil and later Singapore with Temasek. She then decided to pursue an MBA with the University of Chicago where she got interested in social entrepreneurship and impact investing and had short term experiences with Vested World, an early stage fund focused in Sub-Saharan Africa and Jacaranda Health, a social healthcare startup based in Kenya. Over her career, Camila has acquired relevant experience in investment opportunities assessment and diligence as well as transaction execution across different sectors and geographies. 

Background

The last 8 years I have been working for the German Development Cooperation in Uganda, Nigeria and India. My focus has been to support financial inclusion of low-income households in order to provide them with the opportunity to access financial services and build up sustainable livelihoods and move out of poverty. During this time, I have worked with Microfinance Institutions and Banks directly to improve their capacities and strategies as well as with national institutions like the Central Bank of Nigeria and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) in India to advise them on national strategies and programs. I also have worked closely with the low-income households, rural and urban, to improve their financial capabilities to ensure that they effectively use the financial services they access.

Why did I decide to join the Fellowship Program?

After many years of working in development cooperation, I am interested to work in the private sector to see how to combine social impact with a sustainable business model. The ICats Program provides me with the opportunity to learn first hand from an entrepreneur on how to manage such companies effectively.

Background:

I studied Economics and Sociology in undergraduate school and later earned a Masters in Food Policy & Applied Nutrition. I have worked as a wellness consultant, giving speeches, running small-group workshops, and offering individualized coaching for people looking to change their habits towards a healthier lifestyle. I have also worked as a research associate and data analyst – both in the economics field, as well as in healthcare and clinical quality improvement. The last several years I have been able to merge my various education and experiences by working in clinical informatics, with a focus on the development of clinical performance measures, clinical data integration and interpretation, and the application of information technology to improve population health outcomes.

Why did I decide to join the Fellowship Program?

I see the ICats Fellowship Program as an opportunity to help me transition my career into the international social sector. I am looking for an avenue by which I can pursue my desire to utilize my time and skills to truly affect change in the lives of deserving individuals.

Rodrigo Alarcon (Chile) works with LGT IV's investment team in Manila, Philippines.

Background
9 years of corporate experience in improving business models and their performance, management consulting and project management with multinational firms such as: ING Group, MetLife, LATAM Airlines. Besides, 2 years of experience in international development and social innovation management.

Why did I decide to join the Fellowship Program? 

It provides opportunities to serving those who serve others through scaling-up the impact of a given organization, whilst getting an intensive, field-based exposure to a different culture as well as using my background to tackle global issues."

 

Marta Pryzyk (Poland) works for the IVUK investment team in London, UK

Diego Ishiy (Brazil) works with LGT IV's investment team in Säo Paulo, Brazil.

Andrew Herweg (USA) works with our partner organization Brioche International Ltd. in Kigali, Ruanda.

Brett Cooper (USA) works with our partner organization Brioche International Ltd. in Kigali, Ruanda.

William Tetteh (Ghana) works with our partner organization Brioche International Ltd. in Kigali, Ruanda.

Tom Mitchell (USA) works with our partner company Biyinzika Poultry International Ltd. in Kampala, Uganda.

Ariel Xu Hui (China) works with our portfolio company MamadaV in Beijing, China.

Elio Tubino (Peru) works with our portfolio company Lumni in Lima, Peru.

Peter Troiano (USA) works with our portfolio company MyDentist in Mumbai, India.

Raliat Sunmonu (Nigeria) works with our portfolio company M-KOPA in Nairobi, Kenya.

Colleen Ebbitt (USA) works as a Fundraising specialist at mothers2mothers in South Africa, an organization that supports HIV-positive pregnant women to deliver healthy babies.

I joined the ICats Fellowship because ... "I have a passion for social impact investing and want to see it become a core part of individuals and businesses portfolios."

Background: International Economics from the University of Kentucky and over 7 years of work experience in private banking with JP Morgan.

Katherine Jones (United Kingdom) works as an Operations Manager Fellow at Varthana in India. Varthana is a non-banking finance institution that fills the financing gap to affordable private schools by providing infrastructure and project loans to school proprietors.

I joined the ICats Fellowship because ... "I am seeking to develop a broader base of skills and think that the ICats programme presents a fantastic opportunity to do this while also being able to make a valuable contribution in return."

Background: More than 10 years of work experience including being Director of Social Enterprise and Advisory at ClearlySo and in management and finance in well know financial institutions such as the Royal Bank of Scotland and UBS.

David Hayman (United Kingdom) works as Program Expansion Fellow at Educate Girls in India which focuses on improving girls’ enrolment, retention and academic performance in government schools.

I joined the ICats Fellowship because ... "of my drive to have a positive impact on social organizations around the world, by professional interest and experience in organizational growth and strategic development, and my passion for travelling, exploring new communities, and supporting sustainable change."

Background: 7 years of work experience in Project Management including Senior Head of Operations at the Prince’s Trust. In addition, David created the successful social enterprise Future First in the UK.

Camille Barras (Switzerland) works as a Fundraising Fellow at Educate Girls in India which focuses on improving girls’ enrolment, retention and academic performance in government schools

I joined the ICats Fellowship because ... "I am looking for an opportunity to make other people benefit from my experience in project management, communication and donor liaison, as well as from my social skills and high motivation. I am positive that the ICats Program provides the opportunities that I am looking for."

Background: Masters in Public Policy and Management from the University of Lausanne and Bern. Over 4 years of experience working as a project manager and researcher.

Alexandra Birladianu (Romania) works as Senior Communications Manager at Aangan Trust in India which improves the quality of life for abandoned children in juvenile homes.

I joined the ICats Fellowship because ... "I would like to continue my career on the non-corporate side, creating impact where I feel it is really needed. I believe that being part of the ICats Program will be an amazing start."

Background: Bachelor in Communications and Public Relations and 5 years of experience in telecommunications in the philanthropic sector.

Whitney Cox (USA) works as a Fundraising Specialist at Lumni in Colombia, a company that finances tertiary education of underprivileged students.

I joined the ICats Fellowship because ... "I am looking to use the skills from my private sector career to impact change in the developing world."

Background: Over 10 years of experience in finance and asset management.

Aditya Boyal (India) works as a Technical Maintenance Specialist at Meds & Food for Kids in Haiti which treats and prevents malnutrition through locally produced peanut-based fortified foods.

I joined the ICats Fellowship because ... "it is a fantastic opportunity to broaden my horizon and get good exposure."

Background: MBA from the University of Sheffield and over 9 years of work experience concentrated mostly in the engineering and business development sectors.

