Who we are

Stephanie is a Senior Manager at Axum. She brings extensive experience in designing and implementing program strategies across the public and private sector.
Prior to this, Stephanie worked at Dalberg. Here, she had the opportunity to work on several advisory and implementation projects across a range of sectors such as financial inclusion, education, energy, agriculture, humanitarian assistance, health, organization strengthening, etc. To name a few, she was part of a team leading the development and implementation of a TVET ecosystem program in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a program she found fulfilling, particularly in the opportunity to realize tangible impact. She also developed a five-year corporate and programmatic strategy for a financial institution based in Uganda, undertook a market assessment of intravenous iron, and developed forecasted market size estimates for five countries across Africa and South Asia for a large foundation.

She also worked as Chief of Staff of the Dalberg Trust, a role focused on driving strategic initiatives that foster innovation and promote the Dalberg brand.

Stephanie has over five years of experience in the investment banking sector, where she worked at Nomura International plc in London, UK. Here, she held various roles, most notably as an Associate in the Corporate Business Intelligence Team focusing on company-wide business intelligence. Stephanie completed her MBA as a Dean’s Africa Scholar at Said Business School, University of Oxford. She holds an MEng Chemical Engineering degree from Imperial College London and is a qualified Chartered Management Accountant (CIMA).

Omoloro Meshack is a Senior Consultant at Axum, primarily focused on the Climate Sector, but has worked on projects across industries and countries in West Africa. Prior to joining Axum, she was a Consultant with Dalberg Advisors, where she worked on various projects with an impact on climate change. For example, she worked with the World Economic Forum, to develop a National Plastic Action Partnership (NPAP), for a circular economy in Nigeria and Ghana. She also worked as a Senior Associate at PwC, where she was responsible for supporting various government, private sector and NGO partners in structuring financial investment deals, for projects across sectors.

She is currently on secondment at CAP-A, where she has been instrumental to the policy and regulations team, working to attain Climate Positive Growth for Africa, using policy as a pathway. She supported the Rockefeller foundation in its preparation for the Africa Climate Summit and produced a subsequent report narrative report, highlighting the key insights from the summit and the potential next steps for the foundation. She has also supported the team in developing a country archetype framework for assessing the support readiness (and type) of African countries. More recently, she has also supported the UK-FCDO and FSDA in its project aimed at understanding the state of carbon markets in Zambia and providing recommendations towards developing it.

She has a Bsc. in Econonomics, from Covenant University, an Msc. from the University of Bristol and is currently pursuing an MBA at the Warwick Business School.

Thabiso is a finance manager at Axum and is based in South Africa.

He has more than 8 years of professional experience within the auditing, finance and operations space, half of which he spent in the auditing environment.

Thabiso is responsible for managing local finance and operations. This includes project reporting, financial management, financial reporting and taxation. He also supports the local senior management and the regional CFO. Before joining Axum, Thabiso held a similar role at Dalberg.

Prior to that, he worked as an Audit manager for SNG Grant Thornton and was responsible for auditing financial statements and managing the audit engagements for the various clients at the firm.

Thabiso is a chartered accountant registered with the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants and he holds a postgraduate degree in accounting science from the university of Witwatersrand.

Aphro Ndagijimana is the Operations and Finance Manager at Axum, based in Kigali, with a robust background in operations, logistics, Finance, taxation, compliance, and office management.

Prior to joining Axum, he held a similar position at Dalberg Advisors for five years, focusing on financial management, operations, office management, and logistics.

Before that, he was at Three Stones International as a Program Manager overseeing finances and operations for projects funded by reputable NGOs and UN Agencies in Rwanda and Ouest Africa. Additionally, Aphro’s proficiency in business registration and certification processes in Rwanda has been instrumental in facilitating the registration of various businesses.

Elizabeth Mugo is a seasoned Operations Associate excelling in staffing, logistics, HR, and IT support. She is dedicated to achieving operational excellence, whether in corporate environments or as an entrepreneur. Her professional expertise is complemented by a strong passion for business innovation, as demonstrated by her skincare venture. Prior to joining Axum, Elizabeth held a similar role at Dalberg.

With a solid educational foundation from the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators and the Kenya Institute of Management, Elizabeth brings strategic insight to her multifaceted role.

Winnie is a senior executive assistant at Axum based in Nairobi, Kenya

With over a decade of global experience, Winnie excels as an administration professional, providing executive support, spearheading project management, and enhancing operational efficiency. Her proven track record showcases her ability to lead projects, streamline processes, and enable strategic communications in dynamic and international environments while coordinating cross-functional teams, nurturing stakeholder relationships, and leveraging technology for business growth.

Winnie previously held a similar position at Dalberg, where she led administrative support for the Global Managing Partner and the Africa Regional Director. Additionally, she supported the Africa Finance Director by tracking revenue, which aided in strategic budget planning. Prior to her role at Dalberg, Winnie served at SAP as a strategic advisor within the Managing Director’s office, where she spearheaded business development and crafted corporate goals.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Geography from Kennesaw State University.

Maame is a Finance and Operations Manager at Axum Nigeria and is based in Accra.

She is an experienced finance and operations professional with over 9 years of experience in providing excellent finance, tax, business and focused solutions that positively impact the bottom line. She has worked across many industries in Ghana, Nigeria and Liberia.

At Axum, Maame manages the finance function in Nigeria. She collaborates with the Group COO in ensuring business profitability through effective cost management. She also liaises with tax authorities, auditors, banks, vendors and other external stakeholders of the company. Maame is also a part of the grant management and accounting services team at Axum who support clients with setting up of accounting systems, book-keeping services, grant management and audits.

Maame was previously a Senior Office Manager for Dalberg Nigeria where she was responsible for all financial & operational activities for the office. This involved budgeting and planning, audit, treasury management, vendor management etc. She also assisted consultants on projects that involved grant management by managing disbursements, serving as a financial advisor and providing periodic financial reports.

She is a Certified Chartered Accountant, ACCA UK, and holds a Bachelor of Finance in Business Administration, Banking and Finance Major from the University of Ghana Legon.

