Progresso is a premier research and market insights firm dedicated to helping organizations navigate complexity with clarity and confidence. Our team brings together seasoned analysts, industry specialists, and data-driven strategists who are passionate about transforming information into actionable intelligence. With a commitment to rigor, innovation, and client-focused collaboration, we empower businesses to uncover opportunities, anticipate market shifts, and make decisions that accelerate growth. At Progresso, our people are our strength—and your competitive advantage.
Financial & Climate Finance Specialist
Ferdinand Okoth Othieno is a seasoned Financial Economist with over 17 years of experience in corporate finance, quantitative risk management, and sustainable finance. He holds an MBA in Banking and Finance from Moi University and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA-K). He is currently pursuing a PhD in Sustainable Development and Diplomacy at EUCLID University.
As Principal Consultant at various consultancies, Ferdinand has led numerous high-value transactions across East Africa, including financial modelling, valuation, and capital raising for companies in energy, healthcare, and technology. He also served as a Transaction Advisor for the UK-funded Sustainable Urban Economic Development (SUED) programme, helping municipalities attract investment for climate-resilient infrastructure.
He is a KPMG-accredited financial modeller and IFC-certified trainer, with extensive expertise in IFRS, Basel regulations, and ESG integration. He also lectures in Mathematical Finance and has served as Dean at Strathmore Institute of Mathematical Sciences.
At Progresso, Ferdinand provides strategic financial advisory on renewable energy finance, project structuring, and climate-related investment projects, ensuring alignment to financial sustainability and impact.
Food Systems & Value Chain Specialist
Dr. Josphat Gichure is a Food Systems and Food Value Chain Specialist with over 16 years of experience strengthening agrifood systems across Africa. He holds a PhD in Food Science and Technology from the University of Nairobi and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA-K), bringing a unique blend of scientific rigor and financial acumen to food systems governance.
As a Research Associate at the University of Pretoria and Associate Consultant at Sustainable Farming Services Africa (SFSA) and the Organic Consumers Alliance (OCA), Dr. Gichure applies advanced bioinformatics, predictive microbiology, and meta-analysis to address critical food safety challenges. His expertise spans risk assessment, standards development, and value chain analysis, with extensive work in meat, poultry, aquaculture, and fresh produce value chains.
He has led numerous consultancies for organizations including FAO, GIZ, SNV, GAIN, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, focusing on food safety standards, market access, and value chain resilience. He serves as Vice-President of the Food Science and Technology Platform of Kenya and is a member of the KEBS Technical Committee on Meat and Poultry Products.
As an Associate Consultant at Progresso, Dr. Gichure serves as Food Safety and Value Chain Research expert and provides technical advisory backstopping, ensuring that food systems are safe, sustainable, and inclusive.
Environmental & Renewable Energy Specialist
Dan Marangu Kithinji is a distinguished Environmental and Renewable Energy Specialist with over 30 years of experience driving sustainable development across the region. He holds an Master of Science in Geo-information Science from International institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), The Netherlands. As a Director of Renewable Energy at Kenya’s Ministry of Energy (2017-2026), Dan led national policy development, spearheaded the EU-supported Sustainable Energy Technical Assistance (SETA) program, and coordinated the UNDP’s Accelerating Clean Cooking Action (ACCA) project. He also played a key role in the National Energy Policy Review (2023-2025) and the development of Kenya’s Renewable Energy Regulations.
His expertise spans energy policy, GIS and remote sensing, environmental impact assessment, and multilateral environmental agreements, having previously coordinated MEAs for the Ministry of Environment.
At Progresso, Dan provides strategic technical guidance on renewable energy and clean cooking projects, ensuring environmental sustainability remains central to every initiative.
Business Unit Lead (Human Centered Design & Partnerships Ecosystems)
Jane Otieno is a market insights, strategic intelligence, and human-centred design professional with multi-country experience across East Africa and beyond. She helps organizations make sharper decisions by translating consumer, community, stakeholder, and systems insights into practical strategies for growth, innovation, and impact. Her work is grounded in deep listening, empathy-led research, and a strong ability to uncover what drives people, markets, and behaviour. She has worked with leading research firms, including Kantar East Africa, ConsumerPro Limited, and GARTS — GeoAnalytics Research and Technology Solutions — and has also consulted independently in qualitative market research, design research and partnership brokering.
