Gregory Valadie Email & Phone Number

Cotonou, Littoral, Benin

Supporting TechnoServe West Africa regional and country platforms on all entrepreneurship development related needs and opportunities, including project technical advisory, business development strategic design, fund raising, partner relationship management, etc.Countries covered thus far: Benin, Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal.

Cotonou, Littoral, Benin

Project BeniBiz 2.0Donors: Swiss Cooperation (SDC), Dutch Cooperation (EKN), European Union (EUD)Budget: Eur25.5 millionPhase 2: 5 years (August 2022 - August 2027)Goals : Average +100% annual sales increase for 11,000 entrepreneurs trained and coached. Average +30% annual sales increase for 100,000+ entrepreneurs trained and coached by local actors.At least 30 local partners (public and/or private) supported.50% female participation. About 20,000 new jobs created.The BeniBiz project phase 2 is basically taking the phase one results and learning to a much higher scale, by using a hybrid approach of Direct approach (continue the Phase 1 approach), and Market Systems Development (MSD) approach, supporting local ecosystem actors, covering the entire national territory of Benin through group training and individual coaching, focusing on five main axis:• Access to skills• Access to market• Access to finance• Access to information• Food securityand targeting four main groups:• Revenue generating activities• Micro youth entrepreneurs• Small businesses• Micro retailers• Green products/services providersThe team to be recruited will reach 120 staff.Reach: 11,000 youths directly supported, and more than 100,000 youth supported via MSD activities and local actors.All our annual reports are publicly available here:http://www.d-portal.org/ctrack.html?search&country=BJ&publisher=US-EIN-13-2626135#view=act&aid=US-EIN-13-2626135-BEN0003

Cotonou Benin

Project BeniBiz Donors: Swiss Cooperation (SDC) and Dutch Cooperation (EKN)Budget: EUR12.5 millionPhase 1: 5 years (July 2017 - August 2022)Results of phase 1 : Average +130% (target of 30%) annual sales increase for 5,700 entrepreneurs trained and coached. 56% female participation. Less than 5% drop out rate. About 12,000 new jobs created.+25% increase in women financial contribution to their household expenses.The BeniBiz project is a business creation and growth acceleration program covering the entire national territory of Benin through group training and individual coaching, targeting three main groups:• Revenue generating activities• Micro youth entrepreneurs• Small businesses• Last mile nutritional products distribution network.Fully recruited, and currently managing a team of 80+.Reach: 5,700 young entrepreneurs throughout the 12 departments of Benin.All our annual reports are publicly available here:http://www.d-portal.org/ctrack.html?search&country=BJ&publisher=US-EIN-13-2626135#view=act&aid=US-EIN-13-2626135-BEN0003

Cotonou, Littoral, Benin

The Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) is a global network of organizations that propel entrepreneurship in emerging markets. ANDE members provide critical financial, educational, and business support services to small and growing businesses (SGBs) based on the conviction that SGBs will create jobs, stimulate long-term economic growth, and produce environmental and social benefits. Ultimately, we believe that SGBs can help lift countries out of poverty.

Rabat, Morocco

Provide strategic vision and designed 3 proposals for 3 Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC/MCA) national Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)-focused request for proposals. Interviewed relevant stakeholders and potential partners and managed fact-finding and information gathering. Responsible for overall project management on the ground, quality and timeliness of deliverables, external representation, building liaison with MCA core team, partnership building, coordinating with MTC headquarters. We won all 3 proposals.

Rabat Prefecture, Morocco

Commissioned by Entraide Nationale du Maroc via ESME (Higher Education School of Educational Vocations), and financed by UNICEF.Develop a 6-hour professional training module for 150 social workers/mediators whose mission is to develop Child Protection Units in 50 cities throughout the country. Use a participatory approach, integrating family and children, as well as the whole value chain using partnership building.

Rabat Prefecture, Morocco

Develop the Moroccan market and advise Paris-based social enterprise on international strategic communication and marketing. Support the global platform to mobilize and engage civil society, implement impactful projects by gathering innovators around common goals, document best practices and promote their dissemination, and finance social innovation through new mechanisms.

Marrakech, Morocco

Serves as advisory board member to a center that provides care and protection to vulnerable children. Contributes to the development of the center’s overall strategy and supervises its implementation. Responsible for oversight and development of annual budgets, managing reporting procedures and creating financial management models. Leads fundraising initiatives.

Casablanca, Morocco

Overall design and management of high impact startup support program. Coordinated communication and outreach campaigns (French & English), including recruitment of startups all over Africa. Coordinated the evaluation and selection process of participating startups. Managed strategic public and private sector partnerships within the ecosystem. Coached and mentored more than 50 entrepreneurs on business plan design, design thinking, marketing strategy, communication, networking, user discovery, and pitch preparation. Oversaw recruitment of mentors, coaches, and experts.

Bangui, Central African Republic

Project financed by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aiming at the rehabilitation (housing, schooling, and RGA) of displaced populations in 5 refugee camps, and local implementation in partnership with CARITAS Bangui. • Re-orientation of a failing project and implementation of a new and stricter operating model. • Strengthening of partnerships with key stakeholders (funding organizations, INGOs, local authorities, civil society, beneficiaries, and local staff).• Capitalization on previous accomplishments done by stakeholders of the ecosystem.• Negotiations with each partnership in order to mutualize our efforts and resources.• Direction and support of the local implementation team while insuring their protection.• Restructuration of the organizational chart and Internal financial audit of the project.

