My Resume
About Me
I’m founder of Africa Business Coaching and assisting and training SMEs in many African countries. Part time since 2010 and full time since June 2022. In addition, I lead the projects for PUM senior experts in Ghana and I am a business strategy expert for Women on Wings India.
In my international career, I have a background in retail. I was 35 years employed in senior positions by Albert Heijn supermarkets, the market leader in the Netherlands. Part of Ahold Delhaize with 7450 branches in Europe, US and Indonesia.
My experience extends to numerous commercial positions in fast moving sectors such as fresh produce, seafood, meat, chicken, dairy and also health & beauty products. Experienced in developing consumer markets and creating added value in international supply chains, as well as in category management, product development and sourcing.
In my way of working, i always starts from the customer and market segment side, and then translates these into products, solutions and services.
I have lived and worked in the Netherlands and holds a Bachelor degree in Commercial Economics and additional (inter)national courses.
VISION
In 2050, the population in Africa will double, from 1.3 billion to 2.5 billion people and today half of Africans are under 20 years old. Our Vision is reaching entrepreneurial young African Key People (Changemakers). Unlocking their potential, In order to bring New Opportunities for the next generation In Africa.
MISSION
Business Coaching for SMEs In African countries. The ABC’s of setting up and scaling up SME’s, with a strong focus on the customer and the opportunities In the various markets. Connecting them with (inter)national business network, target markets, buyers, wholesalers, retailers and finance.
Working Experience
Regional Manager PUM Africa
May 2024 — present
Regional Manager Africa of the 18 Africa Country teams (focus countries) and member of PUM Management Team. (Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zimbabwe) Aimed at helping ambitious entrepreneurs in Africa with Scale Ups of 10 – 250 employees and who are preferably part of a business eco-system.
Founder of Africa Business Coaching
June 2022 – present (full time) (in my free time since 2010)
Unlocking market opportunities for talented, passionate and committed business people (Part time since 2010, fulltime since 2022).
Country Coordinator PUM Ghana
May 2022 – April 2024
Coordinating the Country wide business projects with the help of 7 Local Representatives . ‘Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs’
Business expert Women on Wings
February 2021 – present
Business strategy expert for SME’s in India. ‘One million jobs for women in rural India’.
Lead Category Manager Seafood, Poultry & Vegetarian at Albert Heijn Merchandising
August 2019 — July 2022
Manager Healthy Eating at Albert Heijn Quality Department
2017 — 2019
Manager Sustainable Retailing at Albert Heijn Marketing Department
2016 — 2017
Sr. Category Manager Dairy at Albert Heijn Merchandising
2012 — 2016
Sr. Format Manager City & Small stores, Albert Heijn Format Department
2017 — 2012
Sr. Category Manager Frozen at Albert Heijn Merchandising
2007 — 2007
Sr. Category Manager Health & Beauty at Albert Heijn Merchandising
2004 — 2007
District Manager Utrecht / North East Brabant at Albert HeijnStores
2000 — 2003
Management roles (District Manager, Unit Manager, Format Manager) at Etos.
1994 — 2000
Format Manager, at Albert HeijnFormatDepartment
1991 — 1994
Junior Category Manager Meat & Poultry, Sourcing Manager Pork at Albert Heijn.
1986 — 1991
Staff member de Visser Butchery Middelburg, Keurslager Yerseke, Spar Vlissingen
1976 — 1983
Coaching Experience
Business projects
Africa Business Coaching (Remote + On site)
• Burundi Bujumbura UNIKORN company, Business coaching (On site, August)
• Remote coaching Rikolto 8 week-Masterclass, 16 Program managers, Africa, Asia America, Europe June / July
PUM Country coaching
• Ghana Country Coaching 6 local Representatives across Ghana, Project visits, March
• Indonesia Java Alamendah Al Itttifaq Fruit & Veg. cooperative, Management Team Training, May
Business missions
Africa Business Coaching (Remote + On site)
• Burundi Bujumbura Buveco Fruit & Veg export company, business coaching
• Remote coaching 8 week-Masterclasses for Start-Ups (Netherlands/Uganda/Ghana)
PUM
• Ghana Country Coaching 6 local Representatives across Ghana, Project visits August + November
• Ghana Tema, The Fruitmaster Fruit & Veg. Retail + Greenhouse management
• Indonesia Java Alamendah, Al Itttifaq Fruit & Veg. cooperative, program development.
