Innovative Business Models from Across the Continent

Kabengele Bredt is Fichtner Director for Business Development in eastern Africa and the current chairperson of the German Business Association in Kenya. Fichtner is a leading German consulting engineer with more than 30 years of project experience in Eastern Africa including Solar PV and grid-scale battery energy storage systems.

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John is the Founder of AFSIA, the Africa Solar Industry Association. AFSIA aims at promoting the use of solar energy across Africa and being the voice of solar professionals active in Africa. AFSIA's activities include market intelligence analysis, content generation, info sharing, events and business facilitation services. Prior to AFSIA, John has been leading the development of solar projects for 13 years across 4 continents. These projects ranged from utility-scale to commercial and residential projects, and included on- and off-grid systems, hybrid systems, Solar Home Systems and mini-grids. John regularly advises the public and private sector on market dynamics and operational strategy for solar developments in Africa. Next to AFSIA, John is also in charge of La Fromagerie, the only goat cheese farm and factory in Rwanda. John holds a MBA in strategy, managerial and organizational behaviour, Entrepreneurship from the University of Chicago Booth.

Henrik Axelsson Lilja serves as Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Odyssey, bringing over a decade of experience in the renewable energy sector in East Africa. His work focuses on the development and expansion of energy projects that contribute to regional growth and sustainability. Before joining Odyssey, Henrik worked as a Senior Manager in Accenture's Management Consulting practice, where he specialized in improving business processes and implementing technology solutions across various industries.