Team
Abdel joined GOGLA in November 2018 and is in charge of overlooking all financial matters at GOGLA. He has over 15 years of experience in finance, across multiple private sector industries.
Abdel graduated in business financial administration from Markus Verbeek Praehep. Alongside his responsibilities at GOGLA, he is also currently pursuing a Business Controller course from Inholland Academy.
In his free time, Abdel enjoys spending time with his three daughters – from taking them swimming to helping them with their studies. He is also extremely passionate about cars and enjoys researching new ones on the market.
Axelle is GOGLA’s Policy and Representation intern in west Africa. She has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a concentration in International Relations from the International University of Grand-Bassam in Cote d’Ivoire.
She believes and identifies herself as a young African with a fertile mind and a hardworking mentality. Prior to working with GOGLA, Axelle worked with several national organization alongside the youth to encourage, motivate in politics and the interest of their continent.
While working with the policy division, Axelle hopes to learn a lot about the off-grid sector and then participate in the creation of a solid relationship between governments and the private sector to facilitate the promotion of energy access in Africa.
She is Ivorian and passionate about politics, spending time with her family and friends, cooking, and taking makeup classes.
As Communications Manager, Aletta is part of the team that leads the development and implementation of GOGLA’s external communication strategy. She works on a number of cross-cutting projects within the organisation, supporting the team with multi-platform digital content production. She is also in charge of GOGLA’s day-to-day communication activities, including social media outreach and newsletters.
Prior to joining GOGLA in February 2019 and making her move into the off-grid industry, Aletta worked as a journalist in India where she developed an interest in communication strategies and digital communication. She is also strongly passionate about humanitarian studies, international politics, and gender studies.
Aletta holds the Erasmus Mundus Master’s in Journalism, Media and Globalization – a joint degree from Aarhus University, Denmark, and the University of Amsterdam, Netherlands. She also has a Master’s in Mass Communication from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, India, and a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Mumbai University, India.
Brenda Luisa Marbaniang is GOGLA’s Policy and Regional Representation Assistant for India.
Prior to joining GOGLA, she worked as a Program Coordinator at Columbia Global Centers, Mumbai where she supported the coordination of projects and public programs related to Business and Economic Opportunity and Environmental Sustainability. Brenda has also worked with other not-for-profit organizations in the field of gender, health, and education. She has authored several articles on public policy that have been featured on various digital platforms. Brenda holds a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Mumbai.
Collin Gumbu is based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and serves as GOGLA’s Policy and Advocacy Manager. He has with him more than 15 years of experience working within the private sector and leading off-grid-related economic development programs.
Before joining GOGLA, he served as Market Lead of the IFC/World Bank-led Lighting Tanzania Programme where he led market development activities of the Program that sought to contribute to the market transformation of Tanzania’s off-grid solar sector. Most recently Collin worked for Africa Clean Energy (ACE) Technical Assistance Facility (TAF) as Country Manager for Tanzania and Rwanda where he worked with the 2 governments to improve enabling environment policies for private-sector delivery of stand-alone solar solutions to off-grid communities.
He holds MBA in Marketing from the University of Dar es Salaam and is also a Certified Public Accountant. In his leisure time, he likes watching football and reading novels.
Drew is the Head of Performance & Investment at GOGLA. He has more than 14 years’ experience working with companies, governments, donors and NGOs to catalyse markets in the off-grid light and power sector.
In his current role, Drew leads the team to strengthen GOGLA member and industry performance and improve access to finance in the sector. He believes that optimising value for customers, economies and the environment is the driver for increased investment and industry growth. He’s most proud to have led an industry initiative to establish the GOGLA Consumer Protection Code, and loves working with off-grid solar companies to help drive cutting-edge technological innovation in villages and homes across Africa.
Drew holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Nottingham and has lived and worked in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe. His love for the mountains has brought him to live in the Netherlands.
Passionate about climate and social justice, Eva has more than 15 years of experience in communications, marketing, project management, and social impact. She joined GOGLA in May 2021 as Media and Campaigns Manager.
The previous 8 years Eva worked at Airbnb, where she oversaw brand growth in Spain, led the Social Impact Experiences program in Southern Europe, and took on the role of Social Impact Manager for the Barcelona office, coordinating corporate volunteering and environmental impact awareness projects.
