Eric has over 23 years of experience in advisory and investments in the public and private sectors across a number of key industry sectors, including energy, telecoms, infrastructure, agriculture, and education. He has worked with a number of leading investment companies with interests in telecoms and energy on the continent to help them build and execute infrastructure investment cases, generate and execute market-entry strategies, and build strong management teams. Eric has also done extensive work in the areas of country and industry competitiveness, productivity and employment dynamics, long-term investment analysis, public-private partnerships, and infrastructure development. He has previously worked for international firms such as Monitor Group and Dalberg in the US, Europe, and Africa, as well as national, regional, and local governments in the areas of organizational restructuring, strategy development, acquisitions/investment analysis, service delivery analysis, industry analysis, and competitiveness strategies. Eric is currently leading the effort to develop the Energy Sector White Paper 2022 for Kenya. He has a BSc in Economics and Policy Analysis from Cornell University in New York.

Ann Cannella is a seasoned financial leader with extensive experience in both nonprofit and corporate sectors. She previously served as Chief Financial Officer for Fika, leading initiatives to strengthen financial operations and strategic planning to support the organization’s global impact. Prior to her tenure at Fika, Ann held leadership roles in corporate finance and public accounting, demonstrating her expertise in financial strategy and organizational growth. As a dedicated advocate for sustainable development, Ann is committed to the mission of ending rural isolation through innovative infrastructure solutions. She brings a deep understanding of financial stewardship and operational excellence to her role on the Board of Directors, contributing to the organization’s vision of transforming lives through connectivity.

Ann is a Certified Public Accountant and currently works for an international nonprofit focused on ocean resilience. When not working, she enjoys hiking, reading, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Sanusi Ibraheem is the Head of the Strengthening Crisis and Pandemic Response Programme at the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) Office to the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In this capacity, he provides programme management leadership and technical advisory services supporting AU’s continental health institutions, including the Africa Centres of Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the AU Commission Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, the Africa Medicines Agency amongst others.

Ibraheem is a skilled Programme Manager with over a decade of broad experience in democratic governance policy and practice advisory, institutional development, and capacity building on various themes, including civic engagement, innovations for development, and youth participation in policy processes. Prior to his current role, his work focused on the intersection of governance, new technologies, and the meaningful participation of citizens in Africa’s development agenda.

Prior to his current role, Ibraheem was Deputy Head and Citizen’s Engagement Lead at the African Governance Architecture (AGA) Secretariat based at the African Union Commission’s Department of Political Affairs. Through his leadership of the citizens’ engagement work of the AGA, Ibraheem led the development of the AGA – Youth Engagement Strategy (AGA-YES) as a strategic framework for the engagement of young people in democratic governance processes at the Regional Economic Communities and the African Union. Through the implementation of the Strategy, engagement of young people in policy processes for the AU Policy Organs and RECS has been institutionalized through annual platforms and activities for youth engagement. An estimated 10,000 young people have been directly engaged through consultations/dialogues and capacity building programmes facilitated by the AGA Secretariat and Platform supported Pre-Fora. Technical support and amplification have been provided to hundreds of youth initiatives across Africa through the Annual Youth Consultations and other activities.

In pioneering the use of innovative technologies for citizens engagement, Ibraheem drove the use of ‘#DGTrends’ – Democratic Governance Trends as a trend monitoring tool aimed at broadening African citizen’s engagement and interaction with the AU Organs and Institutions with democratic governance mandates. Since 2013 till date, the DGtrends campaign has focused on galvanising citizen’s support for the AU Agenda 2063 and particularly its aspirations for democracy, peace and prosperity. Through the online and physical consultations, several programmes and initiatives including cross-regional collaborations have been recorded.

Previously, Ibraheem has worked with the Africa Leadership Forum and the Centre for Human Security at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, both in Nigeria.

Ibraheem is a 2018 Alumni of the Atlantic Dialogue Emerging Leaders Programme, 2018 Fellow of the Abshire-Inamori Leadership Academy of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), United States and 2017 Inductee (Delegate) of the Academy of Achievement.

