Management
Globally
recognized
innovators
and leaders
-
Nick Imudia
N
Nick is d.light’s Chief Executive Officer.
Before joining d.light, Nick was the Co-CEO of Konga Group. Nick was responsible for the merger and acquisition of the company by the current owners and in charge of a successful turn-around of the company with an incredible growth track record.
Previously, Nick had 20 years of experience with TCL/Alcatel and Nokia, with regional MD roles across Africa, driving the transformation and growth of the converging Internet and communications industry. He worked with Nokia in different capacities including the areas of Sales, Marketing, Capability Development, Management systems, Operational excellence, Distribution network and Process management, so he has a strong operational understanding of all aspects of the business.
Nick holds an MBA in International Business Management, Master of Engineering in Oil and Gas Technology and Bachelor of Engineering in Industrial Management.
-
Sam Goldman
S
Sam is the co-founder and President of d.light.
Over more than a decade, he has built and grown various functions in d.light, including its supply chain, global brand and marketing, product design and engineering teams, cloud and platform teams, and country offices in India and East Africa. Sam has been selected as an Ashoka Fellow, World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, a Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur of the Year, a Next Generation Leader for Africa by the African Leadership Network, a Business Insider top 100 business visionary, and an ELITE Rising Star by the 21st Century Icon Awards. He was awarded the 2014 Charles Bronfman Prize and the National Peace Corps Assocation's 2011 Sargent Shriver Award for Distinguished Humanitarian Assistance. His leadership has also been recognized by BusinessWeek, Forbes, The Guardian, and Social Venture Network.
-
Nedjip Tozun
N
Nedjip (Ned) Tozun is the co-founder and Director of d.light.
Since the company's founding in 2007, Ned has played a key role in developing the company's mission and strategic plan, securing private investment from multinational venture capital and social impact funds, designing award-winning products, and establishing worldwide distribution through four international offices. Ned has been recognized by BusinessWeek, Forbes, The Guardian, Social Venture Network, the Asia Society, and the World Economic Forum for his innovative leadership. He and d.light co-founder Sam Goldman have been recognized as Social Entrepreneurs of the Year by the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, top 100 business visionaries creating value for the world by Business Insider, and ELITE Rising Stars by the 21st Century Icon Awards.
-
Ronald Pfende
R
Ronald is d.light’s Chief Financial Officer. A Chartered Accountant with more than twenty-five years of finance experience in both listed and unlisted entities. He has extensive knowledge of establishing and scaling business on the African continent, mergers, acquisition and turning around nonperforming companies.
Prior to joining d.light Ronald was Managing Director for Stanlib Asset Management, Southern African Region. His previous roles include Chief Operating Officer for the BancABC Group, a SADC based regional bank and Chief financial Officer for Standard Bank’s (Africa’s largest Bank) West African Operations. He trained with Deloitte & Touche, before embarking on a corporate career that was largely in financial services but included periods in manufacturing and oil and gas. He holds a Master of Business Leadership and an Honours Bachelor of Accounting Science.
-
Effie Cooke
A
As the Senior Director of People Effie Cooke comes with over 25 years of invaluable experience in leading HR teams and supporting senior executives in people, culture and organizational development. Effie’s background includes senior leadership roles in HR Consulting, Banking and Retail. Prior to joining d.light Effie was Executive Director of Capability Trust a full-service HR Consulting firm in Ghana. Prior to Capability Trust, Effie was Regional HR Director for Opportunity International leading HR teams across 8 countries in Africa. A Senior Certified Professional ( SHRM-SCP) , Effie Holds an undergraduate Degree in Law from Middlesex University and Post Graduate Certificates in Human Resources from Middlesex University and Cranfield University UK.
Effie is responsible for all aspects of d.light’s people strategy globally including organizational development, integrated talent management, leadership development and culture and will work with the Executive Committee to ensure d.light continues to improve employee experience and builds a culture that attracts retains and develops the best teams.
-
Jacob Lewandowski
J
Jacob is d.light's Chief Operating Officer. Jacob joined d.light in 2013 as a Shell Foundation Fellow in our Nairobi office, and has been a key contributor to the company's success. He has served in various leadership roles including piloting the company's first direct distribution model in Africa, developing product-locking technology for pay-as-you-go solar home systems, and deploying bespoke mobile apps for staff and customers. Since 2015, Jacob has led the creation and scale-up of the Atlas PAYGO software platform, a business operating software that manages over two million PAYGO products for d.light and its distribution partners in 30+ countries. Prior to joining d.light, Jacob worked in M&A sell-side advisory, supporting clients in the energy, hospitality, and technology sectors. Jacob holds an MBA with a focus on Social Entrepreneurship from Oxford and a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Oral Roberts University.
-
Karl Skare
K
Karl is d.light’s Chief Product and Strategy Officer. Karl joined d.light in 2014, and has over 10 years of experience in the off-grid solar sector. He spearheaded the development and commercialization of d.light’s pay-as-you-go product line, which now constitutes the majority of d.light’s revenue. Throughout his tenure at d.light, Karl has managed a variety of departments, including B2B Partnerships, Product Management, Corporate Strategy, Supply Chain, and Climate Finance. Prior to joining d.light, Karl was one of the first employees at Bboxx, where he served as Director of Operations. As co-chair of the GOGLA Policy working group, Karl contributed towards the development of multiple case studies and industry opinions regarding government involvement in the off-grid energy sector. Karl holds an MBA and MS in Engineering from Stanford and a BA in Finance and Environmental Studies from Washington University in Saint Louis.