She holds a Master’s in Humanitarian Management, Development, and NGO Management from the UPEC in Paris and a Bachelor’s in Advertising and Public Relations from the UAB in Barcelona. She speaks Spanish, English, French, and Catalan and, in her free time, loves spending time with family and friends, the outdoors, good food, yoga, movies, and dancing.
Francis serves as Project Manager, Policy and Regulatory Environment. He supports GOGLA’s Policy Program that aims to build an enabling regulatory environment for the off-grid solar sector.
Prior to joining GOGLA, Francis was the Regional Energy Advisor for Practical Action East Africa leading and supporting the delivery of programs and projects focused on enhancing energy access. He has also previously worked within PwC Kenya’s advisory practice as well KPMG Kenya’s International Development Advisory Services (IDAS).
He holds an MBA in Corporate Management from KCA University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology in Kenya.
Koen Peters has been GOGLA’s Executive Director since 2014. He has more than 20 years of international work experience, of which more than 12 years in relation to energy access. He gathered insights from many different perspectives and organizations, including government, consulting, start-up businesses, and international finance organizations.
Prior to joining GOGLA, Koen worked as renewable energy expert within the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In this capacity, he focused on development assistance programmes promoting access to energy in Africa – with a specific focus on private sector cooperation and development finance instruments. Here he worked with the leading international development finance organizations, donor governments, and international NGOs active in the field of sustainable energy in developing countries.
Earlier, he worked for about ten years as a consultant, supporting start-up businesses with business planning, project management, and fundraising – in particular in relation to energy access business initiatives in developing countries. During this period he co-founded and co-managed a solar PV company in Tanzania – then (in 2001-2006) the first company to focus mainly on providing solar energy solutions to poor people in rural communities. He was also project manager of one of the first projects aimed at solar mobile phone charging solutions, in Uganda.
His experience in the private sector came after several years in the public sector: for the Dutch government on international cooperation; for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development on donor cooperation on international climate investments; and for the British Department for International Development.
Koen has a Master’s degree in Environmental Engineering from Wageningen University and a Master’s in Business Administration jointly from Nyenrode University and Kellogg School of Management. He is married and has two children.
Laura joined GOGLA in November 2019 as a Project Assistant and is now the Project Manager, Events. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Communication and Advertising from La Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogota, Colombia. She came to the Netherlands to pursue her Master’s degree in Business Administration called Imagineering. Her Master’s thesis research was focused on Cultural diversity, Collaboration & Communication in Organizations.
Prior to joining GOGLA, Laura worked for several years in the marketing and communications field as a content strategist and social media analyst. She has also developed workshops pertaining to Self Development and Creative Sessions.
She is always looking forward to learning and expanding her knowledge, not only in a professional way but also in a personal way through new experiences. One of her passions is photography (especially macro photography) and nature.
Before joining GOGLA, Laura held several positions as Project Manager of International Campaigns for investment attraction in emerging economies, having developed projects in Nigeria, the Philippines, Panama, and Mexico.
A finance graduate of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. In her work experience, Laura found pleasure in working at the intersection of the private and the public sector and decided to study a Masters in Public Administration while working for Solarplaza where she was introduced for the first time to the off-grid solar sector and GOGLA.
Laura serves as the Senior Project Manager, Access to Finance at GOGLA. In her free time, she enjoys being in nature and practicing yoga.
Linda currently serves as the Investment Readiness Manager at GOGLA where she works towards increasing the volume of investment in the off-grid solar industry and to increase the number of companies that have access to finance.
Prior to joining GOGLA in May 2022, she spent 2 years working as a Venture Builder at Persistent Energy, an investor in early-stage companies in the off-grid solar and climate-smart industry. At Persistent she worked with several companies on finance readiness & path to profitability projects which involved developing their financial models, operational models and overall business strategy. She was also involved in deal screening and execution across a number of off-grid business models such as SHS PayGo, Solar productive use & E-mobility. She has also worked in other roles in Impact investing in Sub-Saharan Africa at SCP, Advisor to AATIF, DWS and Asia Africa Investment & Consulting. Linda is also passionate about gender inclusivity, the success of locally-owned companies and responsible business practices.