Rose is a finance and operations manager at Axum based in Nairobi. Prior to joining Axum, she spent 5years leading the finance and admin function at Dalberg Implement.

Her professional career began 15 years ago at Ernst & Young Nairobi. She worked in the audit and advisory department serving clients across various industries such as banking, hospitality, and construction. She then joined TransCentury PLC, an investment company listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange, which has investments across 8 African countries, primarily in the infrastructure space, as the Group’s internal auditor. She served in this department for three years before transitioning into the finance department as the Group financial reporting and analysis manager and later as the Group finance manager.

Rose holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from Kenyatta University and an Executive MBA from Jomo Kenyatta University. She is also a CPA (K).

Nyema Mihayo is an Operations Associate at Axum. Her role includes talent management and general administration.

Prior to joining Axum, Nyema spent 7 years at Dalberg Advisors supporting human resources matters, finance, and managing the office as well as events. Before that, she was at Jhpiego and KOICA.

Nyema holds a master’s degree in Community Development and Project Management from Tumaini University and a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Dar es Salaam.

Laila is the Operations Coordinator at Axum based in Tanzania, where her role spans across the crucial domains of Office Management and Finance.

Before joining Axum, Laila spent four years at Dalberg, contributing significantly to the advisory and implementation teams in areas such as administration, finance, and human resources.

Laila’s professional journey is defined by her exceptional organizational skills. Renowned for her meticulous approach, she efficiently oversees tasks, ensuring optimal productivity at Axum. Her commitment to excellence makes her integral to the organization’s success and growth.

John is the Finance Operations Manager at Axum, based in Nairobi. He oversees Axum’s finance and operations functions across Africa and the Middle East. This includes financial reporting and accounting which includes data entry, management accounts, tax compliance, and statutory audits. Before Axum, John was the Finance Operations Manager at Dalberg Advisors for eight years.

John’s finance background includes his time as the CFO of Excelsior Group, where he managed the finances for three companies: Excelsior Firm LLC (Delaware, USA), Excelsior East Africa, and Wellness Group. He also helped establish specialty clinics in Nairobi, developed solid internal controls, and restructured the group for tax optimization.

Before that, John was a Senior Auditor at KPMG East Africa. In this capacity, he led financial statements audits for multinational clients across various sectors such as shipping, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, hotel, tourism, and energy, adhering to IFRS, US GAAP, and Syscohada standards. Additionally, he was involved in due diligence for a KES 12B corporate bond, acquisition of Tier 2 Hospitals in Kenya, and preparation of transfer pricing documentation for multinational firms. John also contributed to the recruitment of high-level constitutional officeholders in Kenya.

A former banker who has worked as a graduate clerk at Diamond Trust Bank, John holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Kenyatta University and is a Certified Public Accountant of Kenya.

Christina is a Finance Associate at Axum in the Dar es Salaam office supporting finance matters and other office operations. Before joining Axum Christina spent one year supporting both the Dalberg Advisors and Dalberg Implement teams as a finance associate.

Christina is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA-T) and has 6 years of working experience since she started her career in Accounting and Finance. Prior joining Dalberg she worked with TIB Rasilimali LTD and EDI Global Tanzania Ltd.

Diana is a consultant based in Kigali, working on climate advisory and implementation work at Axum.

Recently, she was seconded to the Climate Action Platform for Africa (CAP-A), where she managed and coordinated implementation activities for a two-year proof-of-concept pilot aimed at catalyzing African smallholder farmers’ adoption of climate-smart solutions leveraging carbon finance.

Before joining Axum, Diana worked as a consultant at Dalberg Advisors, where her work mainly focused on strategy development, market feasibility assessment, and impact evaluation in the climate, agriculture, and health sectors across Africa.

Diana holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sustainable Development from Columbia University.

Phoebe is a consultant at Axum. She provides strategic advisory to various international development agencies, private sector companies, and governments in inclusive economic development, investment, agriculture, climate, energy, healthcare, and gender.

Before joining Axum, Phoebe spent three years at Dalberg Advisors advising clients on a range of development topics.

Phoebe holds a degree in biology from Duke University.

Irene Kinyanguli is a Senior Consultant at Axum based in Tanzania. She works with private, NGO, and public partners in the agriculture sector to develop impactful strategies and initiatives.

Prior to Axum, Irene spent 4 years at Dalberg Tanzania as a Consultant, spearheading strategy projects in climate change and agriculture. Notable engagements include circular economy market assessments, such as the 5 Big Bets for the Circular Economy in Africa, Increasing Circularity in Africa’s Plastic Sector, and Increasing Circularity in Africa’s Mining Sector. She also worked on developing the Fertilizer Partnership Strategy and Food System Strategies for African countries.

Irene holds an M.A. in Global Affairs and Management from Thunderbird School of Global Management, complemented by a BSc. in Public Policy from Arizona State University.

Bradley is a Senior Consultant at Axum. He works with both private sector and public sector actors supporting them supporting them on strategy, human centered design, and implementation support.

Prior to working at Axum, Bradley worked as a consultant at both Dalberg Advisors and McKinsey & Company. Before that, he was a private equity analyst working for Pactorum, who managed Fairfax Africa’s USD 1Billion portfolio in Africa.

Based in Nairobi, Bradley is also a co-founder of FarmMoja and Otto. He holds a degree in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where he was a Morehead Cain Scholar, served on the Board of Trustees and was Student Body President.

Victor Kogo is a Senior Consultant at Axum, based in Nairobi. He brings a wealth of experience across a range of fields in international development, including agriculture, digital transformation, education to employment (e2e), inclusive business, impact investing, strategy, gender and vision setting, organizational change/effectiveness, and climate financing. Victor has advised the Kenyan President’s Office, Governmental Ministries & Parastatals, Multi-laterals, International Non-Governmental Organizations, and leading private sector players.

Before joining Axum, Victor was a Senior Consultant at Dalberg Advisors where he served in a similar capacity. He also worked with the Connecticut Community Reconstruction Project (ConnCORP) where he helped develop and deploy a business plan for an accelerator and an impact investment fund. Victor also worked with the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) where he analyzed the efficacy of GSAS’ post-graduate programs’ performance metrics. Results from his research informed GSAS’ admission decisions and specific program funding.

