Shariful Islam Email & Phone Number

Apia, Samoa

The Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Program (PHAMA) is an AUD 32 million Australian Government-funded and New Zealand Government co-funded multi-country initiative that supports the development of a sustainable export market for Pacific commodities in 10 Pacific Island countries. PHAMA Plus is implemented by DT Global, a leading implementor of international development programs in more than 90 countries. DT Global conducts on-the-ground research and utilizes a proprietary methodology to ensure all its projects and programs are constantly adapting in the face of shifting realities and complex challenges. Since the start of 2023, I have joined the PHAMA Plus team as Senior Portfolio Adviser to work with Country Managers across ten countries to build their strategic thinking and planning skills and help them design and implement interventions across agricultural value chains. My job responsibilities include - portfolio development and implementation, portfolio performance, communication and knowledge sharing, gender equality, disability and social inclusion.

Fiji

Moving on from a full-time role as Country Director in MDF-PNG in 2020, I transitioned to a short-term Market Systems Development Specialist (MSD) role in PHAMA Plus till 2022. I provided strategic MSD expertise for PHAMA Plus activity delivery in accordance with MSD principles to ensure it achieves its goal, purpose and end of program outcomes. I supported and mentored country teams and stakeholders in translating Market Systems Theory into practice and as appropriated developed operational tools, training materials and guidelines for use by the program. I worked collaboratively with the rest of the PHAMA Plus team to ensure a cohesive hybrid approach to MSD and market access for this export-focused program.

Papua New Guinea

Market Development Facility (MDF) is an AUD 77.6 million Australian Government-funded multi-country initiative that promotes sustainable economic development, through higher incomes for women and men, in 5 countries in the Asia-pacific region. MDF Phase 2 is implemented by Palladium, a leading implementer of international development programs, working in over 90 countries and across a broad range of sectors. Palladium offers donor agencies a balance of global scale and in-house technical expertise. In assuming this position, I was tasked with turning around an entity that had underperformed for 4 consecutive years and I was the 4th to assume this position during that time. By focusing heavily on the business objectives, reducing operating costs, establishing effective business relationships, and initiating a number of high-profile initiatives, we were able to satisfy the Australian High Commission in Papua New Guinea. The successful projects to which I refer are in the agribusiness space and involved collaboration with private sector partners. My team identified key challenges in coffee, cocoa, honey, and other sectors. We have come up with innovative and individualized business models which ensured private sector profitability and improved wellbeing for the rural beneficiaries. The contributions made by the team was critical to our successes. Recruiting, training, managing and mentoring them was essential to our accomplishments. They were instrumental in fostering a culture of continuous learning and knowledge sharing among all elements of society.

Timor-Leste

Cardno provides solutions to their clients by combining their industry understanding and depth of technical excellence across the principal service areas of Infrastructure, Environment, and International Development. It services over 100 countries around the world from key operations in the Americas and throughout the Asia Pacific. It managed the MDF Phase 1 program with a budget of AUD 46 million in 5 countries in the Asia-Pacific region from 2011 till 2017.When I assumed the role of Country Director it was at a very difficult economic period and I was immediately faced with a 17% reduction in my budget without any change in our business objectives. This necessitated careful cost-cutting and focusing on strategically important projects to manage. Our focus centered on tourism, manufacturing, and agribusiness.Although we were not the largest project manager in the region, I spent significant time and effort courting the Timor-Leste government and international development partners in an effort to get our projects as much support as I could.By negotiating a viable sector strategy, fostering partnership development and implementing new project management processes we were successful in getting our budget reinstated for the succeeding year. In fact, we were able to negotiate a budget increase. Our success was instrumental in generating our reputation as a business intelligence hub for SMEs in Timor-Leste by the Australian Embassy and international development organizations like the US Embassy, UNDP, and FAO.

Timor-Leste

As SMDA, I supported the development and management of a portfolio of agricultural, industrial and service sectors interventions to generate pro-poor growth in a sustainable, effective and efficient manner. Additionally, I identified potential strategic partners in the private and public sector to trigger innovative business practices. A key achievement during this role was to support an agro-input business by establishing its sales network across Timor-Leste. We also helped a boutique coffee exporter to improve its coffee quality through improved extension and win orders for high-grade coffee from Australia and Japan.

