About the team
Jeremy Leggett, Chairman. Social entrepreneur Jeremy Leggett, www.jeremyleggett.net, is founder and chairman of Solarcentury, currently the UK's fastest growing energy company, and SolarAid, one of Africa's fastest-growing poverty-alleviation charities, set up with Solarcentury profits. He is also a founding director of the world's first private equity investment fund for renewables, run by Bank Sarasin (New Energies Invest AG, 2000-present), convenor of the UK Industry Taskforce on Peak Oil and Energy Security (ITPOES, 2007-present), and Associate Fellow at Oxford University's Environmental Change Institute (1997-present). A regular advocate for renewables in the international media, including as a CNN Principal Voice, he has been described by the Observer as "Britain's most respected green energy boss." He is author of The Carbon War (2000), an account of the climate negotiations in the 1990s; Half Gone (2005), an account of the interaction between peak oil and climate change; and The Solar Century (2009), a vision of solar in the cleantech revolution.
Steve Andrews, CEO, is former Director and Chairman of leading charity marketing agency Whitewater. Steve has been closely involved in SolarAid since the charity was founded in 2006, assisting with strategy and marketing consultancy and helping to raise the profile of the charity. He has worked as a fundraiser for over 20 years, advising a number of development charities, including Christian Aid, Save the Children and WaterAid on marketing and fundraising strategies. Having built Whitewater up from a seven person company struggling to break even into a 45-strong £3 million company, he now leads SolarAid into its next stage of development.
John Keane, Head of Programmes, started off as an urban planner before developing a deep interest in international development and solar energy. As a volunteer with Student Partnerships Worldwide (now Restless Development) in Tanzania, he became acutely aware of the pressing need for affordable, renewable energy in the rural communities. Once back in the UK, he researched the concept of micro solar and raised his own funds to go back to Africa and train solar entrepreneurs in Kenya, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Malawi and a number of other countries. He is the world leader on micro solar and a committed development expert.
Kenya Team
Asu Oswino, Microsolar and Accounts Assistant
Bryan Ouko, Microsolar Assistant
Hudson Mungafu, Macrosolar Assistant
Jennifer Karunguru, Administrative Officer
Linda Wamune, Country Manager
Steve Andrews, CEO
Victor Koyier, Macrosolar Coordinator
Malawi Team
Brave Mhonie, Field Coordinator
Frank Mwafulirwa, Country Manager
James Mwakayoka, Account Administrator
Sithembile Tembo, Macrosolar Assistant
Tanzania Team
Allan Mlenge,Technician
Cecilia Manu, Project Officer (Schools Campaign)
Claire Pederson, Microfranchise Coordinator
Deogratius Luvega, Technician
Evans Kakai, Logistics and Driver
Felix Manyutwa, Project Officer (Schools Campaign)
Gilliad Mng'ong'o, Technician
Hellen Njau, Project Officer (Schools Campaign)
Honoratha Lyimo, Storekeeper
Juma Mwenga, Field Officer
Karel van Zand, Macrosolar Manager
Lintel B. Komba, Administrative Assistant
Mason Huffine, Country Operations Manager
Pepijn Steemers, Programme Consultant
Philipina Irira, Management and Administration Assistant
Said Mbemba, Field Officer
Victor Mganga, Monitoring and Evaluating Assistant
UK Team
Alison Williams, Accountant
Anna Wells, Marketing Manager
Beth James, Administrative Officer
David Battley, Head of Business Development
Elly White, Education Assistant
Gerrard Graf, Finance Manager
Kathy Hill, Development Education Coordinator
Katie Bliss, Programmes Manager
Ralph Greenland, Digital Content Project Manager
Richard Turner, Director of Fundraising and Marketing
Zambia Team
Clara Mwila, Accountant
Ellie Higham, Country Manager
Mary Chileshe, Project Officer
Karla Kanyanga, Administrative Assistant
Regina Pelembe, Project Accountant
Steven Woodward, Project Manager
William Katete, Technical Assistant
Patrons, Trustees and Advisors
Cherie Blair, Patron, studied law at the London School of Economics and graduated with a first class degree in 1976. She moved on to become a founder member of Matrix Chambers, with a focus on human rights, public law and EU law before becoming a Queens Counsel in 1995. In addition to dedicating her time to her own Foundation, Mrs Blair is closely involved with over 20 charities with a special emphasis on those working with women. These include the International Centre for Research for Women, UNICEF and Breast Cancer Research India. Cherie is also patron to a number of charities including, the European Federation of Black Women Business Owners, Asian Women of Achievement Awards, and Women of the Future Awards.
Nick Sireau, Senior Advisor, started out in financial journalism, working for thinktank Independent Economic Analysis (IDEA) and newswire Bridge News (now part of Reuters). He worked in charity communications and fundraising for mainline church charity CWM and for international development agency Progressio as Director of Communications. He has travelled widely the world over and recently finished his PhD on the social psychology of Make Poverty History's communications and marketing. He is also co-founder and Chairman of the AKU Society, a medical charity that works in partnership with the Royal Liverpool University Hospital to find a cure for AKU, a rare genetic disease affecting his two sons. He is also a non-executive Director of GenSeq, a bioinformatics company that carries out gene sequencing. Nick is the former and founding Executive Director of SolarAid.
Philip Angier, trustee, is founder of Angier Griffin and an independent consultant in social enterprise. After 10 years in the City of London, he made a vocational career move to become Finance and Resources Officer in the Diocese of Liverpool under Bishop David Sheppard. He joined Traidcraft's staff as Finance Director in 1987, and becoming Managing Director in 1991 and then Chief Executive. Philip left Traidcraft in 2001 to found Angier Griffin, a social enterprise consultancy. Philip is Chair of Just Pensions and a director of the Shared Interest Society and the UK Social Investment Forum. His social enterprise links include directorships of AnyBodyCan Limited, Aspire Group Limited and Jesmond Swimming Project.
