NEPAD Business Foundation (NBF) today announced the appointment of Mr. Ian Hirschfeld and Ms. Iddah Asin to the Board of Directors. Mr. Ian Hirschfeld joins the Board currently serving as Director for Economic Policy & Regulatory: Africa at Coca-Cola Africa, and Ms Iddah Asin joins the Board currently serving as Head of Government Affairs and Policy Sub-Saharan Africa at Johnson & Johnson, and as Advocate of the High Court of Kenya.
“We are pleased to welcome Mr. Ian Hirschfeld and Ms Iddah Asin to the NBF,” said Mr. Geoff Rothschild, Chairman of NBF. “Their unique skills set, deep regional experience in global businesses with strong regulatory oversight will be invaluable to the NBF as we pursue our mission to contribute to the economic development of Africa.”
“We are confident that Mr. Ian Hirschfeld’s and Ms Iddah Asin’s current roles at Coca-Cola Africa and Johnson & Johnson, respectively, and vast experience will be vital in fostering cooperation between the private and public sectors in achieving our developmental objectives regionally and continentally,” said Mr. Peter Varndell, CEO of NBF.
Mr. Hirschfeld’s and Ms Asin’s appointments coincide with NBF’s 20-year anniversary which demonstrates our ability to mobilise and manage impactful development projects through public-private partnerships and collaboration.
“It is an incredible privilege to join NBF’s Board of Directors at such at a time when, more than ever, we all have to work together and create relevant partnerships to find creative solutions to the challenges we face not just in our regions but globally. I am energized to work alongside this top-notch group of individuals united by the same mission to drive economic development in Africa, and I look forward to bringing my regional regulatory and pharmaceutical industry experience as NBF continues to execute its regional mandate,” said Ms Asin.
“Having worked with the NBF as a member on behalf of the Coca-Cola Company, I am honoured to join the NBF’s Board. The NBF encapsulates the focus on strategic priorities and regional reach critical to both regional citizenship and sustained business growth for companies operating in the region,” said Mr. Hirschfield.
Among other leadership roles, Hirschfeld previously served as a Committee Chair of the AmCham (American Chamber of Commerce in SA), Vice Chair of the Beverage Association of SA (BevSA), Founding member of the Strategic Water Partners Network (SWPN) and Chair of the SWPN Agriculture and Supply Chain Committee, member of the SA Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI), Advisor on the establishment of the Namibia Waste Forum with Namibia Breweries and he has supported initiatives by the SADC Business Council (SADC BC).
As part of her leadership journey, Asin currently serves on the Board of the American Chamber of Commerce – Kenya Chapter and has served as member of the Kenya Association of Pharmaceutical Industry (KAPI),), Kenya Healthcare Federation, Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), East Africa Community (EAC) Committee of Experts on Health Sector Investment Priorities. She also comes on board with vast experience in the air transportation industry having previously worked for Kenya Airways overseeing over 50 destinations in Europe, Asia and Africa as Head of Government and Industry Affairs and was recognized as Kenya’s Top 40 under 40 Women in 2017.