Jane has extensive experience applying human-centred design approaches for projects across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, and Somalia. She has engaged directly with communities, facilitated participatory research, identified user needs, mapped behavioural patterns, and supported the development of practical, context-responsive solutions. Her portfolio includes work with major FMCG brands and development-focused organizations.
Jane holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and Sociology from Chuka University, Kenya, a specialized training in Human centered design from Acumen Academy and is currently pursuing a professional certification in Project Management.
Jennifer Maina
Qualitative Researcher & Projects Lead
Jennifer Maina is an accomplished Qualitative Researcher with a rich background in managing complex market and social research projects. With extensive experience across multiple sectors, including fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), food and beverage, financial services, telcos, personal care, and social development, she specializes in translating deep consumer insights into actionable brand and product strategies. Her expertise lies in designing and leading immersive qualitative studies that uncover the underlying motivations, behaviors, and aspirations of target audiences.
With a Bachelors in Anthropology from the University of Nairobi, Jennifer is a strategic and detail-oriented project manager, committed to delivering rigorous, insightful research that directly informs brand development, repositioning, and innovation. Her work consistently bridges the gap between consumer understanding and strategic business outcomes, ensuring that brands remain relevant, resonant, and responsively aligned with market needs.
PhD, Climate Change and Adaptation Technical Advisor
Prof. Laban Adero, PhD, serves as Progresso’s Climate Change and Adaptation Technical Advisor, bringing over 20 years of distinguished expertise in resilience building, sustainable land management, and climate adaptation across diverse geographies: Afghanistan, Tunisia, Egypt, Ghana, South Africa, DRC, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Malawi, Mozambique, Lesotho, Nigeria, South Sudan, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania and Uganda. With a PhD in Rangeland Ecology and Management from Texas A&M University, USA, he has led high-impact initiatives for organizations such as the UN World Food Programme, FAO, UNDP, African Union – IBAR, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, AGRA, SNV and IGAD, among others, designing resilience frameworks, conducting large-scale evaluations, and advising governments on policy and strategy.
His technical proficiency in GIS, remote sensing, and resilience measurement tools, combined with a strong publication record and deep field experience in fragile and cross-border contexts, positions him as a trusted leader in transforming climate risks into sustainable, community-driven solutions.
Eunice Kilundo
GESI & Safeguarding Expert
Eunice Kilundo is a seasoned development consultant and technical expert with over 22 years of dedicated experience in child protection, safeguarding, and gender equality and social inclusion (GESI). Her career spans both humanitarian and development contexts, where she has excelled in strategic planning, program design, implementation, and evaluation across key sectors including early childhood development, livelihoods, education, and health.
Eunice holds a Master’s degree in Development Studies with a focus on youth and child development from St. Paul’s University, a Bachelor’s degree in Community Development with a minor in Psychology from Daystar University, and a Higher Diploma in Psychological Counselling from the Kenya Institute of Professional Counsellors. This strong academic foundation supports her practical expertise in integrating safeguarding and GESI principles across multidisciplinary programs.
She is recognized for her capacity to lead teams, strengthen organizational systems, and develop winning proposals through her strong technical leadership and relationship-building skills. Eunice’s career reflects a consistent commitment to mainstreaming protection and inclusion into programming, enhancing outcomes for vulnerable groups, and building sustainable, equity-focused interventions.
Technical Advisor (Development Financing)
Development finance professional with 17 years’ experience across banking, blended finance, impact investing, and donor-funded project management in Africa. Proven track record designing projects and structuring performance-based and outcome-based financing instruments, especially within fragile and underserved contexts. Peter’s key competencies are in Health Systems Financing & PPPs, Capital Mobilization & Financial Structuring, Stakeholder & Government Engagement, Agri-Finance & Inclusive Value Chains, SME Financing, Development-Focused Deal Structuring, Green Economy & Circular Transition and Project Management & Technical Advisory for complex, multi-country donor-funded programs across East Africa. Expertise engaging Ministries of Finance, Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), and multilateral donors (e.g., World Bank, IFC, EU, AGF, FMO).