Sue Dorsey joined the Gates Family Foundation in 2016 and is the Senior Vice President of Finance, Administration and Impact Investing. She has over 25 years of experience in nonprofit management, international development and finance. Sue is responsible for all financial management, accounting, investment management, human resources, reporting, compliance, and impact investing activities at the Foundation. Prior to coming to Gates, Sue served for seven years as the Chief Financial Officer for Water for People. Water for People is an NGO focused on sustainable, market-based solutions to global water and sanitation challenges. Prior to joining Water for People, Sue spent 12 years as the Executive Director of Friendship Bridge, a microfinance and education organization operating in Vietnam and Guatemala. Sue served as a Peace Corps volunteer in rural Costa Rica from 1990-92, working in small business development. Prior to the Peace Corps, Sue worked for several years in banking and finance with the First National Bank of Maryland. Sue was an adjunct professor at the University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School for International Studies from 2007 to 2016. She has an MBA from the Yale School of Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Business and Finance from the University of Vermont. Sue has served on the Board of Humentum (formerly InsideNGO) since 2013 and as Treasurer since 2015. She also currently serves on the Board for Mountain Area Land Trust in Evergreen. Sue married a fellow Peace Corps volunteer and is a mom to three kids on the verge of adulthood. Sue spends as much time as she can outdoors running, skiing and backpacking in the mountains of Colorado.

Ben has over 30 years of experience in consulting and transactions in the construction and private equity industries. Through his firm Leap Financial, Ben provides advisory and board services to firms and their owners.

Ben was Managing Director of a Denver-based private equity firm, where he was responsible for acquiring and turning around distressed companies. For nearly twenty years prior, Ben was a Principal at FMI Corporation in the firm’s investment banking practice.

Ben has spoken to construction industry organizations and published in industry journals. He is active in CFMA, and is a past National Secretary. Ben has a BA in Geography and Economics, Magna Cum Laude and an MBA in Finance and Real Estate, both from the University of Denver.

Jonathan Nash is President and CEO of Blumont, an international organization working with communities around the world to provide relief, support recovery, and create a more resilient future. Jonathan joined Blumont with more than 20 years of international development experience and previously served as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer and Vice President for Strategy and Business Development.

Before joining Blumont in 2019, Jonathan served as the Acting Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Operating Officer at the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a US government agency focused on alleviating global poverty through economic growth. During his 13 years at MCC, he supported and oversaw the development, implementation, and management of dozens of projects in countries across Africa, Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Pacific.

Jonathan began his career as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras, working to establish health clinics and strengthen environmental education and land management efforts. He was a senior analyst at the US Government Accountability Office, where he conducted performance audits of federally funded programs, and served as a policy analyst with the Population, Health and Environment Program of the Population Reference Bureau.

Jonathan holds a Master of Public Affairs from Indiana University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan.

Folayinka (Fola) Esan is an accomplished executive with extensive international leadership experience spanning the private and non-profit sectors. His three-decade career, which includes roles across Africa, Asia, and Europe, reflects a deep commitment to creating sustainable impact in underserved communities.

A former CEO and senior executive, Fola has held pivotal roles in multinational corporations (Schlumberger Oilfield Services, LafargeHolcim, Schneider Electric, and Quantum Global) and development-focused organizations (AGRA). During his tenure as Chief Operating Officer at AGRA, he oversaw operations across multiple countries in sub-Saharan Africa, leading strategic initiatives and managing host country relations for Inclusive Agricultural Transformation and Food Systems Security. These roles highlight his ability to drive large-scale operations while navigating complex stakeholder landscapes.

Fola brings extensive board experience, with expertise in governance, operations, risk management, and strategic oversight. He serves on the boards of ABC Fund, Injaro, Mvoula Group, and Paramount Partners and has previously held roles with Adelphi Wealth Management, LafargeHolcim, Principal Holdings, and UTU. Passionate about equity and sustainable change, Fola’s blend of private-sector rigor and non-profit insight aligns with Fika’s mission to empower communities through infrastructure, offering valuable perspectives to advance its vision of connecting isolated communities.

