Alexander Fernando

Alexander is a seasoned agricultural development executive with over 25 years of experience in managing agricultural and private sector development programs. He has held various roles, including COP/Project Director, Portfolio Manager, and Regional Director. Alexander has a proven track record of overseeing country and regional portfolios and projects throughout the entire project lifecycle, from acquisition and program design to implementation and supervision. Since 2002, Alexander has been based in Eastern and Southern Africa, successfully managing programs aimed at building the capacity of agribusinesses, public-private partnerships, and smallholder farmer associations. His expertise spans agribusiness, agricultural value chains, climate-smart agriculture, market and food systems, soil health and fertility, fertilizer markets, scaling technologies, youth and gender inclusion, and agricultural transformation in staple crops, horticulture, livestock, and coffee. Alexander began his career as a management consultant in the US, advising multinational companies on international marketing strategies. Over the last few years, Alexander has written winning proposals (both competitive and unsolicited) worth over $100 million and has been responsible for securing an additional $200+ million in new business. He is an exceptional team motivator, focused on delivering results. Alexander is an experienced communicator at all levels, adept at working in multi-stakeholder environments and forging partnerships with both private and public sectors. His two burnouts served as breakthroughs in his quest for authenticity and self-awareness, opening the door to pursuing his passions and not giving a damn. He now organizes a monthly discussion group in Nairobi on “Authenticity in the Workplace” to continue exploring these topics and support fellow travellers on the journey.