Gemeniano Crisante (The Philippines) works as Grower Management Specialist at KFI in the Philippines, a company that specializes in the sustainable growing, sourcing, and trading of high-quality agricultural crops.

I joined the ICats Fellowship because ... "I would like to use my MBA training to make a positive difference to society. I am keen to put forth my recent internship experience in Melbourne on Shared Value, a new concept in business where corporations can actually work on a business model that solves societal problems at the core. Furthermore, being a scholar of the Asian Development Bank, I intend to pay forward by using the strategy, consulting and skills I developed here at MBS."

Background: MBA from the University of Melbourne and over 7 years of work experience at Hewlett-Packard as a IT service and project manager.

Martin Zuercher (Switzerland) works as Chief Financial Consultant at Javara in Indonesia a company that provides smallholder farmers and local agricultural processors in Indonesia with a holistic solution that allows them to reach broader markets.

I joined the ICats Fellowship because ... "I like the idea of helping to build up something and living abroad for some time.  This program seems like a very interesting way of combining my interests / skills with a good cause."

Background: Business Administration studies from the University of St. Gallen and over 10 years of work experience in finance and controlling as well as project manager.

Alexander Klein (Germany) works as Business Development Associate at Big White Wall in London which is an online early intervention service for people in psychological distress.

I joined the ICats Fellowship because ... "I want to make my personal contribution to support great ideas and concepts that are not primarily driven by profit maximization but rather by their positive social impact on those members in the society that are generally excluded from public and private goods. The ICats Program gave me the choice to make it happen and become connected with similar minded fellows all over the world. I am very happy to have made that choice."

Background: Master degree in International Business Studies from the University of Maastricht and Postgraduate MSc in Health Economics from London School of Economics with over 9 years of work experience in the healthcare industry.

Ahmad Jawad Asghar (Pakistan) works as an Impact M&E Fellow with LGT Venture Philanthropy.

I joined the ICats Fellowship because ... "I want to work for international development by sharing my skills and knowledge of starting and expanding social enterprises in creative and cost effective ways, earned through more than 4 years of experience in social development. The ICats Program provides the perfect opportunity to help new startups across the globe become impactful and sustainable.”

Background: Computer Engineer with over 5 years of work experience in the social development and education sector.

Tuan Pham (Australia) works as an Accelerator Fellow in Vietnam

I decided to join the ICats Fellowship, because .. "I would like to be able to do more with my skills than making my employer and shareholders more money. Social enterprises have become an interesting phenomena and I would like to apply what I know and help those that would benefit and where I can see tangible value to these enterprises."

Background: MBA from Macquarie Graduate School of Management and over 18 years of work experience including working for the government and being a regional operations manager.

 

Damien Durand (France) works as an Accelerator Fellow in Thailand.

I decided to join the ICats Fellowship, because .. "I see the ICats Accelerator Fellowship program exactly in line with my vision of how business should work: as a win-win situation. I knew I wanted to work in impact financing and work in a field that would be aligned with my core values: being respectful to everyone, and always find justice. For that in order to be achieved, I believe reducing inequalities is a first step to take."

Background: Bachelor in Business from HEC Montreal, Master in Development Finance from the University of Manchester. Over 4 years of work experience including being equity research analyst at an asset management firm and former entrepreneur.

Matthew Whalen (USA) works as an Accelerator Fellow in Indonesia.

I decided to join the ICats Fellowship, because .. "I’m inspired by socially and environmentally responsible organizations that are fostering sustainable economic development, and I believe this opportunity would allow me to add value to the program, while continuing to grow professionally and personally."

Background: MBA from the University of Massachusetts and over 7 years of work experience including working at National Geographic doing financial planning and analysis.

Rachel Messina (USA) works with our portfolio organizatin Mydentist in Mumbai, India in support of their ecommerce and digital marketing activities.

"I joined the ICats Fellowship Program because I would like to work in a sector that meaningfully contributes to society, and I believe impact investing and social enterprises have incredible potential to catalyze positive change. Bridging my professional skill set and a social impact organization, the ICats Fellowship program is an excellent opportunity to participate in and transition into this bourgeoning sector."

Background: 6 years of experience in the ecommerce and digital marketing sectors in New York City, most recently as Director of Ecommerce at Tamara Mellon. Graduated with a BA from Skidmore College.

Kathrin Hassler (Switzerland) works as a Finance and Business Development Officer at Meds & Food for Kids in Haiti, an organisation which treats and prevents malnutrition through production and distribution of highly nutritious, peanut-based Read-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF).

"I joined the ICats Fellowship Program because it offers the possibility to work with a social enterprise - and for a community - by applying my professional experience. I truly believe that social business - with the support of impact investors - is a sustainable way to improve the quality of life of less advantaged people and I am impressed by LGT VP’s contribution to social change. It is an exceptional opportunity to work with one of LGT VP’s portfolio companies and the ICats Program provides a great framework to maximise the benefit for both, the portfolio company and the fellow.

Background: Bachelor’s degree in Business Law and over 10 years of work experience, lastly for Credit Suisse AG in Zurich and Hong Kong in asset finance.

Andrea Ruzo Garcias (Spain) works with our portfolio organization BIVE in Manizales, Colombia.

"I joined the ICats Fellowship Program because after 5 years living in developing countries and getting a first-hand experience of the global inequalities, I would like to design and scale sustainable business models that would create a social impact, especially in the BoP segments. The Icats Fellowship gave me the opportunity to get fully engaged in this process, learning from Bive's experience in improving access to healthcare services in Colombia."

Background: Masters Degree in International Business from the ESCI - University Pompeu Fabra and 5 years experience as Business Development Consultant in the private and public sectors in ASEAN countries.

Eliana Albaranes (Israel) works as Financial Planning & Control for Dr. Consulta in Brazil , a company that provides low-cost high-quality outpatient clinics focused on low-income population.

"I joined the ICats Fellowship Program because it allows me to work for Dr. Consulta where we are aiming to solve the health gap problem for uninsured low income population, enabling me to do the job I love so much while helping create hope for people and helping drive a sustainable change for the health industry in brazil at the same time."

Background: MPA from SAIS Johns Hopkins and over 12 years of experience in finance and budgeting

Irina Hotz (Switzerland) works with our partner organization the Jacobs Foundation  to support their TRECC - Sustainability through strengthening education in Ivory Coast - Program.

"I joined the ICats Fellowship Program because I wish to aprehend and contribute to impact investing, eager to put my enery, drive and skills into moving a portfolio organisation forward. I am looking forward to priceless professional and personal mind-opening experiences."