Varja Lipovsek is the Director of Learning, Measurement, and Evaluation at Co-Impact, with over 20 years of expertise in organizational learning for civil society and public sector initiatives. Previously, she was a Research Scientist at MIT’s Governance Lab, fostering collaboration between academics and practitioners to enhance transparency, accountability, and participation in public sector programs. From 2012 to 2018, Varja led Learning, Monitoring, and Evaluation at Twaweza East Africa, advancing evidence-based action in education and governance across Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda. Earlier roles include researcher at Population Services International, supporting programs in Europe and Asia, and program officer at WHO, focusing on HIV and adolescent health. Varja holds a PhD and MPH from Tulane University and a BA (summa cum laude) from SUNY Binghamton. A published author on accountability and practitioner-academic collaboration, she is fluent in Slovenian, English, and Spanish. She now lives with her husband and two daughters in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, where she vows to not fight any windmills.

Jon is a civil engineer with over 40 years international experience of large multidiscipline infrastructure and building projects. Jon has lived in Hong Kong, Singapore and Denmark and has had the privilege of being a senior manager for Balfour Beatty, Tarmac, Kvaerner, Skanska and has been Chief executive for Whessoe oil and Gas, President of Cleveland Bridge and Chairman of Dorman Long and American Bridge. Jon is passionate about the benefit that infrastructure has on the everyday lives of people in all communities and his projects have included sewer tunnels, Metros, power stations, Ship Building, Oil and gas plants and Bridges. Jon currently lives with his wife Anne in Oxford in the UK where he is involved in developing risk management software for engineering applications and is a keen cyclist. Jon is a member of the Fika UK Charitable Trust.

Ken Frantz is the Founder of Fika. He has been in the construction and development industry for over 40 years, most of which was spent directing the activities of his own firm. Ken has received national and state commendations for construction and scheduling excellence and has served on many boards, including the Board of Directors for the Associated Builders and Contractors. He has volunteered tens of thousands of hours to over 20 charitable organizations, from Rotary International to Fika.

Ken received his undergraduate degree from Washington State University and his master’s degree from Golden Gate University. He enjoys sailing, scuba diving, hiking, mountain drone photography, and tough logistical challenges. Ken lives with his wife Cheri in Yorktown, Virginia, where together they raised Preston, Brendan, and Sarah. He has donated substantial financial resources and volunteered full-time at Fika for 10 years. Currently, Ken can be found on-board My Cherie Amour, a catamaran, with his wife Cheri and friends sailing in the Mediterranean & Caribbean.

Jon is a civil engineer with over 40 years international experience of large multidiscipline infrastructure and building projects. Jon has lived in Hong Kong, Singapore and Denmark and has had the privilege of being a senior manager for Balfour Beatty, Tarmac, Kvaerner, Skanska and has been Chief executive for Whessoe oil and Gas, President of Cleveland Bridge and Chairman of Dorman Long and American Bridge.

Jon is passionate about the benefit that infrastructure has on the everyday lives of people in all communities and his projects have included sewer tunnels, Metros, power stations, Ship Building, Oil and gas plants and Bridges.

Jon currently lives with his wife Anne in Oxford in the UK where he is involved in developing risk management software for engineering applications and is a keen cyclist.

Jon is a member of the Fika UK Charitable Trust.

Eric has over 23 years of experience in advisory and investments in the public and private sectors across a number of key industry sectors, including energy, telecoms, infrastructure, agriculture, and education. He has worked with a number of leading investment companies with interests in telecoms and energy on the continent to help them build and execute infrastructure investment cases, generate and execute market-entry strategies, and build strong management teams. Eric has also done extensive work in the areas of country and industry competitiveness, productivity and employment dynamics, long-term investment analysis, public-private partnerships, and infrastructure development. He has previously worked for international firms such as Monitor Group and Dalberg in the US, Europe, and Africa, as well as national, regional, and local governments in the areas of organizational restructuring, strategy development, acquisitions/investment analysis, service delivery analysis, industry analysis, and competitiveness strategies. Eric is currently leading the effort to develop the Energy Sector White Paper 2022 for Kenya. He has a BSc in Economics and Policy Analysis from Cornell University in New York.