Linda holds a BSc. in Financial Engineering from Strathmore University in Nairobi, Kenya where she is also based. In her free time, she enjoys creative exploration through music, film and art.
Luca joined the team as a web assistant intern to help creating and managing the new GOGLA website. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree at the University of Amsterdam in Communication Science, specializing in Political Communication.
Mandisa currently serves as the Fundraising Manager at GOGLA where she works towards building and implementing an effective organizational fundraising strategy, as well as, coordinating fundraising activities and efforts.
Prior to joining GOGLA in October 2021 and making her move into the off-grid industry, Mandisa worked in development and fundraising with international non-governmental organizations focused on supporting marginalized communities and ending impunity at the national, regional, and international levels. She possesses strong fundraising, grants management, programming, and research expertise. She is also strongly passionate about gender, peace, and security.
Mandisa holds an MSc in Political Science from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and a BA in Political Science from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She is from Zimbabwe and is based in Amsterdam. Mandisa speaks English and Ndebele as her native languages and elementary Dutch and French.
Marily assists the management team and financial manager of GOGLA. She has experience in different roles having worked as an Office Manager for three years and a Project manager at different design agencies for over 15 years.
Holding a Master Degree in Mass Communication and Brand Management, Marily is pragmatic and committed and has an open personality with a good sense of humor.
Oliver is GOGLA’s Market Insights and Data Manager. He is notably in charge of the sales and impact data collection and reporting.
Prior to joining GOGLA, Oliver worked as a consultant and project manager for Altai Consulting leading strategy and research consulting efforts in access to energy, financial inclusion, digital inclusion and more – including field assignments in 15+ countries in Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. During this period, Oliver was the lead consultant for GOGLA on the Powering Opportunity impact research.
Oliver holds a Master in Management from HEC Paris business school and a Master in International Business from the CEMS Alliance at Bocconi University.
Patricia is GOGLA’s Membership Engagement Manager. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce with a specialisation in Administration and Microfinance from Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya.
Prior to joining GOGLA, Patricia worked as a senior business development associate with an off-grid solar company for over 6 years. Her key focus markets were East & Southern Africa. She also has extensive administration experience on both a national and multinational level having worked with companies in both the financial services sector and renewable energy.
She is passionate about spending time with her family, collecting diaries, and writing many to-do-lists!
Patrick is GOGLA’s Head of Policy and Regional Strategy. He is an experienced economic and trade development professional with over 15 years’ experience in the public and private sector conducting private sector development, investment and trade promotion and support.
Prior to joining GOGLA, Patrick was embedded by the International Finance Corporation with the Kenya Private Sector Alliance to drive reform efforts to improve the business climate in Kenya and in the East African Community. He has previously served as the Technical Advisor to the Kenya Cabinet Secretary for East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism and as a Senior Advisor for Monitoring and Evaluation with USAID Power Africa. Patrick spent 7 years with the US State of Maryland’s Department of Business and Economic Development and with the World Trade Center in Atlanta.
He holds an MBA and a Master of Science in International Business from Georgia State University and a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture from Egerton University in Kenya. Born and raised in Kenya, Patrick speaks English and Swahili.
Praviin B Kumaar is the South Asia Regional Representative for GOGLA. Praviin is a post-graduate from the Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA), one of the leading Rural Management Institutes in India. He has 27 years of work experience with leading corporations in India, including for the past 7 years with multilaterals, in the clean energy space. He specializes in rural marketing, business strategy and distribution management, with extensive work done, and insights- into the Indian markets, urban and rural, across geographies in India, and to a limited extent in Bangladesh and parts of Africa.
Puck van Basten works as a Junior Project Manager with the Performance and Investment team. She leads the work on Corporate Governance and GOGLA’s LEAN Network, while also supporting other workstreams such as Consumer Protection and Circularity.