Victor holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Political Science and Government with a concentration in Economics from Yale University. At Yale, he was a Tsai Center for Innovation Social Innovation Fellow and an Undergraduate Research Fellow.

Miriam Odonkor is a Senior Consultant at Axum. She has unique sector experience in education, entrepreneurship, global health, and agriculture, where she has worked with the private sector, NGOs, research institutions, and intergovernmental organizations to develop, implement and evaluate strategies, policies and programs. She also supports Axum’s Elimu-Soko Initiative, which seeks to bridge the gap between available innovations in public education systems and the government’s need to find these solutions.

Prior to Axum, Miriam worked for at Dalberg for 2 years, where she supported various organizations including AfDB, WHO, UNICEF, BMGF and AGRA, in addressing issues related to climate finance in Africa, organizational effectiveness, monitoring and evaluation, data innovations for health globally, entrepreneurship and innovation in Africa and food systems on the continent.

Miriam holds a master’s in international development from Sciences Po (Paris, France) and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Ashesi University in Ghana.

Michole Nyamunga is a Senior Consultant in Axum’s Nairobi office (previously Dalberg). She has advised governments, social enterprises, and large foundations and NGOs on setting expansion and growth strategies, operational efficiency, monitoring and evaluation, investment and due diligence and implementation. Michole has a broad range of experience across a variety of practice areas such as climate, agriculture, WASH, financial inclusion, gender, and urban development, across East and Southern Africa.

Previously, Michole worked for Dalberg where she gained extensive experience in the climate and biodiversity sector, both in Kenya and the broader region. In Kenya, she spearheaded initiatives such as developing a white paper outlining strategies for revolutionizing the energy landscape, conducting a market assessment and creating an e-mobility roadmap, and conducting a feasibility study for green hydrogen production. Regionally, Michole conducted feasibility studies for investment facilities and created private sector engagement strategies for biodiversity conservation. She also designed a program for the Mastercard Foundation and Equity Bank Group and developed a strategy for the African Agricultural Technology Foundation.

Michole holds a Master of Laws in Commercial Law from the University of Bristol and a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the University of Sheffield.

Julie Awiti is a Senior Program Officer specializing in project implementation and resource mobilization for both public and private projects.

Prior to joining Axum, Julie was a senior program officer at Dalberg Implement working with the Government of Rwanda and USAID to build the high value agriculture sector in Rwanda by attracting private sector investments. Before that, Julie was an associate within KPMG’s Deal and Strategy Advisory Business Unit in Nairobi where she focused on investment attraction and structuring, more so blended financing of donor funded projects and Government projects, strategy development, mergers and acquisitions (sell side and buy side), debt restructuring, capital raising, financial and commercial due diligence, transaction advisory, market entries and financial modelling.

Based in Kigali, Julie currently works with the Government of Rwanda and private sector partners to implement projects aimed at mobilizing investments into Rwanda’s agriculture sector. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree majoring in Finance from the University of Nairobi, is a certified Public Accountant and currently pursuing the CFA charter.

Caroline Kimetto is a senior consultant at Axum. She specializes in various sectors including Education, Agriculture, Health, and Financial Inclusion. Across these sectors, Caroline has led and supported teams to deliver bespoke solutions to clients through strategy development, deep desk, field and human-centered research, stakeholder engagement, thought leadership development, event planning and management, and implementing strategies.

Some of the projects that Caroline has worked explicitly on under education include (i) supporting the MasterCard Foundation to conceptualize and implement a new initiative to support Africa’s higher education ecosystem and leading the efforts with Porticus Foundation to support program implementing partners in developing and implementing strategies to disseminate learnings across several education sector projects.

Before Axum, Caroline was a senior consultant at Dalberg where she worked on several international development projects, including conducting research on the racial homeownership divide in US cities, creating a training simulation for World Bank staff working in fragile states, completing delicate stakeholder interviews and digital surveys, Human-Centered Design (HCD) research to conclude the best market to target for a new product for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and creating financial models for clients to help them make relevant and accurate financial projections to aid in robust decision making. She has also previously held positions at One Acre Fund, Grameen Bank, and Equity Bank.

Caroline holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Global Health from Harvard University, a Credential of Readiness from the Harvard Business School and a leadership certification from the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). She’s also a WEF Global Shaper based in the Nairobi hub.

Skeeter is a project officer at Axum. She is currently supporting the African Circular Economy Alliance’s (ACEA) Secretariat team (which she began to do while still at Dalberg Implement) in its efforts to manage and coordinate the Alliance’s activities to promote circularity in Africa.

She has spent a decade implementing impactful and innovative solutions for improving agriculture, livestock, health, and the circular economy sectors.

Before joining Axum, Skeeter worked for Dalberg Implement, Technoserve, Farm Concern International, World Education, and World Vision Tanzania, where she supported the implementation of capacity-building initiatives, stakeholder engagement and coordination, and women’s empowerment in the health, agriculture, livestock, and circular economy sectors.

Skeeter received her bachelor’s degree in human and social studies from the University of South Africa (UNISA).

Omoloro Meshack is a Senior Consultant at Axum, primarily focused on the Climate Sector, but has worked on projects across industries and countries in West Africa. Prior to joining Axum, she was a Consultant with Dalberg Advisors, where she worked on various projects with an impact on climate change. For example, she worked with the World Economic Forum, to develop a National Plastic Action Partnership (NPAP), for a circular economy in Nigeria and Ghana. She also worked as a Senior Associate at PwC, where she was responsible for supporting various government, private sector and NGO partners in structuring financial investment deals, for projects across sectors.

She is currently on secondment at CAP-A, where she has been instrumental to the policy and regulations team, working to attain Climate Positive Growth for Africa, using policy as a pathway. She supported the Rockefeller foundation in its preparation for the Africa Climate Summit and produced a subsequent report narrative report, highlighting the key insights from the summit and the potential next steps for the foundation. She has also supported the team in developing a country archetype framework for assessing the support readiness (and type) of African countries. More recently, she has also supported the UK-FCDO and FSDA in its project aimed at understanding the state of carbon markets in Zambia and providing recommendations towards developing it.