Ian Firth is well known as a bridge designer responsible for the engineering design of a wide variety of bridges, great and small, around the world. He regularly works in multi-disciplinary teams alongside leading bridge architects, and several of his projects have received high profile design awards. His projects include major large span suspension or cable stayed bridges, as well as more modest but aesthetically interesting and technically challenging pedestrian bridges.

In addition to his design work, Ian has been responsible for the assessment, maintenance and upgrading of several existing bridges, particularly steel box girder bridges, and he regularly provides specialist advice on long span bridge design and construction. He joined Flint & Neill in 1979 after graduating from the University of Bristol in the UK and became a Partner in the firm in 1990. When F&N joined the COWI Group in 2008 Ian became Chief Operating Officer. Since January 2018, Ian has been an independent engineering consultant, still engaged on several projects with COWI around the world.

He is an active member of the Fika Board of Directors and Chair of the Fika UK Charitable Trust.

Radana leads the Impact Investing Team at the UK’s Foreign and Development Office (FCDO), where she’s responsible for programmes and policies to drive private investment to deliver positive impact for people and planet. She’s passionate about innovative finance and established the FCDO’s first projects testing outcomes-based partnerships in education, health and poverty graduation. She previously worked as an Economist at the UK’s Cabinet Office, supporting policy on social investment, social enterprise, and the broader civil society. She holds a BA in Economics and Management from the University of Oxford, and MSc in Development Economics from the School of Oriental and African Studies. She hopes, one day, to learn to play the piano.

Edward Wilkinson brings nearly 30 years of experience dedicated to infrastructure, infratech, and advisory services across the U.K., Middle East, and Asia Pacific, where he lived for eight years. He is currently the Strategic Corporate Development Lead at Gscan and holds advisory roles for Mileone Group and Alchera Technologies, which he co-founded. Edward has supported clients in strategically critical areas, including market insight generation, market development initiatives, and strategic appointments. Edward’s core proposition is delivering the right information and expertise to define objectives, clarify decision-making processes, and empower clients to achieve commercially differentiating outcomes.

With a broad commercial network, he operates at the interface of industry, public sector, advisors, investors, and operators, leveraging insights from extensive market activity and a global community of experts, advisors, and academics.

Jane Kelly is a seasoned private sector development specialist with over 25 years of experience in strategic planning, implementation, and financial support across sub-Saharan Africa and the UK. Over the years, she has held various positions such as Head of Enterprise & Livelihoods/CSR Advisor, Vitol Foundation and International Portfolio Manager, Trade, Enterprise & Employment at Comic Relief. Jane has helped companies, non-profits, enterprises, and individuals thrive in challenging and unpredictable environments. Her work focuses on delivering technical, strategic, and financial support to meet both commercial and programmatic goals.

Jane collaborates with global stakeholders across public, private, donor, and philanthropic sectors to catalyze sustained, inclusive economic growth. With proven senior leadership and managerial skills, she has successfully managed multi-million-pound programs, led multi-cultural teams, and established new departments across diverse sectors and geographies.

Nick Francis has a record of delivering innovative solutions to complex infrastructure challenges. A former Royal Engineers Officer with 16 years of military service, he brings extensive operational experience and a deep understanding of the impact and fragility of the built environment.

As the founding director of Imagine Engineering, Nick develops high-performing project teams, blending technical expertise with military leadership skills. He collaborates with the Get It Right Initiative to reduce construction errors and regularly lectures at universities. Through Fika, he addresses rural isolation in developing nations. Nick’s achievements include designing emergency Ebola hospitals in Sierra Leone, creating flood defences that saved Romsey from disaster, and protecting military camps in Afghanistan from vehicle-borne bombs. His career spans hands-on construction at Westfield Stratford City, design engineering at Arup, and technical work on complex structures as a Principal Engineer at Eadon Consulting.

Based in Sheffield with his two daughters, Nick enjoys running in the Peak District and exploring museums on weekends.