Background: 4 years of professional experience in marketing and project management. Masters degree in Economics, majoring in Economic Policy from the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland.

Elizabeth West (USA) works with our partner organization the Jacobs Foundation to support their TRECC - Sustainability through strengthening education in Ivory Coast - Program.

"I joined the ICats Fellowship Program because I wanted to be part of a network of like-minded people who are seeking sustainable and local solutions to vexing global problems."

Background: Masters in International Science and Technology Policy from George Washington University. Previously worked as a Senior Impact Investment Officer at the Aga Khan Foundation and as a Program Manager at the Philanthropy Advisory Service at FasterCures, a center of the Milken Institute.

Peter Gasterias Tenywa (Uganda) works with our partner organization the Jacobs Foundation to support their TRECC - Sustainability through strengthening education in Ivory Coast - Program.

"I joined the ICats Fellowship Program because of my desire to share and learn from experiences and also developing business solutions that solve major global challenges and contribute to poverty reduction in the world, especially in Africa."

Background: Economics majoring banking and finance from the French University of Bejaia, Algeria, with over 5 years of work experience in local and international development focusing on business and enterprise development working with women and children at the grassroots on several startup.

Amy Zheng (China) works with LGT VP's China investment team in Beijing, China.

"I joined the ICats Fellowship Program because I have always had a passion for social impact investing, and this is such a great opportunity to leverage my private sector skills to contribute to help less advantage people."

Background: Master degree from HKUST and Bachelor degree from Tsinghua University, over 9 years of work experience concentrated private equity and venture capital investments.

Santiago Cortes (Colombia) works for the LGT VP's Latam investment team in Bogota, Colombia.

"I joined the ICats Fellowship Program because I consider Impact Investing to be a key driver for sustainable and inclusive development in emerging economies. Moreover, LGT VP is a highly purpose-driven impact investment fund with enough flexibility in terms of investment criteria and investment vehicles to effectively support organizations with proven social impact. I believe this is a perfect opportunity for me to continue growing as a professional and to further understand the sector in Colombia."

Background: Masters in Strategic Management and 5 years of experience in diverse sectors and organizations including Kiva.org, the United Nations and a global consulting firm across South East Asia, East Africa and Latin America.

Paolo Limcaoco (Philippines) works for the LGT VP's SEA investment team in Manila, Philippines.

"I joined the ICats Fellowship Program because I believe that this 1-year fellowship is a great way for me to gain valuable impact investing experience on the ground. LGT VP has gone to great lengths to support fantastic organizations with both social and environmental impact and I would like do my part in helping out and see how it can be fostered further."

Background: Filipino, graduated with a Master of Business Administration from the MIT Sloan School of Management, more than four years’ experience in investment banking and one year experience working with social enterprises.

Alberto Rossi (Italy) works with LGT VP's Latam investment team in Saõ Paulo, Brazil.

"I joined the ICats Fellowship Program because it is a fantastic opportunity to work with entrepreneurs and help them scaling high social and environmental impact solutions.”

Background: MBA at INSEAD and Master of Science in Finance at Bocconi University, about 7 years of work experience in management consulting and investments.

Karsten Wichmann (Germany) worked with Western Seed (Kenya) as an Executive Director (Corporate Strategy, Business Planning and Execution) to provide small scale farmers with the optimal maize seed. Western Seed is an investee of Voxtra who partners with the ICats Program to channel talents to their portfolio.

I decided to join the ICats Fellowship 2014, because .. "Being at a point of my life of “Total Freedom” allowed me to reevaluate my doings. Conclusion: It’s time for me to give back and put my experience into action where it matters most."

Background: Karsten have been active for over 25 years in the Corporate World as Business Consultant and Senior Manager primarily with Hilti (a global leader of products in the construction and building maintenance industries). In his role as a General and Sales manager, he worked for Hilti in Austria, Switzerland, USA, United Arab Emirates, Panama and recently in Indonesia.

Geeta Ramakrishnan (India) worked as a Fundraising Fellow for Educate Girls to develop and implement a fundraising and development strategy. She will focus on managing EG’s existing donor portfolio and developing potential funding opportunities. EG currently operates in 3 districts in Rajasthan and is looking to expand to 3 new districts in 2014.

I decided to join the ICats Fellowship 2014, because .. "It gives me a unique avenue to utilize my skillsets to strengthen a social venture. It also gives me the opportunity to maximize my learning about models of sustainable solutions to social problems and understanding the functioning of a social enterprise."

Background: Master degree in Commerce (2008), University of Mumbai. Geeta has six years of consulting experience across global markets with firms like Ernst & Young. She also worked as a change consultant to an Indian Parliamentarian, helping to improve the state of education and skill development. Recently, she led the Swaniti’s Fellowship Program, where talented young professionals worked on specific development challenges faced by the constituencies of Indian parliamentarians.

Kyla Johnson (USA) worked as a Marketing and Communication Fellow with Educate Girls to enhance and promote the EG brand as well as to solidify EG's position in the education and social sector.

I decided to join the ICats Fellowship 2014, because .. "I wanted to continue gaining experience working abroad and utilizing my skills to improve the capacity of community based organizations. I see the ICats Program as another step in my career as well as an opportunity to continue to help local organizations create positive impact in the lives of people in need"

Background: Bachelor degree in Mass Communications and Marketing from Middle Tennessee State University (2007).After working in management and administration in Chicago, she joined the United States Peace Corps in 2010 as an Organizational Development and Health Systems Strengthening Volunteer in rural Mozambique. After 2 years in that role, she extended her Peace Corps service for another year to assume the role of National Coordinator for Peace Corps’ “Stomping Out Malaria in Africa” initiative.

Priyamvada Ramkumar(India) worked as a Finance Fellow with Varthana. Priya’s mandate is to help the company secure additional capital for growth and assist the management in building a sophisticated internal finance function to manage a growing number of varied finance partners.

I decided to join the ICats Fellowship 2014, because .. "My vision for personal satisfaction and the change I seek in society, have a potential solution in the furthering of social enterprise. It is to put this to test and gain a deep understanding of the functioning of social enterprise that I decided to join the program."

Background: MBA from XLRI School of Management, Jamshedpur (India). Finance professional with 8+ years of experience assessing and advising companies on raising capital for growth.  In her 6 year stint as an investment banker with Veda Corporate Advisors, a boutique investment bank, she led the execution of private equity fund raising and M&A advisory engagements. Prior to this, she worked as part of the SME lending team at ABN AMRO Bank.

