About

Wilfred is an experienced and results driven senior program management professional working with Agriterra’s East-African team, who is committed to maintaining and driving organisational growth. He is a highly motivated senior client focused advisor with more than 13 years’ experience delivering high clients’ satisfaction in the agricultural cooperatives and agri-business space. He holds a Mini-MBA in strategic management from Frankfurt school of finance and management as well as an MBA in finance from Kenyatta university among other professional and academic qualifications. Wilfred is a seasoned professional having been involved in corporate leadership as the country representative for Agriterra in Kenya as well as the program manager for the farmer focused transformation program. He therefore has a good understanding of the different dynamics and the critical success factors that needs to be there for successful execution of a program. Managing strategic partnerships and using it to achieve organisational objectives has been one of his key strengths as well. He holds a Mini-MBA in strategic management from Frankfurt school of finance and management and an MBA in finance from Kenyatta university.

Skills

  • Communication
    10
  • Teamwork
    10
  • Problem-Solving
    10
  • Creativity
    10
  • Leadership
    10
  • Finance
    10
  • Management
    10
  • Project Management
    10
  • DevOps
    10
  • M&E and Program Management
    10
  • Critical thinking and problem solving
    10
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
    10
  • Ability to work in a multicultural environment
    10
  • Training and coaching
    10
  • strategic planning and Management
    10
  • English
    10
  • Kiswahili
    10

Experience

Wilfred Chepkwony

Work experience
  • Program Manager-FFT, Senior Cooperative Advisor and Country Representative  at   Agriterra
  • As a program manager for the Farmer Focused Transformation (FFT) and Senior Cooperative Advisor, Wilfred takes the leading role in the overall program management and technical advisory services offered by Agriterra in Kenya as well as the responsibility for finance and general administration. His main responsibilities remain supporting the team of cooperative advisors as their program manager to deliver on the core mandate of Agriterra i.e offering technical advisory services to its clientele and at the same time carrying out the functions of the Country Representative for Kenya.
  • Some of the key tasks includes:
  • Act as the head of strategy and planning for the Farmer Focused Transformation (FFT) project in Kenya
  • Designing, planning, implementing and reporting on the program results to Agriterra’s management as well as to donors and partners.
  • Working very closely with the regional manager for East Africa where he acts as a key advisor to him and the lead person in performance management as well as planning, monitoring, evaluation and learning for the FFT Kenya.
  • Participating in resource mobilisation by developing new project proposals
  • Monitoring and managing client portfolio by use of Agriterra’s internal management information system integrated with PowerBi.
  • Maintaining and updating the database of all external contacts including agripool network, local and international consultants to support in delivery of technical assistance to clients.
  • Coaching, training and supporting colleagues including backstopping colleagues working in a consortium where Agriterra is part of the implementing partners.
  • Continue carrying out the duties and responsibilities of the Country representative

Wilfred Chepkwony

Work experience
  • Technical Assistance Facility (TAF) Manager- Indirect Investments Agribusiness Capital (ABC) Fund  at   Agriterra
  • ABC fund was set up to invest directly in Smallholder farmers and agribusiness SMEs in emerging markets and indirectly through financial intermediaries to support sustainable and inclusive agricultural value chains. Attached to the fund was the Technical Assistance Facility put up by IFAD and managed by Agriterra to help de-risk the fund by technically supporting both the direct and indirect beneficiaries of the fund.
  • Wilfred had been tasked to take the lead role on TAF for the indirect Investments through financial intermediaries. The role involved working directly with experts from Rabo Partnerships. It entailed carrying out the following tasks among others:
  • Coordinating Technical Assistance (TA) support for all indirect investees in the fund
  • Technical Assistance Budget Monitoring
  • Approving terms of reference for the TA support
  • Coordinating pipeline generation in the East African Market
  • Carrying out in-depth due diligence assessments on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and TA needs for the potential investees
  • Together with Rabo Partnerships, drafting detailed TA plans for the potential investees and getting them approved by the Investment Committee (IC).
  • Participating in both the Risk Committee (RC) and IC meetings where TA was being discussed.