She aims to make the off-grid solar sector grow sustainably by working towards a higher performance of and investments into the industry. Through upholding and improving standards of consumer protection and enhancing circularity practices Puck’s work aims to better the performance of the off-grid solar industry. Next to that, her focus is on increasing investment opportunities for the sector, amongst others through helping off-grid solar companies ameliorate their corporate governance structures and practices, and providing networking opportunities through GOGLA’s LEAN Network. Last but not least, Puck is dedicated to increasing gender inclusivity in the off-grid solar sector and putting clean, energy access forward for climate adaptation and resilience.
In her spare time, Puck likes to take dance classes, wander around her hometown Utrecht and spend time with her family and friends.
Rebecca leads GOGLA’s work on Consumer Protection, Circularity and Technology. In this role, she manages programmes that aim to define, improve and enhance standards of operational performance in the off-grid solar sector to safeguard social and environmental impacts and benefit consumers, companies and investors alike. She also works to promote a gender-forward industry and market-based solutions for energy access in humanitarian settings. Rebecca brings first-hand experience of PAYGo Solar Home System distribution in Tanzania, Rwanda and Kenya, with specific focus on strategic development, improving credit management, after-sales services and operational standards.
Before turning all her energy to the off-grid sector, Rebecca worked in Project Management for large engineering projects and consultancy in the UK. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Geography from the University of Cambridge, and a Master’s degree in Conflict, Security and Development from the University of Sussex. Outside of work she enjoys walking in hills and mountains, swimming, and somehow getting around the occasional triathlon.
Serra is an aquaculture engineer. She holds a master`s degree in water quality & chemistry as well as an MBA in international marketing & foreign trade. After working for several years as an engineer with a focus on RAS design and environmentally sustainable aquaculture practices, she heard the siren call of marketing. Having in mind everything is subject to marketing, she started to pursue a career in digital marketing within Ireland and Portugal. Like a salmon returns to the river where it was born, she followed her passion for the environment and sustainability and joined GOGLA in mid-2018. She is responsible for organizing and leading GOGLA events while pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Lisbon – LEAF Research Center.
Silvia is the East African membership intern. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business with an accounting specialty from KCA University in Nairobi, Kenya. Silvia has worked for a number of customer service firms before joining GOGLA, and is ready to provide outstanding support to our cherished community, with a deep knowledge of the need of customized attention and a commitment to guaranteeing member happiness.
While working with the membership division, Silvia intends to learn a lot about the off-grid sector and then help build a strong link between governments and the private sector to promote energy access globally.
With Silvia’s infectious energy and unwavering belief in the power of positivity, every challenge becomes an opportunity and every setback paves the way for a greater comeback.
Sinem joined GOGLA in September 2021 as a Project Assistant and her main role is to add value and support the Events and Membership team. Prior to GOGLA, she gained more than 10 years of experience mainly in roles of customer relationship management, operations and business development in global companies. Her expertise is communication management and relationship management with marketing essence which she also applies to her existing role.
She holds a BA degree in Economics and a Master’s degree in International Communication Management from Hague University.
Her main ambition is to increase global experience in different parts of the world with diversified cultures where she can make positive impacts on people’s lives.
Susie leads GOGLA’s research activities and programmes, including the multi-country, multi-company Powering Opportunity impact series. Prior to GOGLA, Susie held roles as the Senior Communications Manager at Power for All and Campaigns Manager at SolarAid. Before her move into the off-grid industry, she spent 12 years in the finance sector at Lloyd’s of London, working in a variety of research, advisory and management roles, and as a consultant to the insurance industry ClimateWise group — facilitated by the University of Cambridge. Susie holds an MSc in Environmental Technology from Imperial College London, and a BA Hons in History and Politics from Warwick University. Sponsored by Nokia and G24i she also cycled 13,500 miles around the world to promote the potential of solar energy in 2010, writing a book on her return entitled The SolarCycle Diaries.
Timona works as a Jr. Manager Policy and Advocacy in GOGLA’s policy and regional representation division.
Timona initially worked as a programme associate in the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network – Youth Initiative (Strathmore University Hub), where he was involved in the development of policies geared toward promoting youth engagement in sustainable development-focused programmes.
While working with the policy and regional representation division, Timona hopes to facilitate the creation of an enabling environment that will promote energy access in the developing world.
In his spare time, Timona likes to go on nature walks, listen to music and spend time with family and friends.