Vicky Phillips, trustee and Company Secretary, is a lawyer who has previously served on the Board of Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland and EarthRights. She has worked as a legal advisor to Solarcentury for eight years and is involved in a number of environmental projects on a voluntary basis.
Graham Young, trustee, has worked since 1980 to promote Fair Trade: he was chairman of the International Federation for Alternative Trade; and founder chair of the European Fair Trade Association and the Fair Trade Foundation. He established Traidcraft Exchange in 1980 and was General Director from 1986 to 1999. He has been an advisor to governments and the private sector on corporate social responsibility (CSR). He is at the forefront of thinking on values based, integrated approaches to Corporate Responsibility.
Andy Milligan, Branding Advisor, is a leading international brand consultant with almost 20 years experience of advising and helping businesses build brands around the world. He graduated from Oxford University and then worked for VNU Business Publications before he joined the Interbrand Group in London in 1990, moving to Singapore in 2002 where he was Managing Director of Interbrand's South East Asia operations. He then established his own company, Ambrand, which specializes in advice, training, development and management education on business growth and brands. He is also a founding partner of The Caffeine Partnership. Andy co authored BOLD - 'how to be brave in business and win' in April 2011, to critical acclaim.
Debbie Wayth, Strategy and Organisational Advisor, has worked in the energy sector for over 14 years and has been involved in renewable energy projects around the globe in recent years. Debbie has assisted SolarAid in issues relating to its organisational structure and strategy as the charity transitions through the early start-up period to a multi-country operational entity. Debbie has worked on major strategy projects within BP and other industry majors as well as run several business units in the UK, US and Middle East in the energy sector. She has supported the SolarAid teams in the UK and Africa to improve organisational effectiveness, communication and integration and has brought structure to the challenge of delivering the strategic vision. Debbie works as an organisational consultant in the UK and US, advising profit and social enterprise organisations.
Aki Maruyama, Programmes Advisor, worked for the Energy Programme of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)'s Division of Technology, Industry and Economics, Paris, France. Previously, she worked for the Climate Policy Project of the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Hayama, Japan. Aki also worked as short-term consultant to the World Bank. Prior to that, she worked for Deutche Bank, Tokyo. She has an MSC in Environmental Management from Oxford University.
Henry Mackintosh, Social Media Advisor, was Marketing Manager at search engine Work Digital before becoming Digital Project Manager at the youth volunteering charity Vinspired. Henry has been involved with SolarAid since 2008, when he was recruited as Volunteers' Manager (as a volunteer himself!), working on the events and festival programme. Henry was Production Manager for SolarAid at The Big Chill in 2010, where it is an official charity partner. As well as promoting our work and being an active fundraiser, Henry advises the marketing team at SolarAid on all online marketing and social media communications.
Will Day, International Development Advisor, is former CEO of CARE International. Will is Senior Associate in the University of Cambridge Programme for Industry. In 1994, he was the first Director of a micro-enterprise NGO called Opportunity Trust and then joined CARE International UK in 1996. Will is a Trustee of BBC Children in Need and of the Disaster's Emergency Committee. He became a Council Member of the Overseas Development Institute in December 2000.
Sorious Samura, Media and Africa Advisor, is a journalist from Sierra Leone. He is famed for his TV documentaries on the plight of Africa, shown on CNN, BBC World, Channel 4, CBC, Al Jazeera and other networks. Ron McCullagh, who runs Insight News Television, is his constant collaborator. Together they have won Baftas, Emmys and hosts of other awards. Sorious is a man of great wisdom and integrity who has a burning motivation to help some of the more serious issues affecting much of Africa.
Ron McCullagh, Communications Advisor, is the Managing Director of Insight News Television, a London based documentary production company that has reported from over 150 countries worldwide since its launch in 1991. Before founding Insight News TV, Ron worked as a reporter for the BBC, including five years on the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 and a year with BBC television news. In 1998 at the One World Broadcasting Trust Media Awards he won the UNICEF UK Award for the Advancement of Children's Rights for his report on child workers in Bangladesh. He co-directed "Blood on the Stone", a documentary commissioned by Warner Brothers to accompany the recently released Hollywood film "Blood Diamond" starring Leonardo DiCaprio. In 2004 he won the Rory Peck Freelancers Choice award for the "important role he has played in supporting freelancers and enabling them to develop".
Jason Mills, Media Advisor, is a broadcast journalist with 15 years experience. He currently edits the ITV Evening News, and before that he edited the News at Ten Thirty. Previously, he spent 10 years at the BBC working as a producer on national and regional news programmes, and at Sky News.
Dima Rifai, Strategy and Fundraising Advisor, is a dynamic senior executive, whose career spans 25 years. During the last seven years she has established and developed global, high-growth businesses in finance and sustainability. In July 2010, Dima established PCCP in response to a clear need for large-scale capital formation specialised in low carbon space. PCCP provides expertise in raising capital for funds, advising on investment strategies and arranging collective funding vehicles for this growing sector. In 2006 Dima set up an advisory boutique catering to Cleantech companies and projects looking for finance and international expansion. This was preceded by a long career in investment banking, where she last built and ran a global distribution platform, across all asset classes to the wealth market.
David Lloyd, Business Planning Advisor, is an energy partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers. He has been working with SolarAid in a personal capacity to help us develop our business plan. With his many years' experience of private sector investment in energy systems and technologies, David's involvement has been a really welcome addition to our advisory group.
Pro bono legal advisors: we have two top legal firms providing us with pro bono legal advice: White & Case and Covington & Burling.