Gabriela Muñoz (Mexico) worked as a Finance and Operations Fellow with Mukatri (Colombia) to support their growth by providing a higher coverage of associate farmers and protected forest areas. Mukatri is a for-profit company tackling the deforestation of the Amazon by manufacturing and commercializing confectionary products (such as sweets, cookies, and sauces) made of ecologically grown/harvested forest fruits....

I decided to join the ICats Fellowship 2014, because .. "Joining an organization which aims “impact investment”  to make a difference with the threat of the consumption  of natural resources,  improving unfortunate people’s quality life, is a way of contributing to help."

Background: Bachelor in Industrial Engineering from Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Studies, Campus Ciudad Juarez (Mexico). Gaby worked as an IT specialist with BOSETU (Botswana Sectors of Education and Trate Union), which main mission is to support teachers by providing social and economic benefits as well as assisting in legal matters. Since 2010, she was working with Bosch Automotive in Mexico, as a financial analyst.

Martia Castro (Italy) worked for MFK as a Finance Fellow. She is responsible for the organization’s financial management, financial planning and analysis and support new product development.

I decided to join the ICats Fellowship 2014, because .. "After years on the side of the grantmakers, I was very eager to work “in the field”, closer to the beneficiaries and see things from the “receiving end”. I looked at a few fellowship opportunities and had positive feedback from former fellows of the ICats Program."

Background: Master degree in International Relations from Università degli Studi di Genova (Italy). Worked in the Philanthropy and Impact Investing with Lombard Odier, a Swiss private bank. She contributed to developing their philanthropy advisory offering and managed a number of client foundations, their grant making and financials. Prior to that she was a consultant for the World Health Organization’s Water and Sanitation Fund, and was in charge of country and program selection. She also worked at the Italian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Yoshi Tabuchi (Japan) worked with SWAP in collaboration with our partner xchange on the Philippines.

I decided to join the ICats Fellowship 2014, because .. "The benefit and needs of people, societies and the environment, and those of businesses should not be mutually exclusive.  I have always sought a way to combine business skills to make an impact on a society.  The ICats Fellowship program is not only one of the leading advocates of such social impact but also the perfect opportunity where I might leverage my experience and apply my belief for this cause, which I hope will be a big step towards being one of the pioneers in the growing sector."

Background: MBA from IESE Business School in Barcelona. 10 years of professional experience in various areas such as investment, market analysis and project management. Experiences include investing in renewable energy projects for Japan and Latin America at Sojitz Corporation, one of the leading trading firms in Japan; advising World In Asia, a Japanese impact investor; working for the Research and Evaluation Unit of BRAC Uganda.

Juan Pablo Arias (Colombia) worked with SWAP in collaboration with our partners The HUB Bogotá, Compartamos con Colombia, ANDI del Futuro, New Ventures Colombia, BID Network and Cámara de Comercio Bogotá in Colombia.

I decided to join the ICats Fellowship 2014, because .. "it offers the possibility to use all my professional skills to create a positive impact for the society and the environment, by working closely with social organizations. Due to the early stage of the ventures, I feel excited to leave the structured world of a large corporation and “think out of the box” to add value and generate solutions to their current challenges."

Background: MBA from the Robert H. Smith School of Business – University of Maryland (USA). Finance professional with experience in financial and credit risk analysis of banks, microfinance institutions and corporations in the power, construction and project finance sector. While working for five years in Fitch Ratings, a global rating agency, he was involved in the monitoring and rating process of a portfolio of more than 20 companies of diverse sectors in Latin America.

Hub Langstaff (USA) worked with SWAP in collaboration with our partner CSIP in Vietnam.

I decided to join the ICats Fellowship 2014, because .. "I joined ICats to learn about venture philanthropy while getting on the ground experience in a developing country which will help in my career transition from “for-profit” to non-profit."

Background: MBA, Harvard Business School (USA). 20+ work experience in working with a number of medical device companies, from start-ups to large public companies; in addition, Hub worked in investment banking raising venture capital for early stage technology companies and in management consulting with Bain & Co; in the past years he ran a venture-backed surgical services company in Denver, Colorado that developed a new business model of supporting simple surgical procedures performed in the surgeon’s office.

Ivan Topalov (Bulgaria) worked with SWAP in collaboration with our partner Change Fusion Institute in Thailand.

I decided to join the ICats Fellowship 2014, because .. "it offered a unique blend of supporting entrepreneurship and innovation while making a positive impact beyond the financial bottom line. It would give me an opportunity to apply my skill set and experience in a more effective way, in terms of tackling real growth-business problems and producing tangible results that make a meaningful difference to stakeholders. It would also provide a great learning opportunity and a path for continued professional development in a desired direction."

Background: Master of International Affairs degree at Columbia University (USA). 5+ years in investment banking at RBS / ABN AMRO, working across M&A, capital markets and debt advisory in Europe and Asia. He primarily focused on financial analysis, evaluation of investment opportunities and transaction structuring and process in the sectors Energy and Resources, Consumer and Retail, Industrials, Infrastructure, Renewables and Technology.

Louise Andre (French) works as Communication Associate at Educate Girls to work on girls’ education to improve access and quality of education for gender gap districts in India.

Background: Master degree in Political sciences + Media and audiovisual, Sciences Po Paris France; worked 3 years as Marketing & Communications expert with french online media companies

Alexander Mette (USA) works as a Fundraising Strategist at Educate Girls to improve girls’ enrolment, retention and academic performance in government schools.

Background: Beloit College degree in International Relations; worked at NGO’s inside and outside the U.S. including two stints in Egypt during 2011 and 2012 where he was working during the revolution and its one-year anniversary. His work has focused on resource development, report and proposal writing, communications, outreach, research, and media. Prior to joining ICats he has been working with a number of organizations that promote democracy and human rights in the Middle East and with Ashoka Arab World. Most recently he worked in government relations at a biotechnology company managing the company’s political action committee.

Paroma Sen (USA) works as a Marketing & Strategy Fellow at Greenoil to provide renewable energy based on second generation biofuels, focusing on afforestation-based biodiesel.

Background: MBA from Haas School of Business (University of California , Berkeley) and a MA in Advertising and MS in Computer Engineering from University of Texas at Austin; worked for Dolby Laboratories in San Francisco from 2010 to 2012, and owned the strategy and marketing for the smartphone portfolio of audio enhancement software. Prior to that, she worked for National Semiconductor in a business development role, for incubation, development and launch of a pipeline of emerging technologies including solar charging and pico-projector. 

Sheela Vashishta (USA) works as an Expansion and Partnership Fellow at Aangan Trust to improve the quality of life for abandoned children in juvenile homes.