All Over The World

Illustrative short-term assignments included: • RUSTIC (Khulna, Bangladesh): Consulted Ashoka Fellow and Grameen Grantee Social Enterprise working on trash collection, industrial compost, and slum girls’ education. Developed a model to turn the donation and grant-dependent girl school into a self-sufficient revenue generating girls and boys school, without adding extra cost to parents. Proposed a new model to grow the capacity of the industrial compost enterprise. (February 2014) • Ghalel Eco Tourism Project (Ghalel, Nepal): Consulted a whole village on how to change their ecotourism strategy to improve the livelihoods of villagers. (April 2014) • Bégé Coco (Dakar, Senegal): Consulted a social enterprise with a beach bar and processing coconut to promote health and medicinal products while regenerating soils and replanting deserted areas of the country. Developed revised proposal for impact investments. Created a permaculture garden, and developed marketing strategy. (July 2014) • GAAS Mali (Bandiagara, Mali): Visited field projects in hygiene; food crisis management; and women’s microenterprise and consulted on resource optimization, revenue generation structures, international hygiene construction standards, financial literacy, and overall management. (August 2014)

Chile - Uruguay- Paraguay - Ecuador - Bolivia

Served as the International Area Manager covering Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Ecuador, Bolivia, Honduras, and El Salvador. Managed 4 international high-end brands in fragrance and cosmetics (Givenchy, Kenzo, Pucci, Fendi) across 7 countries, averaging 7 annual strategic projects per brand per country. Successfully launched 2 new brands in more than 300 points of sales with full national media coverage in each country. Planned, implemented and monitored brand and country specific budgets, with total annual wholesale turnover of $16 million upon departure—with an average of 10 percent sales growth year over year during his tenure. Designed and implemented country specific business plans, sales and marketing strategies, and developed specific retail location based sales and marketing strategic partnerships. Negotiated national and pan-regional partnerships and distribution agreements with all the key retailers in each country. Re-negotiated contracts and commercial terms with 9 local distributors.

Toronto, Canada And San Juan, Puerto Rico

• Managed the multicultural francophone banking market and the international student market Canada wide, including the design and implementation of national and international marketing campaigns, and the creation of strategic partnerships with key stakeholders in Canada, Europe, and Latin America • Designed and implemented business case on optimization of Puerto Rico small business and branch banking units, to adapt existing resources to actual operational needs • Led the proposal and implementation of a cross-sell strategy for retail branches in Puerto Rico • Organized the restructuration of a Caribbean contact center and its capacity’s migration to region hub, while coordinating the business case for the Latin American region to build two 500 agents sales and service contact center in Peru and Chile, projecting 5-year cost of $28 million, and revenue of $51 million. Acted as internal central point of communication between Canadian technical team and Latin American implementation team.

São Paulo Area, Brazil

Led team of 5 to design and implement presentations and marketing materials to pitch to potential investors, resulting in solid client relationships and secured contracts with investors to develop 7 luxury resorts.

Washington Dc / Morocco

Project funded by USAID• Coordinated overall project implementation • Coordinated two international market system development workshops with 200 world industry leaders to assess and overcome challenges and leverage opportunities of the global competitiveness of Morocco’s aromatic and medicinal plants market system, and key issues • Developed a 5-year action plan for all 200 stakeholders (including UN, EU Commission, World Bank, US and Moroccan governments) and rolled out implementation with team of 4, mediating conflict-resolution process which led to first-ever national agreement between private and public sector, the creation of 4,000 jobs and multimillion dollars’ business contracts with multinationals (ex. AVEDA) • Led team of 4 to analyze supply chain and barriers to execution, and produce trilingual video documentary aiming at simplifying the complexity of organic certification process. Video was broadcast on national TVhttps://rmportal.net/library/news-events/news-usaid-nrmd-video-spotlight/succeeding-at-scaleae-a-new-direction-for-development

Washington Dc

Development and launch of the knowledge management structure for the entire organization. Created and managed communities of practitioners and multilingual publications, leading to the engagement and collaboration of more than 2,000 employees spread over more than 60 countries.

Washington Dc / Jordan

• Developed proposal for the first community development project focusing on micro enterprise/credit mentorship and youth entrepreneurship in all 22 countries of the Arab world. • Presented at multiple press conferences, governments and foundations in the USA and the Middle East. • Managed intensive international fundraising effort which raised $150,000 and achieved global exposure. • Designed trilingual website to increase awareness and initiate youth interest, and met weekly with government officials and C-level executives for feedback and to build partnerships.

Washington Dc

Created and implemented integrated marketing plan with start up team of 3, identified pro-bono work in order to start portfolio and word of mouth promotion which led to increased exposure and start of customer base.

Kuwait

Re-designed weekly Duty Free Shop brochure for the Dubai airport stores. Increased annual sales.

Mba

Activities and Societies: Leader of Community Consulting Project, Marketing & Consulting Club, Student Council Events Liaison, French.

Bachelor Of Business Administration - Bba, International Marketing, 4.0 Gpa

Bachelor Of Business Administration - Bba, International Marketing, 4.0 Gpa