Personalities who imparted knowledge to Kenyan entrepreneurs at GES
SATURDAY
TOPIC: Accessing Financing
PANELISTS:
Kellie Kreiser (Thunderbird For Good) – She has a vast experience in ensuring businesses have a social impact. She oversees Thunderbird’s social impact business education programs for the base of the pyramid learners.
Marianne Nyangi (Chase Kenya) – She is the head of women banking in the Kenyan bank that has made great strides in improving banking services. She set up the department in 2013 and has been growing the number of women benefiting from banking services since.
Candace Johnson (SES I.e Societe European des Satellites) – She has founded several global companies among them Loral Teleport Europe. She is an expert in global infastructure, network and innovation.
Her achievements saw her receive a lifetime achievement award from the International Alliance of Women in Washington DC.
Linsey Stradley (Sanergy) – Sanergy is a sanitation company based in Kenya that provides sanitation to slum dwellers. She founded the company with an aim of proving the critical service to communities that feel marginalized so as to promote co-existence.
Mohammed Abdulkadir Ali (Iftiin Foundation) – The foundation is based in Somalia founded the start up to foster social entrepreneurship in that country. He founded the foundation to create opportunities for youths to learn how they can earn their living in Somalia as opposed to risking lives while crossing the Mediterranean in pursuit for jobs. He is also a 2013 New Voices Fellow at Aspan Institute.
SUNDAY
TOPIC: leveraging technology for development
PANELISTS:
Larry Adler (Google) – Has been the company’s business operations project manager since 2005. Having worked for the tech guru for 10 years he has vast experience in the area.
Zubin Chagpar (Capital Business development EMEA at Amazon) – Has in the past worked with Spanish technology start ups helping them access the US Market. He has vast technology network having at some point worked for Google back when it was starting.
Chris Daniels the Vice President of the Internet.org product at Facebook. He has been part of the team that developed Internet.org targeting developing countries to make the Facebook social networking site all inclusive.
He rose from different departments at Facebook among them partnerships and development. He previously worked for Microsoft in different capacities.