Timor-Leste/Fiji/Pakistan

Among my accomplishments was the key role I played in the initial sector scoping and selection as well as the detail sector assessments in Pakistan. I also supported the development of a portfolio of interventions in Dairy, Milk and Leather sector in Pakistan to generate pro-poor growth in a sustainable, effective and efficient manner.Additionally, I supported the Fiji Islands Country Team in negotiation and finalization of a number of partnerships in the Horticulture, Tourism, and Export Processing Sector.

Warri, Nigeria

Since 1970, DAI has worked in more than 150 countries—delivering results across the spectrum of international development contexts, from stable societies and high-growth economies to challenging environments racked by political or military conflict. In a Chevron funded project, I managed a project involving cassava, palm oil and aquaculture sectors using Making Market Work for Poor (M4P) framework for Partnership Initiative in Niger Delta (PIND). I also worked to identify areas where business linkages with local contractors could be improved through technical assistance.In a backdrop of extreme poverty, in a conflict-prone area with little economic activity, we were able to develop a business model that encouraged a national feed company to invest in extension service for farmers in Delta State in South Nigeria. The business model was successful and the company increased its sales of feed and expanded its sales network to other states in South Nigeria.We were very proud that our efforts resulted in a reduction in poverty and an increase in job creation in this poor, conflict-weary area of Southern Nigeria.

• Take leadership role in designing and implementing Katalyst’s Vegetable, Jute and Irrigation Sector interventions. • Take leadership role on mainstreaming social inclusivity and gender inclusion in the interventions• Supervise monitoring and evaluation of interventions in accordance with the Donor Committee for Enterprise Development (DCED) standards on result measurement.• Liaison with Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Jute and Textile, Department of Agriculture Extension for smooth implementation of the interventions. • Recruit and orient team members in M4P approach. • Supervise and provide necessary support/guidance to Katalyst team members and implementing organizations.• Responsible for planning donor and government official visits in showcasing impact of different interventions in selected sectors.

• Take leadership role in designing and implementing Katalyst’s Vegetable and Jute Sector interventions. • Responsible for mainstreaming social inclusivity and gender inclusion in the interventions• Supervise monitoring and evaluation of interventions in compliance with Donor Committee for Enterprise Development (DCED) standards on result measurement.• Recruit and orient team members in M4P approach. • Supervise market level activities and provide necessary support/guidance to Katalyst team members and implementing organizations.• Managing public and private sector partners for intervention related works.• Responsible for planning donor and government official visits in showcasing impact of different interventions in selected sectors.

• Part of the core team involved in designing and implementing Katalyst’s Vegetable and Fisheries Sector interventions. • Monitoring and evaluation of interventions in compliance with Katalyst Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) system. • Managing public and private sector partners for intervention related works.• Supervision of market level activities and provide necessary support/guidance to implementing organizations

• Work with Brand manager to formulate brand strategy and develop positioning concepts. • Conduct market research through random data sampling, focused group discussion and collect customers’ insight on the product/brand as well as the current market scenario.• Work with Oglivy & Mather global team to ensure that all promotions of the global brands like DHL, Lipton Taaza and Lafarge are in line with the global marketing and promotional strategy adopted by DHL, UNILEVER and Lafarge.• Media management including briefing and review of competitive spends• Wrote print copy and assisted in the design and layout of the advertisements

• Analyze the market dynamics, trends, and monitor technological advancements to identify the scope of introduction of new product & services,• Keep communication with foreign mobile solution providers • Market research and strategy formulation in TV SMS, SMS Ticketing, SMS Dating, SMS Voting, Location based service, Secure SMS service

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Computer Science, Business Policy & Strategy

Activities and Societies: NSU Computer Club, NSU Social Services ClubGraduated cum laude

Higher Secondary Certificate, Secondary School Certificate, Science

Activities and Societies: Program Organizer- Annual Class Cultural Program 1995,1996,1997,1998. Team Captain- Class Debate Team 1997-1999..