Background: MBA from ESG Paris School of Business; University of Pennsylvania: Master of Social Work from the School of Social Policy. She has 5 years of experience in the non profit/social sector and has worked as a clinician as well as in program development; recently, Sheela worked at The American Chamber of Commerce of France in business development. 

Rasto Kiplangat (Kenya) works as an IT/Lead Systems Engineer at M-Kopa in Kenya to help putting in place an affordable pay-per-use system.

Background: Washington State University, Masters - Engineering and Technology Management; Washington State University, Undergraduate- BA Hons Management Information Systems. Worked since 2001 with Microsoft Corporation in Redmond , Washington as Systems Engineer for MSN online services, Microsoft AdCenter and the Microsoft Search platform (Bing) 

Fabio Henrique da Silva (Brazil) works as a Business Intelligence & IT Consultant at Enseña Chile in Chile to introduce high-quality human capital in order to solve the systemic problem of inequities in public education.

Background: EMBA in Zürich on International Management & Affairs, focusing my master thesis on the strategic approach of Corporate Philanthropy; Worked for 12 years at Credit Suisse as Senior IT Business Engineer & Analyst for end-to-end derivatives trading solutions. He also worked for Bank of Boston and the Brazilian private bank Itau.  

Julie Cobill (UK) works as an International Partnerships Coordinator at aeioTu in Colombia to provide high quality education, nutrition and care services for early childhood.

Background: MSc in Public Policy and Administration at the London School of Economics specialising in welfare state economics and social protection. Recently, she worked in business development and public sector strategy for Serco, a FTSE 100 company delivering a diverse range of services to government and the private sector. Previously, she worked for a NGO in Santiago, Chile, designing and delivering educational attainment programmes for children at risk and developing strategic links as part of resource development.  

Julian Antony (India) works as a Country Manager for Meds and Food for Kids in Haiti to treat and prevent child malnutrition with locally produced Ready to Use Foods.

Background: Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering Honors at McGill University, CFA charterholder. Worked over 4 years as a Business Manager at Capital One Canada in analyzing business problems in the credit card industry, and developing data driven strategies to improve business profitability. He is also actively involved in the non-profit sector in Toronto, providing strategy and business consulting to local charities, and help manage a corporate fund that provides grants to develop youth-focused social enterprises.

Olga Cruz (Colombia) works as a CFO at Mukatri in Colombia to promote organic agriculture and protect native biodiversity in the Caquetá region.

Background: Bachelor’s Degree in Finances and International Relations from Universidad Externado de Colombia; Worked for more than two years in BBVA’s Investment Bank. As part of the Corporate Finance Team she participated in projects such as the equity issuance of Cemex Latam Holdings (US$ 1,1 Bn) and the listing of commercial papers of Cemex Colombia. Before incorporating to BBVA, she worked as a Financial Analyst of the subsidiary of Moore Stephens in Colombia.

Jorge Hernandez-Navarro (Spain) works as a Financial Controller with CO2 Bambu in Nicaragua to create affordable eco-housing solutions. Background: MBA at University of Chicago, Booth School of Business with concentrations in Finance and General Management. Most recently, he worked as the COO-CFO of Jixeer.com, an internet retailer with more than 350,000 registered users. Previously, he worked as CEO of a family office in Madrid, Spain, helping to implement an innovative renewable energy Japanese technology in Europe. He also was part of a small team that started the first futures market for olive oil in the world, based in Spain.

Pan Pan (USA) worked as Strategy and Business Development Fellow with streetfootball world in Germany/Switzerland to extend a global network of 80+ local initiatives using soccer to drive social change and development among less advantaged children and youth.

Background: BA from Northwestern University in the USA and a MBA from INSEAD; Global Leadership Fellow at the World Economic Forum from 2005-2008 and completed its three-year leadership program as an Associate Director with an Executive Masters in Global Leadership. Over 13 years of experience in consulting, financial services and industry sectors, having lived and worked in China, the US and Europe. Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA). Before her business career, she studied at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music in China and the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. She gave her first solo recital at 13 and made her Carnegie Hall guest debut. 

Marlene Mueller (Germany) worked with the Accelerator Program in collaboration with our partner xchange on the Philippines.

Background: Goettingen University, Germany: Master’s degree in international economics focusing on development economics. She previously worked as associate at Bamboo Finance and BlueOrchard Investments, two global investment firms dedicated to financing social entrepreneurs and microfinance institutions. She also worked at Invera Ethics Research and Advisory, a firm that conducts stakeholder analysis from ethical and sustainability perspectives as well as at the UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative. Her field experience includes working for GIZ on development cooperation in Albania, and teaching in a township school in South Africa.  

Ashley Lewis (USA) worked with the Accelerator Program in collaboration with our partner Change Fusion Institute in Thailand.

Background: BS in International Finance from Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. In her last role Ashley worked as a Small Enterprise Consultant with the United States Peace Corps where she focused on social enterprises. Based in Togo, West Africa she worked with organizations in the renewable energy, artisan development, and agricultural sectors. Prior to working in Togo, Ashley specialized in investment management solutions for intuitional investors with Goldman Sachs in Chicago, Illinois.  

Shuyin Tang (Australia) worked with the Accelerator Program in collaboration with our partner CSIP in Vietnam.

Background: Australian National University, Bachelor of Philosophy.In her last role she was a Volunteer Consultant with TechnoServe, an international development non-profit whose mission is to bring “business solutions to poverty”. Based in Mumbai, she was leading the development of a large global donor’s rice strategy for India and Bangladesh, with the potential to impact millions of smallholder farmers across both countries. Prior to joining TechnoServe, she spent 4 years at management consulting firm Bain & Company in both Australia and India.  

David Soukhasing (French) worked with the Accelerator Program in collaboration with our partner Global Entrepreneurship Program in Indonesia.

Background: Double masters degrees in Finance and Corporate law. David worked for more than 3 years with several investment banks and a private equity firm focus on cleantech technologies (Photovoltaic, waste management, biomass, green chemistry…). He left the private equity firm to partner with two former colleagues to set up a recruitment and career management website focusing on happiness at work. He was also active on the ground with several NGOs in Tajikistan and Afghanistan.

Graham Day (Canadian) worked with the Accelerator Program in collaboration with our partners The HUB Bogotá, Compartamos con Colombia, ANDI del Futuro, New Ventures Colombia, BID Network and Cámara de Comercio Bogotá in Colombia.

Background: Masters in International Affairs and Economics from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, DC. Bachelors degree in International Business and Marketing from the Sauder School of Business (UBC) Vancouver, Canada. Graham recently spent 15 months in Haiti working first for the Clinton Foundation and then for Entrepreneurial Solutions Partners, a base-of-the-pyramid entrepreneur advisory group. Prior to that, he worked for three years as a management consultant for Oliver Wyman based out of Montreal, Canada.  