She has a Bsc. in Econonomics, from Covenant University, an Msc. from the University of Bristol and is currently pursuing an MBA at the Warwick Business School.

Gathoni Kang’ethe is an Associate Consultant at Axum’s Nairobi office, dedicated to driving impactful projects that advance African development. She has contributed to diverse projects spanning the digital, climate, and agriculture sectors, supporting clients from both the private and public sectors. Her work encompasses supporting novel research on AI for Development in Africa, crafting business cases for agricultural expansion in specialized sectors such as aquaculture, as well as facilitating strategic initiatives like regional conference design, and conducting analyses of client activities and investments.

Before Axum, Gathoni was a campaign manager and producer at The Africa Perspective (TAP), a magazine and production company with a focus on rewriting the Africa narrative. Outside of this, Gathoni founded and currently manages a project establishing libraries in schools within underprivileged areas in Kenya.

Gathoni holds a BA from McGill University in International Development (specialization in Economic Development) and a double minor in Social Entrepreneurship and Communications.

Faith Minja is a Strategy Consultant at Axum, based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Prior to Axum, Faith worked in Dalberg’s advisory business, gaining experience in several public sectors, including Education, Agriculture, and Tourism.

On one of her longer-term engagements at Dalberg, Faith played a key role in a project that sought to understand the challenges facing TVET education provision in Tanzania. This work identified and designed a potential intervention program that the client, Caterpillar Foundation, can implement to alleviate the priority challenges discovered.

Prior to joining Dalberg, Faith worked as a strategic growth advisor in Johannesburg, South Africa. Predominantly working in the private sector, she garnered experience in Financial Services, Hospitality, Retail, Logistics, Business Process Outsourcing and more.

Faith holds an honors degree in Accounting from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg and she is a qualified Chartered Accountant (CA).

Olivia is a Program Analyst at Axum based in Cote d’Ivoire. She specializes in education, driving positive change. With a strong program analysis and implementation foundation, she brings valuable expertise to her current role at Axum.

Before joining Axum, Olivia spent two years as a Program Analyst at Dalberg Implement, where she honed her skills in designing and executing educational initiatives in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector. Her work focused on identifying key educational system challenges and developing innovative and effective solutions. Through rigorous analysis and stakeholder collaboration, she was pivotal in implementing programs that improved access to quality education for underserved communities and increased manpower in several sectors.

Olivia recently joined Axum, where she enjoys contributing to her team, especially in implementing projects, using the skills she had learned in the banking industry, such as analysis, communication, teamwork, time management, organization, and customer relations. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business and a master’s in banking management.

Musonda is a Project Officer at Axum, based in Zambia. She has worked with clients across sub-Saharan Africa implementing agriculture, climate change, and education projects. She supports the implementation team by working closely with clients to understand their needs and objectives, develop project plans, and deliver high-quality impactful solutions.

Before joining Axum, Musonda gained 15 years of experience working in the public and private sectors. During this time, she spearheaded local economic development initiatives with various stakeholders to improve livelihoods, stimulate business growth, facilitate organizational development, and build capacity by creating value-driven and innovative solutions to economic and social initiatives.

Musonda holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration with a specialization in SME Promotion and Training (SEPT) from the University of Leipzig, Germany, and a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Zambia.

Malik is a Senior Program Officer based in the Axum Dar es Salaam office. With over 5 years of strategy consulting experience, he has supported various organizations in strategy development and opportunity assessment, across several topics including agriculture, financial inclusion, education, health, high-technology, SMEs growth and climate change.

Malik Holds an MSc in Finance and bachelor’s degree in accounting. He is also an affiliate member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA).

Delaney Hurley is an Associate Consultant at Axum based in Abu Dhabi. She is currently conducting a review of UN headquarters and backstopping activities for peacekeeping and other missions. Before joining Axum, Delaney worked at Dalberg as an Analyst.

In her most recent project, Delaney conducted an organizational effectiveness review for a UN entity, overseeing strategic decision-making, staff welfare, substantive and operational process reviews, complaints processing, and governance structure. Before that, she authored a report for an international conglomerate on nature-based solutions (NBS) investment potential across fourteen countries in the Middle East and Africa, analyzing each country’s enabling environment, carbon credit demand, and ecosystems for project development.

Before joining Axum, Delaney gained experience in research and analytics through her positions at government entities, think tanks, and NGOs. Outside of work, she is extensively involved with youth empowerment and education initiatives across the world: her debate and advocacy education projects have taken place China, Poland, India, Japan, Singapore, the UAE, and Spain.

Delaney is a graduate of Harvard College, where she received a magna cum laude joint degree in Government, Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, and Education Policy.

Angel Thairo is a Communications Associate at Axum, based in Kenya. She specializes in strategic communications including relationship building, campaign strategy, monitoring and analysis, and content direction and creation across various sectors such as public health, climate action, agriculture, and social inclusion. She also supports culture and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work at the firm.

Before joining Axum, Angel worked at Dalberg Implement as a Communications Program Analyst, managing the organization’s internal communication efforts across social media, website, and newsletter channels. She also served as an external communications consultant to clients, developing and executing on communication strategies for multilateral agencies, governments, and organizations such as the African Development Bank and the African Circular Economy Alliance, the International Livestock Research Institute, the Tanzanian Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, and the Kenya Private Sector Alliance.

Angel holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations with a minor in Intercultural Communication from Pepperdine University.

Nandita is a Consultant at Axum, based in Abu Dhabi. She has supported work with various governments, multilateral agencies, and United Nations entities related to strategy, organisational effectiveness, and programme design.

Before joining Axum, Nandita was at Dalberg Advisors. Prior to that, she worked in strategic communications and policy analysis in the President’s Office in the Republic of Seychelles. She is passionate about climate action and civic engagement, and has led various related non-profit initiatives in her home country of Seychelles. She holds a degree in English from the University of St Andrews and a Master in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School.