Wilfred Chepkwony

Work experience
  • Business Advisor and Country Representative at   Agriterra
  • January, 2018 - December, 2022
  • Fulltime
  • As a Country representative, Wilfred takes the leading role in the overall project management and technical advisory services offered by Agriterra in Kenya as well as the responsibility for finance and general administration. He is the main contact person for both external and internal stakeholders in ensuring that Agriterra’s mandate in Kenya is delivered in line with the overall global ambitions of Agriterra. In addition, Wilfred’s main responsibilities remains supporting the team of business advisors to deliver on the core mandate of Agriterra.
  • Some of the key tasks includes:
  • Being the key contact person for Agriterra in Kenya responsible for external relations with the government including counties, clients, donor partners and international agencies among others
  • Providing leadership to the Agriterra Kenyan team on the core business of offering technical advisory services, financial management and general administration of the Agriterra Kenyan office.
  • Contextualising the overall strategy to fit the Kenyan context together with the local team.
  • Taking lead in increasing the visibility of Agriterra Kenya
  • Carrying out the duties and responsibilities of a business advisor as enumerated below

Wilfred Chepkwony

Education

Wilfred Chepkwony

Education

Wilfred Chepkwony

Work experience
  • January, 2015 - December, 2017
  • Fulltime
  • As a business advisor and together with colleagues, Wilfred was responsible for offering technical business advisory services (which included advice, trainings, coaching and exchange visits) to African clients’ projects (in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Rwanda, Zambia, Burundi, DRC, Malawi, Ghana and Ivory Coast) then contracted by Agriterra. The client base was comprised of rural financial institutions (SACCOs), Agricultural Cooperative societies, Agribusiness companies (fully owned by farmers) and Apex farmer organizations that were based in the agri-sector.
  • At the same time, Wilfred was responsible for the finance and administration of the Agriterra Kenya office.
  • Some of the key tasks included:
  • Developing a business development services strategy applicable to the African context and even country specific that was well aligned to the global strategy.
  • Together with clients, developed a customized capacity building trajectory meant to grow their respective organizations as well as their members’ household income.
  • Monitoring developments and progress of Agriterra projects based among others on jointly established yearly targets and key performance indicators written down in yearly action plans.
  • Conducting relevant sectoral studies and updating the existing documents including drafting reports and presentations for the management of Agriterra
  • Giving advice and follow-up to the projects’ beneficiaries on the identified technical assistance needs.
  • Facilitating peer to peer advisory assignments conducted by experts stemming from the dutch agri and food sector in support of farmer organizations and cooperatives in east Africa.
  • Updating Agriterra’s management information system on projects and contributing to Agriterra’s knowledge management
  • Coaching and/or providing guidance to the team members within Agriterra African team.
  • Managing the hiring and contracting of consultants as well as maintaining a database of all the agripoolers and consultants including consulting firms.
  • Overseeing all the finance and administrative functions related to Agriterra Kenya office.

Wilfred Chepkwony

Education
  • September, 2013 - September, 2015
  • Fulltime

Wilfred Chepkwony

Work experience
  • January, 2013 - December, 2014
  • Fulltime
  • Supporting the then senior agribusiness advisor to set up the Kenyan office and grow Agriterra’s foothold in the East African region whilst focusing on strengthening and eventually improving operational and financial management of Agriterra clients in the region.
  • Some of the key tasks included:
  • Screening the business operations of clients with focus on their financial health and potential.
  • Advising clients on better commercial achievements, assessing their annual accounts and accompanying audit report and support them during processes leading to eligibility for investment in their company, including strengthening the company’s financial management.
  • Keeping track scrupulously of the progress of the clients’ financial and commercial development and monitoring the risks on monthly basis.
  • Assisting during the preparation and realisation of advisory missions, based on the clients’ requests for advice.
  • Guiding and coaching employees and managers of the farmer-led company on financial matters.
  • Supporting and checking on activity plans, budgets and timely reporting on project results.
  • Establishing an up-to-date information system on clients for review and evaluation of results and contribute to knowledge management within Agriterra

Wilfred Chepkwony

Work experience
  • January, 2012 - December, 2012
  • Fulltime
  • Tasked with supporting the board of directors Lelbren dairies in steering the organization through the financial challenges they were in at the same time growing the milk deliveries from the farmers to the company.
  • Some of the key tasks included:
  • Performing scenario analysis and preparing proposals to financial institutions for funding.
  • Coordinating baseline surveys to understand why farmers were slowly pulling away from the cooperative and based on it document a turnaround strategy that saw increased milk deliveries from the farmers.
  • Coordinating the setting up of a five-year farmer extension strategy and an overall strategic plan for the cooperative.
  • Conducting a human resource audit to aid the general manager address the inefficiencies that were there then.
  • Streamlining the finance function of the cooperative to be responsive to its pressing needs and foster transparency
  • Leading the extension team deliver the much-needed milk from the farmers hence increased income to the farmers.

Wilfred Chepkwony

Education
  • February, 2008 - December, 2011
  • Fulltime

Wilfred Chepkwony

Education
  • Certified Public Accountant of Kenya at   KASNEB

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