Akwasi Adom-Dankwa, PhD, FCA

• Lead the Institute’s strategy, operations, and program portfolio, ensuring high-quality implementation and donor compliance: • Coordinate multi-stakeholder programs in ESG, sustainability, and impact measurement • Overseeing operations and programme management • Provide oversight on project planning, RBM-aligned frameworks, and MEL tools. • Ensuring financial sustainability and resources mobilization

o Develop and execute comprehensive operational strategies aligned with organizational goals to drive efficiency and growth. o Continuously assess and improve operational processes to enhance productivity, reduce costs, and streamline workflows. o Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless coordination and alignment of operational activities. o Manage budgets, resources, and assets effectively to maximize operational performance while maintaining cost control. o Implement and monitor quality control measures and ensure adherence to industry regulations and best practices. o Establish key performance indicators, monitor operational performance, and provide regular reports and insights to the executive team. o Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing operations team, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and professional growth. o Identify, assess, and mitigate operational risks to safeguard business continuity and resilience. o Drive a culture of operational excellence, focusing on continuous improvement and innovative solutions.

o Responsible for business operations strategy of the SBU comprising over 35,000-smallholder farmers in-line with overall business goals, overseeing an annual budget of $14 million. o Oversee the company’s daily business activities, and managing and assessing operations, ensuring a consistent 12% return on investment year-on-year. o Sell of the company's product and services and drive the marketing of farm inputs to smallholder farmers. o Lead procurement, supply chain, logistics, distribution and warehousing functions of 13 Cocoa Districts with annual procurement of 165,000bags of cocoa. o Contributed to financial reporting by furnishing financial content for regular operational reviews, resulting in a commendable 10% reduction in errors. o Manage business partnerships and relationships for key clients, leading to a noteworthy 5% improvement in client satisfaction ratings. o Responsible for monthly and quarterly performance metrics and narratives to senior management. o Collaborate with external and internal stakeholder on industry risk analysis, business risk analysis, and regional risk management efforts for the SBU, culminating in a notable 10% reduction in overall risk. o Design well-coordinated internal controls and record keeping systems for the SBU.

o Build and monitor business performance against KPIs on business operations and evaluating company performance. o Led fundraising efforts, which involved scouting, developing proposals, and submitting funding requests, resulting in the successful raising of $5.5 million over a four-year period. o Directed reporting and planning efforts for NGOs and private sector actors, such as the Walmart Foundation, USAID, Richard Franco Agency, and others, resulting in a 5% increase in satisfaction ratings. o Coordinated monthly financial reporting for both external stakeholders and internal management. o Developed, coordinated, and consolidated quarterly rolling forecasts for income and expenditure, resulting in a 12% reduction in budget overruns. o Implemented an integrated process to establish robust linkages between strategic planning and short-term planning initiatives. o Managed the negotiation and administration of donor contracts, along with project partner contracts and Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with government entities including ministries of Agriculture, Finance, and Trade in Ghana and Kenya. o Ensured adherence to contractual obligations and fostered productive partnerships. o Offered financial oversight and monitoring for beneficiary firms and projects, guaranteeing appropriate fund utilization, adherence to financial protocols, and compliance with regulatory standards. o Led the organizations financial and risk management initiatives, implementing strategies to mitigate financial risks and enhance financial performance, resulting in an average risk reduction of 22%. o Implemented controls to manage expenses effectively, resulting in an 18% cost reduction between 2014 and 2016.

o Developed and managed academic courses and modules, assessment, planning, and quality assurance. o Lectured undergraduate students in financial management, advanced accounting, risk management, and spreadsheet applications.

o Conducted operational performance reviews and reported to the board of the fund. o Business strategy development and analysis. o Implemented processes to improve long-term business success and increase profit levels.