Nicolas Demeilliers (French) worked with the Accelerator Program in collaboration with our partner DESUS in Mexico.

Background: Master of Science in Management from EM Lyon, France. He worked more than 6 years for BNP Paribas in London and Paris in the Corporate and Investment Banking division of the Bank. He was involved in syndicating structured loans related to large project financings (infrastructure, oil & gas, power) and commodity financings in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. 

Andrea Piazza (Brazil) worked with the Accelerator Program in collaboration with our partner Quintessa, in Brazil.

Background: BA Development Geography and MSc Risk Analysis from King’s College London (UK). Andrea worked for two years in a consulting firm in Sao Paulo conducting environmental, social and governance risk analysis for infrastructure projects (energy, transportation and mining) on behalf of financial institutions. Prior to that, she had experience with environmental planning in the UK and undertook research on risk communication for Biogen Idec, UK.

Duan Ye (Chinese) worked with the Accelerator Program in China in collaboration with our partner Transist.

Background: Bachelor of Management, majoring in information management, and a dual degree of Economics, both in Peking University. Since July 2009; Ye have been working for Accenture. As a business consultant focusing on financial services industry in China, her role was to help companies in this area enhancing ability in strategy, target operating model design and specific modules promotion, such as competency model building, risk management. She also engaged in several pro bono consulting assignments for both international and local NGOs, including Save the Children China branch, TFC, etc  

Jeremy Bedzow (American) works as International Alliance Analyst at aeioTu to expand the number of centers and the scope of early childhood development services in the Colombian market, to create processes and control systems for scalable and sustainable growth and expand the model internationally in other LATAM markets.

Background: University of Michigan (USA): Jazz and Classic Music University of Miami (USA): Marketing / Management Sciene IE Business School (Madrid, Spain): International MBA 4 years of professional experience in business development, project management, strategy creation and operations execution working with Microsoft (Saudi Arabia), Arise Virtual Solutions and Structural Preservation Systems (Florida).

Sherrise Pond (American) works as Financial Analyst aeioTu to conduct baseline analysis of financial data, create financial models for growth plans and new initiatives, and analyze cost and expenditure data of aeioTu’s centers for low-income children.

Background: Yale University (Connecticut, USA): Degree in Political Science. 4 years professional experience as a finance advisor for the nonprofit Health Care Group Citi Global Markets. 1 year professional field experience working as a Kiva Fellow in Peru and Senegal.

Luciana Lima (Brazilian) works as International Fundraising Consultant at Healthy Cities Group to develop, implement and monitor a fundraising strategy.

Background: Fundacao Getulio Vargas (Sao Paolo, Brazil): degrees in Business Administration and Finance; Columbia University (New York, USA): Master Degree in International Affairs. 10 years professional experience as a consultant / business developer for leading consultancy firms and banks (e.g.: UBS, Citigroup).

Pamela Plaza (Mexican) works as Marketing & Sales Strategist at Healthy Cities Group to develop and implement marketing strategies to find more effective and efficient ways to increase sales and facilitate customer learning.

Background: Endicot College (Boston, MA): Business Administration (Marketing), New York University (NY, NY): Strategic Marketing Management, Universita di Bologna (Italy): Master in Philanthropy and Social Innovation; 5 years professional experience in business administration and marketing, working with several nonprofit organizations.

Alex Proimos (Australian) works as CFO and Business Developer at Healthy Cities Group to support the General Manager in aligning the overall financial direction of the company to deal with the health and environmental problems caused by waste management.

Background: Sydney University (Australia): Business Law; Macquarie University (Australia): Finance; 8 years professional experience as an assistant professor teaching finance to undergraduates and postgraduates.

Jose Ignacio Barraza (Mexican) works as Training and Development Manager at Por ti, Familia to develop the processes for the training and to support development and retention of their personnel.

Background: Monterrey Tech, ITESM (Mexico): Bachelor in Mechanic Engineering; Hult International Business School (Boston, USA): Master in Business Administration. 5 years professional experience as a business consultant and project manager working with Holcim.

Christiane Vorwerk (German) works as Career Development Program Manager at Enseña Chile to support the organization to raise the profile of the program in its target group, but in particular in the corporate sector as well.

Background: International School of Management (Dortmund, London & Detroit): International Business. 11 years professional experience in the area of marketing, consulting and business processes working with different international companies (e.g. Fidelity Investments, DataWonk, Deutsche Post).

Anita Rivera (Chilean) works as Business Development Manager at TriCiclos, the first certified B-Corp in South America, that is reinventing the waste management industry in Chile by helping society and customers realize that 90% of the garbage is actually recyclable and can be treated as a valuable raw material, which can also be reused or transformed into a new product.

Background: Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile: History and Communications; London School of Journalism: Journalism and written Communications; PMI (London): Project Management; University of Westminster (London): Master in Business Management; 5 years professional experience in project management, marketing & communications and strategic planning working with London Underground Ltd.

Bibiana Jurado (Colombian) works as International Alliance Analyst at CO2Bambu to participate in the implementation of an international partnership strategy, in order to drive strategic alliance development with different stakeholders, such as NGOs and international institutions.

Background: Louisiana State University (Baton State, LA, USA): Intellectual Property Law; Los Andes University (Bogota, Columbia): Law; Institute d’Etudes Politiques Paris: International Affairs / International Management. 5 years of professional experience in consulting, fundraising and communications working with UNESCO, Televisa Fundacion and Hydroptère.

Ivan Malespin (Nicaraguan) works as Process Manager at CO2Bambu to analyze and evaluate methods of production, develop and implement new process of how the bamboo is being prepared, point out ways to improve cost in the process.

Background: UNICA (Managua, Nicaragua): Industrial Engineering, Master in Business Administration. 14 years of professional experience in operations management working with Seguros America.

Justin Matthews (American) works as Business Developer/Financial Analyst at CO2Bambu to support the implementation of the expansion phase.

Background: Miami University of Ohio: Finance & Spanish; CFA Level 1 (Chicago): Finance; IE Business School (Madrid, Spain): Master in Business Administration with focus on social entrepreneurship. 3 years of professional experience in finance and consulting, working with CRA International.

Clare Zurawski (American) works as U.S. Fundraising Specialist at streetfootball world to develop and implement a fundraising strategy that is tailored to the American cultural and philanthropic environment.

Background: University of Michigan: Spanish; University of Albuquerque: Nonprofit Management. 13 years of professional experience working with WESST.