Matolo holds a BA Economics from the University of Nairobi, Certified Public Accountant (Part I), Strathmore University and Development Finance, PPP Structuring, and Impact Investment Trainings (Walker Kontos Advocates, Omega Performance, Swisscontact, among others)
David Obong’o
Technical Advisor (Livelihoods, DRR/DRM and Climate Change Adaptation)
David has over 37 years of professional experience in Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition, Livelihoods, Emergency and Resilience, Range Management, Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM), Disaster Risk Reduction/ Disaster Risk Management (DRR/DRM), Climate Change Adaptation, Programme/Project Management, Sustainable Development, Policy and Strategy Development, Early Warning Systems (EWS), Capacity Development and Training, Institutional Capacity Strengthening, and Monitoring & Evaluation. He has extensive practical experience in Programme and Project Management in sub-Saharan Africa, focusing mainly on formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. David has worked with the Ministry of Agriculture in Kenya, International NGOs and the United Nations (UN-FAO) while working with communities and partners in the Horn of Africa, East, Central and Southern African regions. David holds a Post Graduate Certificate in Managing Rural Development (Project Management, Information Systems, Monitoring and Evaluation), University of London, Imperial College at Wye, United Kingdom and BSc in Range Management, University of Nairobi, Kenya.
Benard Omondi
Research Operations Lead
Benard is a passionate operations and research professional with a strong focus on building user-centric brands and products. He excels in engaging consumers, establishing rapport, and ensuring meaningful, insightful conversations that drive better project outcomes.
With more than 15 years of experience, Benard has worked with leading research firms (Ipsos, Kantarh , Sagaci) across Kenya and the wider region including Tanzania, Uganda, Angola, DRC, Nigeria, Ghana, Senagal, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Malawi, and Rwanda. His portfolio includes roles at Ipsos Kenya, Ipsos UK, Millward Brown, and Sagaci Research, as well as independent consulting work in project management, data quality assurance, and stakeholder engagement. Throughout his career, he has consistently ensured timely and budget-compliant project delivery while maintaining strong client relationships.
Josiah M.M. Kimanzi
Technical Advisor (Media and Audience Studies)
Josiah M.M. Kimanzi is a distinguished media research specialist with over 25 years of experience delivering impactful insights across 34 African markets. As the former President and Vice President of the Pan Africa Media Research Organization (PAMRO), Josiah has been instrumental in advancing the media research industry in Africa.  Throughout his career, Josiah has worked with esteemed brands and media entities such as MultiChoice (DStv and GOtv), BBC World Service, Safaricom, World Bank, MTN Nigeria, Deutsche Welle, Voice of America (VOA), Nation Media Group, Coca-Cola and MasterCard among many others. An alumnus of the University of Nairobi’s Institute of African Studies, Josiah has built a reputation for excellence in audience measurement, media monitoring, and content analysis.
Paul Jaoko
Managing Partner (Strategy and Partnerships)
Paul is a results-oriented, forward-thinking strategist with over 16 years of cross-industry experience leading research, evaluations, projects desigs and market-driven programs across sub-Saharan Africa and the Horn of Africa. His work spans Economic Inclusion, Agriculture, Public Health, Livelihoods, Climate Change, WASH, and Social and Enterprise Development.
He has successfully delivered high-impact projects for a diverse portfolio of corporate, development, and for-profit clients including CBI Netherlands, Swisscontact, Africa Guarantee Fund (AGF), CISP–Kenya, PSI Kenya, Population Council, AGRA, Heifer International, Biovision Africa Trust, the International Labour Organization (ILO), the World Bank, Welthungerhilfe, and Solidaridad East & Central Africa, among others. Paul is known for his ability to translate complex development challenges into practical strategies, build strong stakeholder partnerships, and lead teams in delivering high-quality research and actionable insights that inform policy, programming, and investment decisions.
Impact, Policy, and Social Research
This integrated pillar combines our expertise in Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, Research, and Learning (MEARL) with in-depth social research and policy analysis. We go beyond data collection to assess the real-world effectiveness of programs and policies, ensuring they are impactful, equitable, and aligned with developmental goals.
Program Evaluations, Impact Assessments, Policy Analysis, Needs Assessments, Thematic Studies (Agriculture, Gender, Climate Resilience), and Accountability Frameworks.
We provide evidence-based recommendations to enhance program effectiveness, influence policy, and demonstrate accountability to stakeholders.