Tracy is a Program Officer at Axum based in the DRC. She is an experienced lawyer specializing in education, governance, human rights, and gender in Central Africa, with nearly a decade of professional experience. Her extensive knowledge of national institutions’ operations such as ministries and parliaments, and her work with the Ministry of Education in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as well as international donors such as USAID, UKAID, AFD, and ENABEL, positions her as an expert in the education sector in the region.

Before starting at Axum, Tracy spent two years at Dalberg Implement, leading the Caterpillar Foundation TVET program in DRC.

Tracy brings a wealth of experience in institutional communication, collaborating with prominent figures and institutions including the Presidency of the Republic, Ministers, and Members of Parliament in the DRC. She is skilled at establishing and maintaining inter-institutional relations and coordination, acknowledged both at the national administration and donor level. Tracy has contributed to numerous projects spanning education, governance, employability, private sector, youth leadership, gender, and public policy. Her extensive knowledge extends to French-speaking civil society organizations.

Tracy holds a degree in International Strategy Analysis with expertise in Prospective and Geopolitics from the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs (IRIS SUP France). She also majored in Public International Law at The Hague Academy of International Law.

Salma Ait Hssayene is a senior project manager at Axum, based in London.

She works at the intersection of youth employment and digital transformation and is passionate about building initiatives that lead to economic transformation and job creation on the continent.

Prior to Axum, Salma was a project manager at Dalberg Advisors, previously based in Senegal and Ethiopia where she specialized in job creation, digital transformation, education, entrepreneurship, and investment, particularly in Africa. She collaborated with Data.org to train 1 million data professionals in the social sector, assisted ECOWAS in developing a regional startup act to promote digital entrepreneurship, and supported the Mastercard Foundation in crafting a pan-African digital economy strategy. She has also worked on initiatives to enhance EdTech adoption with CITL and develop remote learning solutions for African tertiary institutions.

Salma has a Master of Public Policy (MPP) at the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government, and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the College of Wooster.

Othmane is a Project Manager at Axum. He manages engagements with global development actors, supporting them on strategy and organizational effectiveness.

Othmane was previously a Project Manager at Dalberg and brings extensive experience collaborating with multilateral development agencies. Othmane has led impactful projects, such as informing the UN Secretary-General’s plans for repositioning the UN Development system to deliver on the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and conducting quantitative assessments to enhance the effectiveness of UN and World Bank Group initiatives. Additionally, he has contributed to various public and social sector projects, from infrastructure development to promoting women’s inclusion in the private sector.

Othmane holds a BA in Economics from Yale University and is fluent in English, Arabic, French, and Spanish.

Jonathan is a Project Manager at Axum based in Nairobi. He has supported public, private, and multilateral organizations across East and Southern Africa in technology, financial services, and health.

Jonathan has spearheaded AI initiatives in agriculture, energy, climate, and health across Kenya, South Africa, and Nigeria. He conducted an AI funding ecosystem assessment in Africa, identifying investment opportunities for development organizations. Additionally, he promoted digital financial inclusion in Rwanda, enhancing access to affordable digital devices.

Before joining Axum, Jonathan was a Project Manager with Dalberg Advisors providing strategic advice and implementation support to multilateral organizations in the public health and financial inclusion sectors. While there, he managed the Vaccination Action Network project at the Rockefeller Foundation, fostering regional collaboration among African governments to address public health challenges.

Prior to this, he worked with PwC Kenya in management consulting, advising government and private sector institutions on strategy development, organizational transformation, and implementation support. Jonathan holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Information Systems from the University of Cape Town.

Jermaine is a Project Manager at Axum, based in Nairobi. His work is at the intersection of development and private sector engagement. He has worked with multilateral organizations, donors, NGOs, private corporations and governments in developing and implementing strategies across various sectors.

At Axum, Jermaine’s impactful contributions extend primarily to his secondment at Africa Climate Ventures (ACV) for the last year, where he has played a pivotal role in shaping the business landscape. His responsibilities entail evaluating potential pipeline companies and leveraging his adeptness in modeling performance metrics and investment returns. Additionally, Jermaine actively engages in fundraising initiatives and extends vital support to portfolio companies in formulating and executing growth strategies.

Before joining Axum, Jermaine spent four years at Dalberg Advisors supporting clients across various sectors including climate, agriculture and health. Prior to that, Jermaine worked with the Institute for Small Business Initiatives, equipping SME owners with the skills and knowledge to improve their business practices and grow to the next level. He holds a degree in Financial Engineering from Strathmore University and is also pursuing the CFA Charter as a Level II Candidate.

Julie is a seasoned Associate Program Manager and Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Specialist with over 10 years of progressive experience in diverse development sectors. She holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a certificate in M&E, equipping her with a strong foundation for strategic program development and impact measurement.

Prior to joining Axum, Julie worked at Dalberg Implement where she delivered impactful training sessions on M&E frameworks and methodologies to various organizations, including KEPSA, the Lego Foundation and Caterpillar Foundation. Her ability to translate complex concepts into practical knowledge empowers stakeholders to effectively measure progress and achieve desired outcomes. Her experience also encompasses conducting evaluations with UNEP and PwC in Zambia and Kenya, capturing project successes and generating valuable learnings.

Julie’s professional journey extends beyond technical expertise. She boasts a proven track record of working effectively in multicultural settings across diverse geographical locations, including Kenya, Zambia, DRC, South Africa, and Rwanda.

Jamila is a Project Manager based in Axum’s Lagos office. She has advised public, private, and multilateral organizations on market entry, strategic planning, operational efficiency, monitoring and evaluation, and investment and due diligence. Jamila has experience across a wide range of practice areas within Sub-Saharan Africa, including health, agriculture, financial inclusion, technology, gender, SME development, and youth unemployment.

Before joining Axum, Jamila was a Project Manager at Dalberg. She has collaborated with global organizations in delivering impact in Africa, including the World Bank, USAID, MasterCard Foundation, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She has also worked with governments to develop national strategies, such as a national pneumonia integrated strategy control and implementation plan for the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Health and a national vaccine innovation strategy.