Tim Nichols (American) works as a Technical Project Manager at mothers2mothers to help developing an application to decrease the digital divide by enhancing the communication between the clients using mobile health solutions.

Background: Washington State University (USA), University Torcuato Di Tella (Buenos Aires, Argentina): MBA in Business Administration. 8 years of professional experience in international marketing, technology development and business consulting in Europe, Southeast Asia, South & Central America and the United States.

Mairead Cahill (British) works as Legal/ Strategy Consultant at M-Kopa with focus on pricing, marketing, sales and distribution, as well as helping to think through market expansion opportunities.

Background: Warwick Business School, London School of Economics and Political Sciene (UK): Bachelor in Management Science and Masters in European Politics & Policy. 8 years of professional experience working with Global Freight Exchange, AccountAbility and British Telecom.

Anna-Marie Silvester (Canadian) works as Product Development Specialist at M-Kopa to test and implement the roll-out of M-Kopa’s commercial products.

Background: University of Victoria, University of British Columbia (Canada): Bachelor in Electrical Engineering, Master and Doctorate in Applied Science. 6 years of professional experience as Teaching Assistant at UBC Electrical & Computer Engineering Department and as Team Coordinator at Engineers without Borders.

Crystal Anievas (Filipino) works as a Managing Director at Rags2Riches to drive community activation and expansion in order to improve the quality of life of more communities in the country.

Background: De La Salle University (Manila, Philippines); degree in Accountancy. 5 years of professional experience as Global Market Development Brand Manager at Unilever Asia and Marketing expert at National Service Scheme in Ghana.

Amandeep Singh (Indian) works as Country Manager to manage and expand the operations of Operation ASHA in Cambodia.

Background: BITS Pilani (India); post-graduate in Pharmacy. 4 years of professional experience in healthcare consulting at Boston Analytics, Datamonitor and in improving drug access at Clinton Health Access Initiative

 

Sarah Adeel (Pakistani) works as PR and Communication Consultant at LGT VP to support the expansion of the ICats Program to attract more talent for the future.

Background: Fulbright Scholar, Rhode Island School of Design (USA). Research in Child Psychology and built environment, part of the Social Innovation Initiative program and Persuasive speech at Brown University. 

5 years of professional experience as a design consultant. Founder of LettuceBee Kids (A self-sustaining entity for street-children in Pakistan) and co-founder of werplay (Start up focused on developing interactive games)

Hanna Ebeling (German) works as Business Accelerator Consultant at LGT VP to implement the Impact Ventures Accelerator Program which was designed to bridge the gap between early-stage social enterprises and the growth-stage capital that LGT VP and other social / impact investors provide.

Background: University of St. Gallen (Switzerland): Degree in Economics. 5 years of professional experience as Finance Consultant at HSBC Private Bank in London, Sydney and Miami.

David Le (Australian) works as Business Accelerator Consultant at LGT VP to implement the Impact Ventures Accelerator Program which was designed to bridge the gap between early-stage social enterprises and the growth-stage capital that LGT VP and other social / impact investors provide.

Background: Australian National University (Canberra, Australia): degrees in Management, Finance & Accounting. 9 years of professional experience as Financial Analyst for Boston Consulting Group and Australian Prudential Regulation Authority.

Avani Parekh-Bhatt (American) works as a Fundraising Strategist to support Operation Asha with setting up their international expansion strategy.

Background: Graduated from George Washington University (Washington, DC) in International Affairs and Political Science. 10 years professional experience in the nonprofit sector as well as founder of her own social enterprises.

Elizabeth Chacko (American) works as a Strategy Consultant to scale up OpAsha's proposal to improve the living standards of the low income via access to high quality yet affordable basic consumer goods.

Background: Georgetown University (USA): MBA in Foreign Service - International Development. New York University (USA): Finance & Management. 9 years of prof. experience in financial services working on business development, project management, and client management. Previously worked at World Bank, GBF, Drake Management, and JP Morgan.

Carole Sarkis (French) works as an Expansion Strategy Manager at Aangan Trust to develop an expansion strategy to replicate Aangan’s programs in other parts of India.

Background: Science Po (Institute of Political Studies, Paris), degree cum laude in Nonprofit and Social Venture Management;3 years of professional experience in advising individual clients in philanthropic projects.

Erin Little (American) works as a Marketing/PR Strategist at Aangan Trust to draw awareness and improvement to the situation for youths at risks by various programs based in Mumbai, and scale up to additional cities.

Background: Loyola University (Chicago, USA), degrees in Communication and English; 3 years professional experience; worked with Acumen Fund, cofounded Portapure, a water purification device company.

Clemens Piffl (Austrian) works at Healthy Cities Group (Lima, Peru) as Strategy and Business Developer to support their expansion phase and accompany the restructuring of the business plan and budgeting.

Background: University of Liechtenstein: MBA in Entrepreneurship. 4 years of professional experience as marketing, business and IT consultant.

Patricia Griffin (USA) works at Bridge International Academies (Nairobi, Kenya) as Operations and System Manager to enhance operational systems, policies and procedures to ensure the efficient rollout of “school in a box”.

Background: Ross School of Business at University of Michigan (USA): MBA Entrepreneurship & Operations Management.7 years of professional experience as an engineer in manufacturing/quality in the US auto industry.

Steven Lee (USA) works at Shonaquip (Cape Town, South Africa) as a Business Development Consultant to update business and marketing strategies to expand their reach and to grow their ability to work collaboratively to deliver more services.

Background: INSEAD MBA / Singapore & France. 7 years experience as marketing and communications manager; Co-Founder of Wheel Wishers Non-Profit Organization (Kenya).

Andre Lottersberger (Swiss) works at mothers2mothers (Cape Town, South Africa) as Legal/Strategy Consultant to advise senior management on structural and strategic initiatives and to assist the organization with the expansion into new countries.

Background: University of Zurich (CH) and University of Cape Town (South Africa): lic.iur./LL.M. 10 years of professional experience as attorney-at-law in commercial law firms and legal counsel/director in international wealth management at UBS (Zurich/Singapore).

Vivian Lee (Taiwanese-American) works at Rags2Riches (Manila, Philippines) as Operations Manager to enhance management processes, optimize supply chains and establish governance procedures to facilitate the international rollout of their products.

Background: Northwestern University, Evanston (USA): B.S. in Industrial Engineering & Management Sciences and Economics. 5 years of professional experience as an operation consultant.

Dana Guzman (Colombian) works at Rags2Riches (Manila, Philippines) as International Sales and Marketing Strategist to define and implement strategies to increase the sales of their products to a wider/international customer base.

