Nienke Keen

History: Young Expert at AgriProFocus - Kenya
YEP period 2018 - 2019, batch 14

Position after YEP

Consultant Research Management Food Unit at Milgro, the Netherlands

YEP Role

As a network, AgriProFocus is a neutral convener, bringing together agripreneurs, private sector companies, civil society organisations, knowledge institutes and governments together around specific questions, issues and opportunities. We organise ánd facilitate the place for members to meet and work, learn and influence together. Our diverse membership base and presence in both The Netherlands and in 13 countries in Africa and South-East Asia offers unique opportunities for cross-boundary exchange.

As Regional Business Developer I support our offices in East Africa with developing new activities for our network members. It is a varied job which includes supporting my colleagues with lead identification and lead development, capacity building on business development, as well as strategy development on a global level.

Click here for more information about my project.

Skills

• Creative problem-solver

• Entrepreneurial

• Curious and eager to learn

• Servant team player

• Proactive and structured

• Facilitating processes and discussions

• Acute observer, analytical and reflective

• Intuitive personality

• Yet with a preference for fact-based decision making 

Nationality: Dutch
Education: Liberal Arts and Sciences bachelor's degree at the University College Roosevelt (honors), General Management pre-masters at Rotterdam School of management, and Global Business and Stakeholder Management (cum laude).

Experience before YEP

Before my YEP position I worked for 3 years with the cocoa team of IDH Sustainable Trade Initiative. There I managed a large portfolio of projects and contributed to the developed programmes on access to finance, nutrition and deforestation. Before that I worked for about a year with the Partnerships Resource Centre (PRC) as a junior researcher.