Team and Network

Blaga is an international development professional with 10+ years’ experience in sustainable agriculture, climate action, rural development, inclusive value chains, and MEAL. She has led cross-cultural teams, projects, and partnerships using a systems approach that promotes collaboration, learning, and organizational effectiveness. Blaga has worked with smallholder communities, state and local officials, global organisations such as USAID, UN-FAO, Sida, IITA, GIZ, DEG, CRS, NGOs, CSOs and private partners. Her expertise spans capacity building, program management and social innovation.

Keni is an international lawyer and political economist with expertise in law, governance, social entrepreneurship, and agriculture. With over 8 years of managerial experience and a PhD from SOAS on Kenya's agricultural political economy, he co-founded Impact Hub Nairobi and directs Scio Kenya. Keni applies 14+ years of research experience to advance policy and governance in Africa, emphasising rents and political settlement theory to analyze power dynamics in the regulatory space.

Roberta, PhD in Development Studies, brings 15+ years of academic research and consultancy experience in mainstreaming gender issues and promoting gender transformative and social inclusion approaches in rural and agricultural development programmes, agro-food value-chain development, MSE development, education, child protection, digital technologies, institutional strengthening – having worked in different capacities for bilateral donors, international development agencies, international NGOs, Universities, private sector actors. Her experience spans across Southern Africa, North Africa and Middle East and Southeast Asia.

Edith is a dedicated analytical accountant and administration assistant with over three-year experience in financial management and administration having strong background in businessAdministration and I.T. At Scio Network, she works with clients to determine requirements and provide excellent services as a back stopper in finance, administration, and business development, where she played a pivotal role in ensuring smooth operations and efficient financial management. She is skilled in utilising various software tools and systems to streamline processes and enhance productivity. In the field of accounting, she leverages her analytical abilities to maintain accurate financial records, reconcile accounts, and prepare comprehensive reports.

Emily Addonizio, with over 15 years of experience in Africa, specializes in climate-smart agriculture, food security, and resilience. Holding an MSc in Agricultural Biotechnologies, she has led development initiatives with major UN agencies and donors. At Scio Network, Emily is a Senior Advisor on Agriculture and Food Systems Development, where she supports strategic planning and global partnerships, technical teams in business development, product design, and market identification.

Emmanuel has 10+ years of experience in international development cooperation, with expertise on employment promotion, green TVET, grant management as well as entrepreneurship and SME development and youth policy and empowerment. He is a coach and trainer on entrepreneurship, financial literacy and soft skills, and has been providing technical assistance to entrepreneurs and organizations in Sub-Saharan Africa and Germany.

Wiafe is an accomplished professional with over 15 years of experience in corporate banking, financial management, assurance, and risk management with extensive global experience across Africa, Europe, Asia, and North America. He is an ACCA fellow and holds an M.Sc. in Economics and Finance and a B.Sc. in Accounting. He has served as an accountant with KPMG, corporate banker with Standard Chartered Bank and Financial Advisor with Edward Jones Investments. Wiafe is passionate about building financial literacy skills among the African Diaspora and volunteering in the local community.

Filippo is a start-up entrepreneur with 15 years experience in international development cooperation. As a Partner (Co-Founder) of Scio Network, he advises international organisations on the design, implementation, and evaluation of agribusiness and entrepreneurship development programs and strategies, while also focusing on agro-tech product development and the use of blockchain technology in agricultural value chains. Previously, he served as Agribusiness Officer at FAO, where he was responsible for the portfolio of project in support to the Integrated Agro-Industrial Parks (IAIP) initiative in Ethiopia. Since founding Scio Network in 2019, Filippo has led the engagement with clients such as FAO, UNIDO, GIZ, KfW, GAIN, and others. He holds an M.Sc. in Tropical Agricultural Systems and Development Management from the Institut des Régions Chaudes (IRC) in Montpellier, France, and an M.Sc. in Agricultural Development from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. He is fluent in English, French, Spanish, Italian, and has good understanding of German.

Florian is a business consultant and entrepreneur with companies in Nigeria, Pakistan and Germany and with 3+ years experience in Fundraising, Impact Investing, and Private Equity. Since 2022, Florian has worked with and supported startups in Sub-Saharan Africa and organized an incubation program to help early-stage startups raising funds from international investors. For two years, he taught Bachelor students at Goethe-University Frankfurt about Social Entrepreneurship and Impact investing. Florian holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and Economics from Goethe-University.

Nora has over 8 years of experience in developing sustainable value chains across Sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on gender inclusivity and supporting rural startups and entrepreneurs. She specializes in gender and youth-inclusive development, innovative training, project design, and stakeholder collaboration. She holds a Master's degree in Organic Agriculture from Wageningen University in the Netherlands. Currently, Nora leads the business development unit at Scio, focusing on project acquisition, strengthening client and partner relationships, and engaging with and onboarding new network members.

Parag has close to 18 years of experience in Public Sector Advisory, Governance and Transformation. His past experience includes working with the Ministry of IT in Ethiopia for National e-Governance Strategy and developing Unified Billing Systems project, Ministry of Finance in Ethiopia and Kenya for Public Finance Management reforms and Change Management. As an Associate Director at PWC, Parag led Digital Payment Transformation initiatives for Smart Cities and Metro Projects in India. His experience spans across South Asia, East Africa, and the Middle East.

Rhoda is a marketing professional with over 9 years of experience in various markets across Africa and the Middle East. Specialising in targeted campaigns, stakeholder engagement, and content strategy, she excels in media relations, partnerships, and event marketing. With a proven track record of driving brand visibility, revenue growth, and data-driven results, Rhoda has successfully implemented strategies that deliver impactful outcomes across diverse industries and markets.

Stefania has 18+ years of experience across the MENA Region, Europe, Africa, and Asia, Stefania is a seasoned professional specializing in management, coordination, and consulting. Her diverse background spans grassroots NGOs, international organizations, and large UN agencies. Focused on Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning since 2010, Stefania actively contributes to innovative practices within the MEL vertical at Scio Network. Beyond MEL, she excels in areas such as protection, gender mainstreaming, civil society strengthening, and efficient project support, showcasing a versatile and impactful professional.

Tobias has 15+ years of experience with projects in organizational development, digitization, governance, higher education, and entrepreneurship in Africa, Europe, North America, East Asia, and Latin America. He is a Principal at Berkeley-based consulting firm Cambrian Group, advising companies and public institutions at the intersection of deep tech, strategy, product design, and governance. As a former advisor to GIZ, Tobias helped design and lead projects with a total budget of over EUR 60 million. These included key finance, admin, advisory, and leadership roles in projects supporting the establishment of the AU's African Governance Architecture, the Pan African University, the global AI for All Lab, and tech entrepreneurship initiatives.

Tripti Naswa is an organizational transformation expert with over 13 years of experience in international development cooperation. She has led country missions, providing expertise in organizational communication, leadership development, strategic advisory, and change management. A PROSCI-certified change expert and certified futuresi thinker, Tripti is passionate about transforming institutions in Education, WASH, Agriculture to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With a decade of experience establishing functions like People Operations, Learning & Development, and Program Management, she has advised social entrepreneurs across India and Africa. Prior to joining SCIO she has successfully scaled a social impact advisory firm in India, driving organisational strategy and development.