James Blewett Email & Phone Number

Lusaka Province, Zambia

Helping to grow Koloso - a digital assessment app to help primary and secondary teachers in sub-Saharan Africa get the best out of each student, by subscribing to a two-minute, ten-question quiz game linked to the student's curriculum, grade and class teaching plan.Koloso generates real-time performance and progress data, and individual learning gap analysis for every student.We are two years into our startup journey, and have finally launched our product, attracting our first customers. We are starting with schools in Zambia, but we have big, realistic ambitions for the next decade.Being one of three founders, the last two years have been full of hard work - dreaming, thinking, problem-solving, and ultimately sitting in front of my laptop for more hours than are healthy! Moments of complete exhaustion, but in the end an incredibly motivating, energising and fulfilling experience.All of the effort is made worthwhile when you see a live product emerge and start to work... when you see real users using and benefiting from something that you have helped to create... and when you come up with new ideas to make it even better... And always heading towards our shared vision of a world in which everyone has access to affordable and high-quality tech-enabled face-to-face, teacher-led targeted instruction.

Lusaka, Zambia

Prospero is a Zambian registered not for profit special purpose vehicle established in order to deliver a UK funded private sector development programme.I look back on my time at Prospero with a lot of professional satisfaction, but some mixed feelings.We achieved some amazing things, notably by supporting the growth of the impact investment ecosystem in the country (Impact Capital Africa, the National Advisory Board for Impact Investment and the Zambia Business Angels Network all came out of partnerships with Prospero). But at the same time, we could have done so much more and inevitably, we made a few mistakes along the way.

Lusaka, Zambia

Over a period of three years, I was responsible for leading the PEP Zambia team through a period of strategic reorientation and implementation acceleration, and latterly for helping to manage the transition to the new Prospero phase.There were times when this was one of the most rewarding jobs on the planet, I worked with and alongside some fantastic people - but there were also moments when it was a thankless and draining experience. When you try to turn a complacent, failing organisation around, you uncover and have to address all manner of problems - indolence, dishonesty, entitlement etc, and not surprisingly (especially when you turn off the money-tap) you upset a few people along the way.

London, United Kingdom

Responsible for business development and strategic/technical oversight of project implementation within Maxwell Stamp's economic development portfolio. I had the pleasure of working with some great people and we had a lot of fun together, but sadly it was in a dysfunctional and incredibly badly led organisation. So glad that I got out when I did!

Uk

InFrontier was a private sector growth capital investment fund focusing on post-conflict zones. IF raised US$30million to provide investment finance for ambitious entrepreneurs and business people in Afghanistan.Great, formative and learning experience that allowed me to see the world of VC close up.

Trowbridge, Uk

Responsible for developing specialist expertise on market development, enterprise growth and trade within Landell Mills. Currently continuing to provide inputs to the Afghanistan Business Innovation Fund, the Somaliland Business Fund (a World Bank managed private sector development fund financed by DFID and DANIDA), and the Research Challenge Fund component of the Agricultural Technology Transfer project (DFID), and leading team undertaking Options Study for the Afghanistan Rural Enterprise Development Programme (AREDP) on behalf of World Bank.

Kabul, Afghanistan

ABIF was a £6 million challenge fund financed by DFID, subsequently supplemented by a further AUD2 million from AusAID. I was responsible for leading the ABIF design team and then became the Fund Manager for the implementation phase. The objective of the fund was to support private sector investment, and in the end we signed 23 grant agreements, committing some £4.1 million to private sector investment projects worth £14.9 million.The ABIF experience will always stay in my memory as one of the most interesting, challenging and rewarding professional experiences of my career to date. I loved my time in Afghanistan and would return immediately if that was ever an option. One of the most beautiful countries I know, and some of the most impressive people I have ever met.The tragedy of the current situation is just awful.

Kabul, Afghanistan

Short term contract to advise senior programme management team on implementation strategy. Programme has two operational components:1. Community enterprise development, through improving access to finance and market linkages2. SME development, through strengthening management skills and improving access to financeA fascinating project with dynamic national management and enormous impact potential!

Abuja, Nigeria

Responsible for the development and advising on the implementation of a privatisation strategy for the Nigerian electric power sector.

Dhaka, Bangladesh

Responsible for multi-donor funded market development project in Bangladesh.

Basra, Iraq

Responsible for working with and developing capacity of the Basra Economic Development Commission.

Kabul, Afghanistan

Responsible for leading a team providing technical assistance to the newly established Private Sector Development Directorate at the MoCI. Role included policy advice and supporting the design of measures to improve the investment climate.Also worked on organisational development, steering the first phase of restructuring of the ministry to a successful completion.

Kabul, Afghanistan

Short-term assignment as resident project manager for Partnerships for Private Sector Development. Focus on improving the provision of business development services (BDS) to SMEs in Afghanistan.

Sofia, Bulgaria

Director of business consultancy firm focusing on investment projects in the Balkans, based in Sofia, Bulgaria. Clients included international development agencies and private sector companies.Lead advisor to the Government of Macedonia on the privatisation of more than 20 state owned enterprises. Advised William Pears Group on potential real estate acquisition in Bulgaria. Worked with many Bulgarian SMEs on international partnerships to improve market linkages within the European Union, and with UK SMEs interested in investing in Bulgaria.

Bulgaria

Originally based in London, but worked on long-term privatisation and advisory assignments in Romania, Bulgaria, Macedonia and Azerbaijan.In Romania was responsible for pre-privatisation evaluation of 6 state owned enterprises. In Bulgaria was resident project manager on EU Phare project to privatise Neftochim (oil refinery), Petrol (petrol distribution and retail), Sviloza (pulp) and Neochim (fertlisers). In Macedonia acted as project director on privatisation of Feni (Ferrous nickel) and Jugohrom (steel). In Azerbaijan was project director on award of long-term management contract for the Baku Electricity Network.

London, United Kingdom

Passed Final Examinations

Ma (Hons), History Of Art

Education record