Jamila holds a Masters in Management from University College London where she achieved a distinction, and a first-class Bachelor of Science (BSc) from the University of Essex in Management and Marketing.

Bongiwe is a Project Manager based in Kigali. She is passionate about integrating sustainability into financial investment activity as well as promoting inclusive socio-economic development, particularly targeting often-marginalised groups.

Prior to Axum, Bongiwe worked with Dalberg. She has worked on various engagements to promote inclusive, nature-positive investment and economic development. Some of her work includes helping a large continental development fund conceptualise the design and operationalisation of institutions to improve access to finance and technical support to women- and youth-led micro, small, and medium enterprises. Bongiwe also supported a leading investment entity with developing an investor-facing framework to measure and rate the impact on natural capital and people of investment activity.

Bongiwe holds an MBA from the University of Missouri – Columbia and a BA in Economics (Honours) from Westminster College in Missouri, USA.

Bonmwa is a sustainability and climate change professional based in Lagos with a strong emphasis on advancing the circular economy. Prior to joining Axum, she worked at Dalberg Implement. She is currently at the forefront of driving sustainable initiatives as the Program Manager for the African Circular Economy Alliance (ACEA) Secretariat. In this capacity, she coordinates initiatives to transition African countries towards a circular economy by collaborating with member nations and strategic partners. This involves supporting circular economy businesses to scale up, advocating for circular-friendly policy development, and promoting awareness of circular economy principles.

Additionally, Bonmwa acquired significant experience at PwC Nigeria in the Sustainability and Climate Change Unit. She assisted public and private sector clients in addressing environmental and social challenges, including materiality assessments, stakeholder engagement, strategy development, risk assessment, and impact management.

Bonmwa holds a Masters’ degree in Sustainability and Environmental Studies from the University of Strathclyde, Scotland, and a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Jos, Nigeria. She belongs to the International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA) and is currently a Lead Author in the Circular Economy chapter for the 7th edition of UNEP’s Global Environment Outlook Report.

Jackson is an Associate Program Manager at Axum based in Tanzania. He supports implementation work which includes government engagement in different sectors including Education, Agriculture, Climate change, Private Sector Investments, and SME development.

Prior to joining Axum, Jackson spent 8 years at Dalberg Implement managing implementation work in different sectors including agriculture, livestock, climate change and education. He also managed relationships with various stakeholders and government engagements. Before joining Dalberg Implement, he was at the Africa lead (a USAID program for capacity building and policy support).

Faith Mwachinga- Muthuri is a Program Manager at Axum, based in Kenya She is an experienced strategy and implementation consultant, having supported work with governments and multilateral agencies related to project planning, strategy development, impact assessment and implementation.

Before joining Axum, Faith worked at Dalberg Implement as a Project Manager across sectors such as financial inclusion, gender, policy, digital and data, healthcare, and education to employment. Prior to this, she supported donor-funded projects in enterprise development and financial inclusion.

Syakaa is a Senior Project Manager based in Dar es Salaam, leading the Nature Based Solutions portfolio at Axum.

In this role, Syakaa supports the development of various national and company-specific strategies and policies across sectors that promote adaptation and mitigation. He currently manages the Biodiversity Investments – Researcher and Accelerator (BIRA) program unlocking investments in conservation (including launching Africa’s first biodiversity accelerator). He also supports the Climate Smart Forest Economy Program in creating sustainable markets for forest products. Recently, Syakaa supported the Zambian parliament, alongside the One Acre Fund, in benchmarking to inform the upcoming carbon markets policy for the country. He is currently working with Capital for Climate, to map investable opportunities for Nature-based Solutions on the continent.

Prior to joining Axum, Syakaa spent 7 years at Dalberg Advisors building the firm’s presence and supporting in managing the Tanzania office. He is also a founding member of the Tanzania Climate Network. He holds a degree in economics from Yale College and is an alumnus of the African Leadership Academy.

Mamoudou Kane is an Associate Programme Manager at Axum. Mamoudou has a multifaceted skill set spanning agriculture, private sector development, gender equality, education, monitoring and evaluation, and environmental sustainability across diverse African contexts.

Prior to joining Axum, Mamoudou worked at Dalberg Implement in various sectors. Notably, in agriculture, he conducted extensive data analysis on value chains like pineapple, cashew, and cotton, offering strategic recommendations for business opportunities. His contributions to private sector development include supporting initiatives by USAID and MCC to identify and address constraints hindering enterprise growth in West Africa and Mauritania, particularly in the agriculture and renewable energy sectors.

Furthermore, Mamoudou’s work in gender equality involved developing a business case for gender parity in West Africa and conducting stakeholder engagements across ECOWAS member states. He also played instrumental roles in education, project implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, notably establishing innovative technical education models and crafting M&E strategies for multinational projects. In the realm of climate and environment, he supported the African Circular Economy Alliance to promote sustainable practices across the African continent, reflecting his commitment to driving positive social and environmental outcomes.

Mamoudou holds a Master of Science (MSc) degree in Project and Programme Management and Business Development from SKEMA Business School in France and is fluent in English and French, He combines practical experience with theoretical knowledge to drive impactful change in his areas of expertise.

Sandra is an Associate Partner based in Nairobi.

Sandra’s expertise spans strategy and policy advisory across various sectors including agriculture, economic development, and sports. She leads Axum’s Sports and Entertainment practice and co-founded Twende Sports. While at Dalberg, Sandra led initiatives such as the design of the Digifarm farmer education and financing platform, coordination of Kenya’s efforts to raise $ 4 billion for the 2021 Global Partnership for Education campaign, and the development of Kenya’s post-COVID economic recovery strategy.

Pamela is an Associate Partner at Axum spearheading the firm’s strategic initiatives in West Africa. With a robust background in private sector development, she specializes in catalyzing growth for SMEs, enhancing financial inclusion, optimizing trade and investment opportunities, and fostering youth employment.

