About Me
I unite people, ideas and means and support organizations in the set-up of projects and companies in Africa
In 1995 I set foot on African soil for the first time. This was in Tanzania where I worked on a television programme about the work of the United Nations. This first encounter with the African continent led to start op my company Global Projects in 2004. Before I started Global Projects I worked as journalist for various Dutch media. I was an editor and programme maker for various broadcasters. I worked for the foreign news desk of Dutch NOS News (journaal) and for different informative programmes for Dutch broadcaster AVRO Television. In 2003 I got the opportunity to travel to Tanzania again via my first client DEAN (Digital Education Africa Network) as a self-employed person. Ever since Africa continues to attract me.
I still work on and off for DEAN and set up several local companies and projects with them, co-developed new projects and initiated various partnerships, mainly in Kenya and Tanzania. In addition, I worke(d) for various other clients over the past 18 years; in The Netherlands, Ghana, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Uganda. Please take a look at my projects to get an idea about other work I did and do.
In 2007 I participated in the Amsterdam – Dakar Challenge. An endurance rally in which I drove in a Citroen ambulance from The Netherlands via Southern Europe, Morocco, Mauritania and Senegal to The Gambia. I like to be out and about. Being in motion is what keeps me going.
Since 2017 I am also a PUM expert Business Support and Incubation. PUM is a Dutch NGO and network of senior Dutch experts working on a voluntary basis for clients in emerging markets. Within this Incubator programme the main focus is to reduce youth unemployment. We assist to set up incubators, to run incubators and we help start-ups to become established companies. For PUM I work(ed) on projects in Kenya, Ethiopia and Indonesia.
With Global Projects I work for profit and non-profit organizations. Entrepreneurship, sustainability and circularity are the common thread in almost all projects I work on. I like to work on projects that are in the start-up phase. I am often involved in new projects in which I support entrepreneurs with the development and elaboration of the idea. I look for and find the right partners and -if possible- also the resources to further scale the project. I am also a practical person and prefer to work ‘on the ground’, the one that prepares everything locally for clients who start a new project or company, the representative who seeks and finds the right local partners and a coach for young African entrepreneurs. In short, I’am a real ‘connector’ of entrepreneurs, ideas and means.
Are you an entrepreneur, do you have a company or a foundation and do you want to scale your business or project? Expand to or in Africa? Are you looking for local support for the execution of your project? Are you looking for additional finance / investors so that you can further grow your business? I can support you remote, from The Netherlands or locally from within Africa. I also have a base in Nairobi, where I reside on and off.
Do you also want to bring entrepreneurship in Africa in motion? Take a look at my services or contact me directly.