Background: Externado de Colombia University (Colombia) and Columbia University (USA): Graduate Studies in International Business and Trade. 6 years of professional experience as international sales strategist and co-founder of the agency for international business development Dedalo based in Zurich, Switzerland.

Nadine Haegeli (Swiss) works at Educate Girls (Mumbai) as PR & Communications Consultant to define and implement a communication strategy, which supports the organization to scale their model from rural Rajasthan to a national presence.

Background: University Bern (CH) – degree in Economics, Sociology, Media Studies.4 years professional experience as PR & Communications Manager with media agencies in Berlin (DE).

Anne Andrews (American) works at Operation Asha (New Delhi) as a Management Consultant to establish systems, policies and processes to enable the organizations national and international expansion. B

ackground: Washington University St. Louis (USA) – law degree. 4 years professional experience as Associate Attorney (Berman Fink Van Horn (USA); advised for-profit and non-profit entrepreneurs.

Verena Schuler (German) works at Aangan Trust (Mumbai) as a Communication and Strategy Consultant to develop and implement a communications strategy that assists the expansion of Aangan and to scale-up Shakti one of Aangan's programs empowering girls and young women, from Mumbai to other parts of the country.

Background: M.B.A. from Ludwig Maximilian University Munich (DE), Ph. D. from the Carl Ossietzky University Oldenburg (DE). 6 years professional experience in Sustainability Communications, Reporting and Corporate Sustainability Strategy and Management at BMW (DE).

Sarah Lee (Canadian) works at Driptech (Pune) as a Business Development Consultant in International Business Development, Manufacturing/Value Chain and Agricultural Extension.

Background: McGill University, Montreal (CAN) - M.S. in Integrated Water Resource Management, Bioresource Engineering. 5 years professional experience; worked in West Africa in agriculture and forestry at a village level and coordinated a tree growing competition at a national level.

Jessica Martin (USA) works at Driptech (Mountain View, USA) as a Global Business Development Consultant to build organizational capacity at the Driptech US headquarter to facilitate the international rollout to India and China.

Background: Fairfield University (USA): International Studies and Economics degree. 3 years of professional experience in investment strategy at Bank of America.

Tom Triglone (AUS) works at Greenoil (Jaipur) as a Business Strategy Manager to put in place operational and reporting systems and processes to allow GreenOil to go through their expansion phase.

Background: University of Western Australia, Perth (AUS) - Electronic Engineering degree. 9 years of professional experience (project management, consulting and 3 years business development with village community cooperatives in Guatemala).

Matt Austin (American) worked at Healthy Cities Group (Lima, Peru) as Business Developer .

Background: Advisor for Kingdom of Jordan Development Zones Commission; 10 years of work experience in legal, strategy, business development and finance; MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management / Arizona, USA

Linus Sluter (German) worked at aeioTu (Bogota, Columbia) as Social Franchise Director .

Background: Business Developer at Bank Sarasin & Co Ltd. / Switzerland; 5 years of work experience in as hedge fund analyst and business developer for sustainable investment

Rachel Strate (American) worked at mothers2mothers (Cape Town, South Africa) as Business Development Manager.

Background: Analyst at EPIC Ventures (Draper Fisher Jurvetson affiliate) / Salt Lake City, USA; 4 years of work experience in Venture Capital (VC) conducting financial analysis; Experience in fundraising in VC setting.

Pascal Froehlicher (Swiss) worked at Heart (Cape Town, South Africa) as Head of Social Investment.

Background: Manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers AG / Zürich; 5 years of work experience as a management consultant in private banking and asset management; MA Political Sciences, Lausanne University, Switzerland.

Ira Renfrew (Malaysia) worked at Driptech (Pune, India) as Business Developer.

Background: Senior Associate at Boston Consulting Group / Malaysia; 4 years of work experience in consulting, strategy development, reorganization and change management.

Vaibhav Lodha (India) worked at Driptech (Pune, India) as Business Developer.

Background: General Analytics Associate at ZS Associates / India; 5 years of work experience in business development, strategy, consulting and event management.

Rajash Sarin (UK) worked at Husk Power Systems (India) as Business Developer.

Background: Associate at Booz & Co in London ; Over 10 years of work experience in strategy consulting, audit and accounting; MBA from Wharton Business School.

Rama Siva (India) worked at Husk Power Systems (India) as Business Consultant.

Background: Product Manager at IT Firm in Chicago, U.S.A.; 8 years of work experience in IT firms as software engineer and consultant; Experience as consultant to social enterprises; MBA (University of Texas)

Cynthia Schweer (American) worked at mothers2mothers (Cape Town, South Africa) as Financial Analyst / Business Development Strategist.

Background: CEO of Starfish Greatheart Foundation USA in New York City;9 years of work experience as consultant and financial analyst at a consulting company as well as at Starwood Hotels & Resorts; MBA (Insead)

Jordan Kondi Kondi (Gabon) worked at Heart (Cape Town, South Africa) as Change Management Facilitator.

Background: Pursuing a B.Tech in HR Management at Cape Peninsula University of Technology; 2 years of work experience as Mentor at Cape Peninsula University; 1 year as HR / IR Officer at City of Cape Town; Multiple trainings in HR

Tom Kagerer (Germany) worked at Heart (Cape Town, South Africa) as Chief Project Manager.

Background: Management consultant within a BMW Financial Services transformation project; 9 years of work experience at BMW as IT Project Manager and General Manager; Diploma in Computer Sciences

Han Xiao (China) worked at Heart (Cape Town, South Africa) as Financial Analyst.

Background: Senior Consultant at Deloitte China; 4 years of working experience in financial and operational advisory to various clients; B.A. in Business Management

Courtney Baggett (USA) worked at Apopo (Morogoro, Tanzania) as Fundraising and communication expert.

Background: 10 years of experience as volunteer and project coordinator at different foundations, such as Ashoka and the Make-A-Wish Foundation; B.A. in Business Administration and Psychology

Nathalie Moral (Switzerland) worked at Escuela Nueva Foundation (Bogota, Columbia) as Business Development Analyst

Background: Associate Consultant at Bain&Co.; 4 years of work experience in advisory and consulting; experience as assistant in Events & Advertisement agency; B.A. in Business Administration

Juan Carlos Moreno (Switzerland) worked in the education sector in Brazil as Business Developer.

Background: Manager Internal Audit at Adecco Management Consulting; 7 years of work experience as Manager of Internal Audit (Adecco) and of Financial Advisory Service (Deloitte) as well as in IT system implementation; University degree in Business Administration