Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands
Track-record of turning business units from decline to growth through innovation and strong emphasis on operational execution. Working experience in both emerging and developed markets including general management role leading multi-country business unit. Supplementary skills in strategy and M&A. Licensed coach and recognised team builder crafting high performing teams with purpose and problem-solving skills. Strong believer in purposeful brands. Experienced in crafting purpose-led brand strategies and campaigns leading to both positive impact on society and business growth.
Transforming Africa’s cashew value chain through circular innovation. We convert waste into bio-bitumen, clean energy, and compost — creating a 9x waste-to-value multiplier, regenerating soils, and removing CO₂e at scale.
Essential is a biosciences organization unrelentingly committed to transforming food systems and tackling global malnutrition. We are conducting cutting-edge R&D in fermentation to catalyze a new model of climate-resilient protein production in Sub-Saharan Africa and create affordable, accessible, and sustainable proteins that can prevent and treat malnutrition.
Supporting Food & Agri companies in building a sustainable and future-fit business. Focus areas include: strategy, business model innovation, NetZero transitions and M&A.
Developing strategic growth options for our Global Foods business and managing execution of M&A projects
General manager of the Unilever Foods and Ice cream business unit in Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda and Rwanda. End-to-end business responsibility and chairman of management team. Member of the regional Africa Foods & Refreshments Leadership team. Key achievements: • Acceleration of business top-line growth from 0-5% to 20-25% USG making it the fastest growing foods business of Unilever and at the same time significantly improving profitability by 800bps • Execution of the pioneering purpose-led #GetYourIronUp campaign leading to significant growth of market penetration and brand equity while improving the lives of millions of Kenyans • Developed team innovation capabilities and increased speed-to-market resulting into new product lines and route-to-market channels fuelling mid-term growth • Achieved #1 ranking in FMCG by Kantar Footprint based on growth in brand penetration and brand strength and received the winning award for best product launch by Marketing Association Kenya Last twelve months operated as strategy and business development lead for East Africa: • Developed a strategic partnership doubling the size of the Africa food business and improve the lives of millions of Africans on the basis of novel new business model leading to integrated end-to-end operations with partner and shared benefits without complex structure of classic JV, unlocking 50+ million euro of investments and leading to profitable business generating estimated 150+ million euro in first three years • Founding general manager of UFS Kenya establishing new supply chain, B2B RtM capability, including innovative distribution model with large Ecomm player, resulting in record time-to-market and signed offtake contracts with six of the top-10 market players
Brand development and brand building manager of the Unox soup business. Key achievements: • Part of team that lifted business growth from -0.3% USG in 2015 to 8.9% in 2016 • Grew the Unox soup business by about 11.5% in turnover despite operating a declining market resulting in significant increase of market share both in volume and value by about 450 bps • (re-)Launched about 120 SKUs in market, leading to new segments (Conimex and Proeverij soups), new occasions (Unox mono-portion pouch) and new design/storytelling of Unox Can and Pouch portfolio responsible for about 85% of total soup business • Crafted the first national Snapchat campaign during Kingsday leading to 95% reach of Snapchat users with an above-average 18 second average engagement • Spokesperson and PR management of the Unox Nieuwjaarsduik resulting into 1+ million euro PR value
YYTZ is a fast-growing community cashew company that grows, process and packs cashew products end-to-end within the community. Independent board member helping the founder with scaling the business successfully.