Young Expert at Truvalu - Kenya

YEP period 2020 - 2022, batch 19

YEP Role

I work for Truvalu as a Business Development Manager (BDM) in Kenya. Truvalu is a company that supports small-and medium-sized enterprises in the agri sector to grow their business. As a co-entrepreneur we offer them business development support, investment capital and access to the European market. At this moment, Truvalu has made 4 investments in Kenya which I need to monitor closely. Furthermore, Truvalu has a strong pipeline of companies in Kenya which I am going to onboard together with my colleagues by providing them business development services and developing an investment proposal. Truvalu has developed a standardized methodology to work with early-stage businesses in emerging markets which I am going to apply to the companies I work with. The aim is to grow these businesses for financial return and for social impact such as increasing the income of smallholder farmers and creating jobs.

 

Skills

• Analytical Skills
• Company Assessment
• Deal Structuring Investments (equity and loans)
• Portfolio Management
• Data Analysis

Background

Nationality: Dutch
Education: 

• Bachelor Business Administration at Erasmus University Rotterdam
• Master Global Business & Sustainability at Erasmus University Rotterdam

Experience before YEP

I have been working at Truvalu since 2015 as an Investment Officer and Pipeline Coordinator. In this role I have been supporting the local teams of Truvalu in the assessment of small and medium-sized enterprises in the agri-food sector as well as in the structuring investment deals. Next to that, I have been involved in the development of Truvalu’s business acceleration and investment methodology.

 

Before Truvalu, I have studied for a couple of months in Ethiopia and did an internship at a local impact investor AgriVest. Next to my studies, I worked as an Assistant Investment Analyst at Shaerpa.