Alex Da Costa Email and Phone Number

- Provision of strategic advice and strategic planning in the areas of advocacy, public, media and marketing communications. - Delivery of discreet PR services to high networth individuals, organisations and governments, to include reputation management, damage limitation, branding and positioning. - Able to provide Chief of Staff/Special Assistant support to Senior Government officials and top business executives including CEO's.

The BEST Co Ltd is a one-stop solutions and result driven company. Our core areas of operations are:Business Management and Advisory Services to include Private Wealth Management, Outsourcing of Employees and Escrow Accounting; Debt Management, Recovery and Counselling Services; Public and Media Relations; Procurement Services; and Real Estate and Property Management,We provide the expertise in ensuring that our clients know their products and/or services better, translate this knowledge effectively to their clients and by so doing meet their strategic objectives and goals. We work with businesses at any stage of their existence, getting stuff done, from A to Z. Being the best at what we do The BEST Co Ltd simply makes sure that things are properly done without taking more time than they should. The BEST Co Ltd provides its clients with qualitative services and provides you with a platform to raise your profile.As CEO I am responsible for: Team/Project Leadership, development, nurturing and promotion of effective teams; Knowledge management and a culture of learning and sharing within a team; Building staff competence; Creating an environment of creativity and innovation; Development and promotion of an enabling environment for open communication; Creation of an emotionally intelligent organization; Finance & Budgetary Management; Fair and transparent decision making with calculated risk-taking.

Business Advisory Services, Private Wealth Management, Real Estate and Property Management,Public and Media Relations and Debt Recovery and Management.

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Resident Coordinator (RC), the Coordination Specialist manages the Resident Coordinator Office (RCO); supports the RC and the UN Country Team (UNCT) in enhancing system-wide coherence and aid effectiveness by providing strategic and operational guidance on UN Reform; and strengthen the capacity of the UNCT to coordinate and implement the United Nations Development Assistance Framework II (UNDAF). The Coordination Specialist as Special Assistant to the RC ensures that appropriate follow up is initiated to Global Conferences and Commitments. The UN Coordination Specialist supervises and leads the staff of the UN Coordination Unit and works in close collaboration with UNCT members, programme and operations teams of the Agencies, UNDGO staff and Government officials, technical advisers and experts, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and civil society, ensuring successful and transparent coordination of UNCT activities. Under the direct supervision of the RC and in close collaboration with the members of the UNCT, the main duties and responsibilities of the Coordination Specialist are:• Ensuring effective support to UNCT in preparation and implementation of country programming processes and products• Preparation and implementation of the RC Work Plan• Effective advocacy of UN activities• Creation of strategic partnerships and implementation of the resource mobilization strategy for UNDAF implementation• Facilitation of knowledge building and management• Heading the RC’s Office and ensuring daily supervision and leadership • Supporting the UN RC in his/her capacity as Designated Official (DO) for security, in close cooperation with the National Security Officer.

1. Finance: Supervised and led professional and support staff of the Finance Unit in close collaboration with the Programme and Operations (Support) teams in the Country Office (CO) and UNDP Headquarters to ensure successful CO performance in Finance; Provided accurate, thoroughly researched and documented financial information; Ensured timely and appropriate delivery of services to clients using expertise and knowledge of ATLAS (an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system), comprising of Financial and Human Resource Management modules;and, also ensured CO Internal Control Framework (ICF) and Audit compliance. 2. Communications: Provided support for Senior Management buy-in to enhance and strengthen the communication function; promoted work of the CO and increased its visibility, transparency and accountability with stakeholders; conducted assessment of communications needs of the CO; developed a communication strategy for results-based management in support of the UNDP Resident Representative function; acted as spokesperson for the CO; Trained on Adobe Content Management System for websites and developed the CO website with the help of colleagues; developed and produced videos highlighting successes of the CO drawing on programmes undertaken; developed in-country leaflets, pamphlets, brochures and materials for distribution including the use of social media tools;established contacts and support to ensure the CO was mentioned in regional media.3. Resource Mobilisation (RM): Produced a RM strategic plan that was clear and focused with goals and objectives driven by results-based outcomes. In so doing, I developed a case statement for the Country Office (CO) that was clear and compelling and identified the relevant audience or donors sought; Donors were engaged, kept updated and involved in the CO’s work; and, I networked with partners seizing opportunities to build alliances, cultivate and maintain inter-agency and other professional networks and partnerships.

Advisor to the Director General on corporate responsibilities to include Media, Public and Stakeholder Relationships - both local and international. Provision of Strategic Planning and management advice. Managed internal and external communications processes which involved:• communicating regularly with the Director General and other staff in order to help keep the organization at large informed of the overall activities of the Authority• being the spokesperson and speech writer for the organisation and providing communications direction in the event of a media issue or crisis• working with the Director General on internal communications• working with the Director General on communications aspects of relationships with relevant stakeholders and professional bodies• Work with the Director General on communicating issues that relate to PURA overall and its reputation, drafting Q & A documents and position statements• developing relationships with national journals, feature writers and programmed editors in the mandated areas of regulation by PURA• attending and contributing to meetings (with the Director General and other Directors) as part of the Senior Management Team,• delivering through relevant mediums aspect of knowledge management that drive and support the development of PURA’s network• drafting of standards and guidelines in plain simple language on all areas of regulatory matters to include Information Communication Technology, Human Resources, Financial Guidelines, Internal Procurement processes (from a compliance perspective with The Gambia Public Procurement Act)• Advocacy and raising awareness of consumers so as to ensure they are protected and empowered

• Developed and implemented a national media strategy to include management of a website and publicity for the African Union (AU) Summit - 2006 hosted in Banjul, The Gambia. • Development of key summit documents including the Media Guide, Summit Magazine and the Daily Summit Bulletin & wrote the statements and speeches of the President of The Gambia, The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and the Secretary of State for Communication, Information and Technology.• Successfully managed the accreditation process for the Media • Successfully coordinated the project management team responsible for satellite uplink and communication of sounds and images from the AU summit for global access. • Developed & managed the media centre for use by media staff/journalists• Worked as the local counterpart to the AU Head of Information and Communication of the AU

• Developed a communications strategy and provided training for NAOSU staff and stakeholders of the EDF programme• Provided support and guidance To the NAOSU Coordinator on organisational review of information management. • I also provided training through organised seminars and workshops to improve information and communication flows internally and externally• Conceptualised an intranet set up for better dissemination of information between various stakeholders within the EDF based on feedback from seminars conducted • Supported the NAOSU IT Manager in developing a new website as well as providing initial content for the site

• Set up the Communications Department and this included development of a communication strategy in conjunction with key external collaborators such as political, media, government, health authorities and community based organisations• Managed the Office of The Director and coordinated Special Projects on behalf of the Director and produced speeches, briefing notes and respond to official government correspondence for the Unit• Developed an effective two-way (MRC and The Gambia Government) forum at a senior political level• Coordinated an effective internal & external communication and information programme including keeping track of published work at the unit and disseminating it to relevant collaborators and stakeholders through analysis of information and presentations• Successfully fulfilled the role of spokesperson (the public face of MRC) including Public Relations management, events management, speech writing, preparation of reports (including management of the production of the Annual Reports 2003/2004) and the production and delivery of out reach information packages in rural areas• Set up the Unit Newsletter – Tama and edited the first through to the 10 Edition copies