Women on Wings coaching
• India Delhi 15 year WoW jubilee, Giving Masterclass on CEO Summit
• India Berinag Avani Kumaon Handcraft Handwoven silk, wool, linen from 46 villages
• India Kolkata ONganics, Organic Rice & Herbs Cooperative of 5000 small farmers, Business Strategy Workshop
Remote coaching
• PUM: South Africa Graaff Reinet, Karoo Catch Ltd., Catfish farming, processing, added value
• PUM: Indonesia JavaAlamendah, Al Itttifaq Fruit & Veg. cooperative, program development
• Women on Wings: IndiaMicro start-up’s, Business training development
• Women on Wings: India Visakhapatnam, Business coaching Kovel Foundation • Women on Wings:
Remote coaching
PUM:
• South Africa Graaff Reinet, Karoo Catch Ltd., Catfish farming, processing, added value
• Indonesia Bandung Alamendah Al Itttifaq Fruit & Veg. Cooperative
• Kenia Nairobi Samaki Express Tilapia
Business Missions, 6 months Sabbatical
Africa Business Coaching
• Rwanda, Kigali, African Leadership University (ALU), Business Masterclasses
• Rwanda Kigali, Akilah Entrepreneurship Institute for women, Business Masterclasses
SNV Ghana
• Hortifresh program, Accra Fruitmaster Fruit & Veg., Joekopan Export Vegetables, AB Farms Export Vegetables
PUM
• Ghana Sogakobe, Flosell Hatchery Aquaculture
• Senegal St Louis, Dakar, Countrywide Onion program management
• Indonesia Java, Eretan, Mina Bahari Seafood Cooperative
Business missions
Africa Businees Coaching
• Akilah Institute for women Rwanda Kigali, Retail Masterclasses
PUM
• Indonesia, Java, Alamendah, Al Ittifaq, Vegetable cooperative, business strategy
• Indonesia South Sumatra, ,Baturaja, K.I.M. region wide aquaculture business advise
Business missions
PUM
• Ghana Tema Fruitmaster, Fruit &Vegetables Business strategy + plan
• Senegal, Diagambal, Walo Aquacole Integre (Start up)
• Tanzania, Mwanza, Mwasapro community, Sardines processing& Sales
• Making Africa Work Bus.case Ghana Tigernuts + Bus.case Rwanda Milkpowder
Business missions
PUM
• Ghana Tema Fruitmaster, Fruit&Veg, business scan and business plan
• PUM Albania Sarande Alfa supermarkets, business strategy and marketing tactics
Partnerships
Min. of Foreign Affairs/Punchy Pack
• Partnership elections, South Africa Venda area Avocado Bus.case: Small Farmers + Icco+ Fair Match Support + Westfalia + Albert Heijn
Business mission
Albert Hijen
• Albert Heijn Foundation South Africa, Tzaneen Westfalia Avocado Company
Business missions
Private
• Rwanda Kigali, Gisenyi, Burundi Bujumbura, Kenia Nairobi,Tanzania Mwanza, Business Masterclasses
Business missions, 6 months Sabbatical
Ahold
• Ahold Ghana in Accra, Business workshop, Fruit & Vegetables, Sheabutter in Tamale, Wall paintings in the North.
Private
• Genesis Farms in Ethiopia in Debre Zeyit: Agriculture, Livestock, Dairy, Hotel & Restaurant, Technical University.
Education Overview
Ahold Retail Academy, Cornell University, Boston
International retail experience
Together with 20 Ahold retailers from Europe and 20 from the US, we were trained in all the promising and upcoming international fast moving retail opportunities
The Complete Skilled Negotiator, The GAP-Partnership, Mijdrecht
Professional negotiating with a mindset of win-win focus, to make sustainable business possible
Very inspiring course, where practicing, making mistakes and achieving joint successes were central to that course. More results and impact for all parties involved, that is the aim!
Responsible Entrepreneurship at Radboud University, Nijmegen
2006
Early bird course, ahead of its time. When sustainability was not yet considered so important, it was then a high-quality university study. Learned a lot from it and was able to put it into practice at Albert Heijn.
Innovation course ‘Inventit’ at Nijenrode University, Breukelen
2003
Special course with a professional vision on the innovation process. How can you really start an innovative movement, how do you do it yourself and how do you mobilize others to really get from idea to implementation.
Nima C at SRM, Amsterdam
Applied marketing, with emphasis on business cases
Apply the theory of marketing to all kinds of products and markets. From fast moving products to the Catterpillar / Komatsu excavator markets.
HEAO Commercial Economy for applied science Zeeland, Vlissingen
Translating studied theory into practise of doing business
Business Economics, Marketing, Business Administration, Psychology, Sociology and International Languages were central to this study. Because I had already worked in various jobs for 7 years before I did this study, I could also very easily translate the studied theory into the practice of doing business
S.V.O. Butchery Education
All facets of the butcher’s profession.
I did this study at the same time as working in various butcher companies, starting in my father’s own family specialty business and then at the Dutch Keurslagers organization and a Spar supermarket.
English 
