Speakers


	Richard van Hoolwerff, Country Manager Liberia, SPARK Richard van Hoolwerff studied Psychology, Cognitive Science and International Relations at the University of Amsterdam, and earned a Bachelor and two Master's degrees. During his study he organized conferences and started developing his business skills, highlighted by the opening of a thriving café at the Zeedijk Amsterdam, called Skek.
	Kelvin Odoobo, Agriculture Manager, Balton Rwanda Kelvin Odoobo is the Agriculture Manager of Balton Rwanda, a subsidiary of a British multinational, Balton CP with over fifty years of experience in agriculture in Africa. Over the past five years, he has built an agriculture department providing a variety of inputs and solutions to Rwandan farmers and pioneered the roll out of the Amiran Farmers Kit in Rwanda and Burundi. Balton CP though its subsidiaries has founded and promotes the Amiran Farmers Kit as a way of encouraging agribusiness among small scale farmers in Africa.
	James Dargan, Director of Sales and Procurement, Rwanda Trading Company James Dargan has extensive professional experience in trading, procurement, sales, operations and general management. He is currently Director of Sales and Procurement at the Rwanda Trading Company, a coffee export company and dry mill with over 300 employees as well as a large extensive procurement network.
	William Davis, President, Gate Impact Bill provides Leadership with extensive hands on managerial experience rooted in "Best Practices" and "Guaranteed Delivery". He has earned the "Go-To" label by C Level Executives and Board Members in organizations that are facing tough decisions, tight budgets and deadlines. As part of
	Gary Colyar, Managing Director, OPIC Gary Colyar has supported the Overseas Private Investment Corporation’s (OPIC) mission in numerous capacities since joining in 1995, advancing OPIC’s Direct Lending, Loan Guaranty, Political Risk Insurance and Private Equity Funds programs. In these roles, Gary has originated, structured and monitored loans and lending facilities, and helped OPIC establish the Small Business Center.
	Biju Mohandas, Director of Acumen Fund in East Africa Biju Mohandas is the Director of Acumen fund in East Africa and in that role manages Acumen fund’s portfolio of investments in the region, leads the sourcing, diligence and completion of new investments and is responsible for all investor relations and business development activities. Additionally, as co-chair of the Acumen fund’s global portfolio leadership team, he is responsible along with the other members for the $70 Million global portfolio of Acumen Fund.
	John Amimo, Resource Mobilization Officer, Coffee Development Fund John Amimo currently works as the Resource Mobilization Officer for the Coffee Development Fund. A state corporation focused on providing financial solutions and services to coffee producers and SME’s in Kenya. Previously, John worked for several NGO’s as Project Manager, focusing on SME programs in informal settlements in Kenya. A GTZ (currently GIZ) trained youth entrepreneurship advisor.
	Kagabo Nkubito, Regional Finance Advisor, IFDC Mr. Kagabo Nkubito is Rwandan and he has over 12 years experience in financial analysis, credit and rural finance, including 4 years at the Banque Continentale Africaine Rwanda (BACAR sa, now FINABANK) where his main schedule involved credit analysis and proposals.
	Freddy Nyangezi Biniga, Corporate Affairs Manager, Heineken 22 years of experience in beer industry, Group Heineken (Bralima and Bralirwa) including in Sales, Marketing and Corporate Communication. Result oriented, team player, ambitious to develop and progress in career and leave a mark in every function opportunity. Flexible, a good communicator and easily adapts to new working environments.
	Francois d’Assise Nezerwa, CEO, DASSY Enterprise Ltd Francois d'Assise Nezerwa is a Rwandan Entrepreneur, the Owner of DASSY Enterprise Ltd/Energy Center (supplier in solar and biogas systems and electrical materials) and its subsidiary DASSY Engineering Solutions Ltd (Consultancy and works executions in fields of Renewable energy, utility projects, water and sanitation). He is also the C.E.O of Calimax Electric Energy for People (CEEP) Ltd, an Independent Power Producer specialized in hydropower projects.