Prior to joining Axum, Pamela played pivotal roles in leading international organizations. At Dalberg, she steered numerous impactful projects across Africa. She led the execution of the $140 million USAID West Africa Trade and Investment Hub Program across seven countries spanning viable investment pipeline development, SME investment readiness support and investment facilitation. She also worked at the European Union (EU) in Ghana where she managed various projects with the EU – Ghana cooperation portfolio and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris where she worked on private sector development and entrepreneurship.

Pamela’s expertise extends to financial advisory services, honed during her tenure at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Ghana. There, she provided invaluable insights and guidance to a spectrum of clientele, ranging from SMEs to large corporations.

Pamela holds a master’s degree in International Development from Sciences Po in Paris and a BA Hons in Economics and French from the University of Ghana and a certification in project management. She speaks English and French.

Beth is an Associate Partner based in Kigali.

Prior to this, Beth served as an Associate Director at Dalberg Implement, and before that, as a Senior Expert with Dalberg Advisors. With 20 years of experience at the intersection of strategy and implementation, Beth’s expertise spans across various sectors including policy, ICT, health, and conflict. Beth has led initiatives such as the Elimu-Soko education program, pioneering low carbon energy access technologies with the World Bank, and driving public policy innovation at UNDP Kigali.

Beth’s approach is marked by a commitment to systems change, integrating behavioral insights, and embracing adaptive leadership as core guiding principles. These principles not only shape her strategic thinking but also ensure the effective design, implementation, and impact of programs.

Maureen Gitata is an Associate Partner at Axum based in Kenya, specializes in advising organizations across the public, private, and social sectors on strategic issues to enhance their effectiveness and drive economic development and social impact.

With a focus on Agriculture and Food Systems, Healthcare and Health Systems, and Gender and Job Creation, Maureen has collaborated with leading organizations in Africa, including the Mastercard Foundation, AGRA, African Development Bank, CIFF, and UN entities. She has also provided strategic counsel to private sector clients and governmental bodies, including Offices of the President and Prime Minister in multiple countries. Prior to joining Axum, Maureen gained experience at Dalberg and worked at financial institutions in Boston, USA, and the Canadian International Resources and Development Institute (CIRDI).

Maureen holds an Executive Certificate in Leading Economic Growth from the Harvard Kennedy School, a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of British Columbia, and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from St. Lawrence University, NY.

Fridah is an Associate Partner at Axum based in the Nairobi office, where she leads their Climate work in Africa. She has extensive experience designing strategies, orchestrating their implementation, and setting up and running strategic pan-African initiatives in Climate, health, and private sector development. Fridah has also worked at The Climate Action Platform-Africa (CAP-A), where she led strategic engagements and partnerships aligned with the organization’s mission to drive inclusive economic growth in Africa through climate action.

The combined experience at Axum, Dalberg, and CAP-A allows Fridah to drive strategic initiatives and partnerships to design and implement transformative climate action in Africa.

Fridah holds a first-class honors degree in Actuarial Science from the University of Nairobi. Fridah has also completed an executive program at Harvard on Leading and Scaling Initiatives.

Wairimu is an Associate Partner at Axum. She has over fifteen years of experience designing and leading programs that support resilient and inclusive economic development in sectors such as youth employment, urban development, and digital inclusion.

In her previous roles, Wairimu worked with the Rockefeller Foundation, serving as the country lead for Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa for the Foundation’s $83 million Digital Jobs Africa initiative. In this role, she managed a portfolio of grants and investments of over $10 million.

Before joining the Rockefeller Foundation, Wairimu worked with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in the Nairobi office and the Kakuma refugee camp in the North of Kenya. In this capacity, she monitored refugee-related court cases and addressed refugee-related concerns.

Wairimu holds a Bachelor of Laws degree (LLB) from the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom, a Master’s in International Law (LLM) from the Washington College of Law, and is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya.

Mokena Makeka a Partner and Co-Founder at Axum. He is currently serving as Special Advisor to the Vice President of Academic Affairs at The Cooper Union and is also a partner affiliate at Axum working at the intersection of climate positive urbanism and related ecologies.

A passionate and transdisciplinary teacher, his expertise covers infrastructure, and institutional change management strategies. He led the international award winning architectural and urban planning firm Makeka Design Lab/Works. Mokena was also one of five global advisors to the Climate Smart Forest Economy program, with his expertise touching on landscape, design and innovation strategy, afforestation, combatting soil erosion, and sustainable farming design etc. He is particularly concerned about the positive role that infrastructure (hard/digital/social) can play in economic, spatial, and ecological justice.

Mokena was raised in Maseru, Lesotho and New York, USA and is an accomplished architect, artist, creative, curator, global leader, scholar, speaker, urbanist. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Cape Town and executive leadership credentials from Harvard Kennedy School and Oxford University, respectively.

James is the founder and CEO of Africa Climate Ventures, where he is working to build and accelerate transformative climate-smart and carbon-negative businesses across the continent. James is also the founder of the Climate Action Platform—Africa (CAP-A), a public benefit organization launched in 2021, to unlock Africa’s potential for inclusive prosperity through Climate Positive Growth.

Previously, James co-founded the Dalberg Group, and over a 20-year period, led Dalberg’s expansion into Africa, served as Global Managing Partner of Dalberg Advisors, and as Executive Director of the Dalberg Group. He is also a Co-Founder of Axum. James holds a BA in Economics from Harvard University and is a 2021 Yale University World Fellow. For his efforts to put Climate Positive Growth on the global agenda, James received a 2022 Climate Breakthrough Award and was recognized as one of the 100 Most Influential Africans of 2023 by the New African magazine.

Robin Miller is a Co-Founder and Partner at Axum based between Johannesburg and Nairobi. She has nearly two decades of experience in Africa, advising and building businesses that recognize emerging technologies as both a driver of innovation and an enabling infrastructure that fosters inclusive growth and prosperity. Her work includes advising national governments, co-designing new initiatives with African and global tech innovators, incubating digital and data solutions, and supporting investors, multi-laterals, and foundations on capital deployment. Before joining Axum, Robin was a founding member and Regional Director at Dalberg Africa, where she co-founded the firm’s Global Digital & Data Practice. Prior to that, she co-founded Praekelt.org (now Reach Digital Health), a tech-enabled enterprise focused on expanding access to healthcare and promoting socioeconomic growth.

