Saidja Drentje

Partner at the premier sports management consultancy dedicated to sport and physical activity, serving governments, sports bodies, and corporates on their most urgent, critical and complex issues and opportunities in the sports sector. Advised on mega events, developer and city asset strategies, federation strategies, IP investments, and sport business feasibility studies. Specialization in golf and racket sports. • Leading global advisory assignments for governments, federations, developers, and investors across national sports strategies, major events, elite academies, and sports asset platforms. • Advising senior stakeholders (ministers, CEOs, boards) on policy design, operating models, governance, and investment structures across complex, multi-stakeholder environments. • Shaping and deliver end-to-end mandates from strategy and feasibility through to implementation planning and execution support. • Supporting clients in structuring scalable, investable sports platforms with long-term economic and institutional impact.

Led the project from strategy and business planning to fundraising and construction to club launch and sale.

Lead Mercer's large ODE practice specialized in organizational transformation (incl. operating model), strategic workforce planning and sector human capital strategy. Drive the development of new consulting offerings such as the future of work, agility, digital transformation, cultural change management and leadership development as well as innovative products such as the human capital compass. Also support the delivery of Mercer’s traditional offering including talent strategy, performance management, HR transformation, talent mobility, rewards and executive compensation for key clients. Responsibilities include: • Develop practice strategy and ensure profitable growth • Lead ideation and commercial proposition design and development (product and consulting) • Rollout of product and consulting services, incl. integrated x-LoB go-to-market planning • Drive client development incl. senior relationship management (board and c-suite relationships) • Lead sales efforts for large mandates and steer project delivery • Ensure team growth, development and performance management • Spearhead new knowledge development and coordinate integration with Mercer's wider offering • Provide support to Mercer consulting and product marketing

The ATA is a strategy and delivery-oriented government agency created to accelerate the growth and transformation of Ethiopia’s agriculture sector. The organization focuses on policy development, national and sector-specific strategy, coordination of key actors and the implementation of sector-wide programs that act as a catalyst for economic growth and poverty reduction. The ATA is financially supported by organizations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the UN (World Food Program). Co-led, as a Senior Principal the Analytics function consisting of both an internal strategy consulting unit (10+ FTEs) as well as a strategy and data analytics unit (60+ FTEs). Directly led the 5-year resource mobilization for the Ministry of Finance, 10-year investment prioritization for Ministry of Agriculture, food and beverage processing and auxiliary industry strategy for the Economic Investment Commission, lowland wheat strategy to support import substitution for the Prime Minister’s Office, short-term initiative to boost cereal production for Ministry of Agriculture’s Delivery Unit, redesign and scale-up of the decentralized seed marketing model as well as the CBSP strategy implementation plan for the Input Marketing Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture. Managed the ATA’s organizational transformation project including operating model design, organizational structure redesign and workforce rightsizing exercise as well as the development of the 3-year resource mobilization plan. For the Analytics team specifically, led the talent management as well as the Training and Development program while supporting ongoing recruitment and onboarding efforts.

Project for the World Bank's Water Resources Group 2030 to assess the appetite of the private sector to participate in potential PPPs in irrigation. The Private Sector Market Assessment informed the Indian Government on potentially workable PPP structures. The project end stage was set a Terms of Reference for optimal PPP transactions.

Responsible for Strategy and Sustainability. Led the strategy, fundraising and communications teams as well as the business units. Designed a long term strategy including transformative initiatives such as livelihood training, fundraising, business unit investment and partnership building strategies. Launched an organizational development and growth fund. Developed and managed the fundraising strategy (incl. global team ramp up, retail segment entry and closing record commitments from corporates, (U)HNIs and innovative partnerships). Co-managed the board, key (U)HNIs and lead large corporate partnership, all business units, events like the UN’s S4D Conference and new projects.

Consulted on a broad range of topics including strategy, organization and project management for companies in a wide range of industries from financial services to infrastructure to natural resources. Supported business and knowledge development efforts as well as internal practice initiatives.

Worked on the international expansion strategy for one of Europe’s largest confectionary manufacturers.

MFI Project for UN Public-Private Alliance for Rural Development with Bank of Africa. Explored the positive role that private business enterprise can play in development. Advised on financial inclusion of the 'Bottom of the Pyramid' through the creation of small farmer ‘credit unions’, acting as wholesale loan originators, expanding Bank of Africa’s microfinance business. Project activities included: • Defining best practices of Mutual Guarantee Associations from around the world • Assessing the Bank of Africa’s involvement with Mutual Guarantee Associations • Conducting an operational capability assessment • Analysing the bank’s role, successes achieved and challenges encountered • Adapting the global best practices to the local environment based on the learnings • Developing a set of recommendations for all stakeholders and the larger MFI community

Sourced, structured, marketed and distributed syndicated loans for top (listed) companies in diverse industries while focusing on Energy, Transportation, Real Estate, Shipping, Offshore, Commodities. Impact generated: • Structured loan for top listed companies in diverse industries while focusing on Real Estate, Shipping, Offshore and Commodities • Increased the team’s European investor base through pro-active relationship management • Redirected the team’s strategy towards co-arranger role by encompassing historic deal, process and market analysis, resulting in strong revenue growth • Streamlined the global team’s business by introducing a new database system resulting in increased efficiency and a significant direct annual savings

Minors in German and International Development, Full Athletic Scholarship, Athletic Director's Honor Roll, Dean's List and President's Awards.