Robin is an African Leadership Institute (AFLI) Archbishop Desmond Tutu Fellow, has served on the World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Future Council for the New Agenda for Work, Wages, and Job Creation, and as a Senior Fellow at the Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs. She also serves on the Board of Dalberg Research. Robin holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Business Management with Honors from Boston College.

Winnie is a Partner and Co-Founder at Axum based in Nairobi, Kenya. She co-leads the implementation team with a focus on rapidly deploying delivery units with top local talent to incubate and support initiatives that solve pressing social challenges and deliver meaningful, sustainable impact across the African continent. Previously, she held a similar position at Dalberg Implement.

Winnie has worked closely with leaders in the public sector, where she served as an advisor to two Cabinet Ministers in Kenya advising on youth empowerment projects and communication efforts. She has also held leadership positions in the private sector across the African continent and in North America.

Winnie is passionate about mentoring and developing the next generation of homegrown African women leaders. She currently serves on the boards of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women and the Kenya Wildlife Trust.

Steve is a Co-Founder and Partner at Axum based in Tanzania. His professional experience spans 20 years of work in the private and non-profit sectors across areas such as health, climate change, agriculture, livestock, and youth employment, predominantly supporting governments, development funders, and other partners.

Steve previously served as Partner and Global Managing Director of Dalberg Implement, a business within the Dalberg Group that he co-founded focused on supporting clients by bringing strategy and advisory recommendations to life and getting things done! In this role, he led several multicountry projects, anchored the growth of the business to 7 locations across Africa, and built a team of seasoned program management and delivery experts.

Before Dalberg, Steve worked in the mining sector across Africa for nine years, leading community health and safety programs. Prior to this, he spent four years between the Clinton Foundation (in East and West Africa) and Doctors without Borders. Steve currently serves as a board member for both the Mkapa Foundation and One Acre Fund in Tanzania.

Paul Callan is a Partner and Co-Founder at Axum. He advises leaders of global and regional organizations on strategic planning, organizational reform and developing new initiatives.

Paul is a key contributor to reforming and strengthening United Nations development, humanitarian, peace & security, and human rights agencies. He advises the World Bank Group and regional development banks on strategy, decentralization and process simplification. He works with national governments, donor agencies, foundations and leading NGOs on development assistance strategies and on creating impactful initiatives in sectors such as global health, green economic development, and technology in schools.

Paul writes regularly to provide research-driven perspectives on global development issues. He produced reliable views of COVID-19 epidemics in low- and middle-income countries and the earliest reliable estimate of global COVID-19 mortality during the pandemic, analyzed the sources of financing for countries at risk of debt distress, quantified the role of private capital in blended finance, and created a rigorous assessment of the effectiveness of Millennium Development Goals and implications for the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Before co-founding Axum, Paul was the longest-serving Partner and former Global Operating Partner at Dalberg Advisors, and previously worked with McKinsey & Company. Paul holds a PhD in physics from Harvard University and a BA in theoretical physics from Trinity College Dublin.

Devang is a Co-Founder and Partner at Axum based in Tanzania. His areas of expertise include carbon and biodiversity markets, forest economies, impact investments, agriculture, industrialization, financial inclusion, education and youth unemployment. He is passionate about building movements that lead to climate-positive growth and human capital development. In the climate sector, Devang launched BIRA, Africa’s First Biodiversity Project Accelerator, to aid biodiversity-focused projects in assessing their impact and connecting with investors. In human capital development, Devang introduced Elimu-Soko, a collaboration with the Hempel Foundation and piloted by the Governments of Rwanda and Zanzibar, to unlock public financing for education innovations.

Prior to Axum, Devang was a Partner at Dalberg where he advised public and private sector clients for 12 years. He also led Dalberg’s Education to Employment practice and chaired its Global People & Values Committee. Devang holds an MBA with honors from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a degree in Economics from Claremont McKenna College.

Oliver is a seasoned strategic leader in finance and operations with a great passion for building organizations on the African continent. He is a Co-Founder and Partner at Axum, based in Nairobi, with two decades’ experience working in Finance & Operation.

Prior to starting Axum, Oliver worked for 9 years at Dalberg Advisors serving as the CFO and Partner for the Africa Business. He was instrumental in supporting business growth, tripling its presence, staff size, and top and bottom line within the continent. Before that, he worked in various finance roles at Heineken, Nestle, Airtel, and PwC.

Oliver is based in Nairobi, is an ACCA Member, holds an MBA from Strathmore University and a Bachelors degreein production Technology from Moi University, Kenya.

CJ is the co-founder and COO of Africa Climate Ventures (ACV), an investment vehicle domiciled in Kigali International Financial Center and focused on building and growing a portfolio of businesses that drive climate-positive growth on the continent.

Before starting ACV, CJ spent 12 years working on the leadership team of Dalberg, where he founded the firm’s Kigali office in 2017 and led much of the firm’s work in Impact Investing, Agriculture, and Climate. CJ joined his Partners in co-founding Axum on the belief that it was time for Africa to be home to a top-tier locally and globally focused strategic and implementing firm.

CJ remains based in Kigali and continues to advise the Axum team and clients on topics related to Investment, climate, and agriculture.

Edwin is Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Axum. He leads work with Heads of State, CEOs, Philanthropists, and Investors, supporting them on strategy, program design and capital deployment.

Prior to starting Axum, Edwin spent 16 years at Dalberg Advisors building the firm’s presence, teams and client work across the world. He left after being elected and serving as the Global Managing Partner of the firm. Before that, he was at the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and McKinsey & Company.

Based in Nairobi, Edwin currently sits on a range of global boards that reflect his commitment to transforming lives in Africa and beyond: The Nature Conservancy, Mozilla Foundation, Nabo Capital, The End Fund, Prudential Kenya and The Wellbeing Project. He is a WEF Young Global Leader, Archbishop Desmond Tutu Fellow and was listed by Forbes as one of the 10 Most Powerful Africans in 2015. He holds a degree in biology from Amherst College.