2024 JURY

Rose has ten years of proven experience in communication and business development, of which about five years in the off-grid solar industry sector. She has served as business developer manager at Oolu Solar before her appointment as Country Manager. Rose has proven leadership skills, with excellent capabilities in management. She increased Oolu’s market share in Cameroon; expanded activities in rural areas; and contribute to the uptake of solar products (SHS, Phones, Inverters and productive uses of energy) in rural communities. Rose has a good knowledge on GIS analysis, gender issues, market assessment for off-grid electrification projects, design of PUE in. As President of Cameroon Off-grid electrification Association (APELCA), she has built excellent network in the African off-grid Solar Industry. She led the establishment of the task force and chair several meetings with the private sector related to the preparation of the 2024 finance law, which resulted to the exemption of custom duties on renewable energy equipment in Cameroon. Rose Péguy DIKONGUE holds a Master's degree in Marketing, Communication and Sales, from the Higher Institute of Applied Technology and Management in Cameroon.

Dr. Ali KANZARI is a Senior Expert in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency with over 40 years of experience in the energy sector, including the development, design and supervision of renewable energy programs. His areas of specialty include the development of large on-grid and off-grid projects in Tunisia and Africa, energy efficiency projects, green hydrogen,... He has managed major programs financed by the World Bank, the African Bank Development, Islamic Bank, JICA, GIZ, MCA, etc. Dr Ali KANZARI being one of the founders of the National Energy Management Agency “ANME”, Founder and CEO of the SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS “SES” group, advisor to the TuNur Company, and President of the Chambre Syndicale du Photovoltaic “CSPV” UTICA. Dr Ali KANZARI is a graduate of Pierre and Marie Curie University UPMC, the École des Mines de Paris (Mine ParisTech) and Business School Frankfurt.

Mueni is a Learning Designer and Project Manager focused on creating innovative, scalable programs that meet customer needs and drive impact. My journey from the hospitality industry to leading management development at the African Management Institute has equipped me with strong customer engagement skills and a track record of successful programs. I believe innovation relies on four key pillars: meeting customer needs, sustainability, team well-being, and adaptability. These principles guide my work in designing learning solutions and managing large-scale projects across Africa. With a focus on project management and product design, I develop comprehensive plans, coordinate across departments, and research market trends to align offerings with customer demands. Whether collaborating with teams or clients, I maintain a solutions-oriented mindset to ensure efficiency and positive outcomes.

Journalist for almost 20 years, Gwénaëlle Deboutte has an extensive experience in the field of renewable energies and solar power in particular, writing for print and online publications. Since 2020, she has been working as senior editor for the French-language edition of pv magazine, renowned for its expertise and ability to sense the weak signals of the market. Her specializations are PV production, storage, off-grid, agri-PV and C&I solar. “It's a great honor to write about the development of photovoltaics at a time in its history when it has become the world's cheapest and fastest-to-deploy energy source. Despite these undeniable technical advantages, solar power still faces many challenges, especially in terms of politics and regulations”.

Mark is a seasoned expert with 39 years of professional experience and 30 years of experience as renewable energy engineer, project manager and business development support expert for the African renewable energy sector. Working as a consultant for three firms since 1992, he has managed renewable energy projects in Africa for African governments, World Bank, DFCO, GIZ, USAID, the UN and numerous NGO and private sector clients. He has worked to pioneer and build energy access and emerging solar energy sectors throughout Africa. As CEO of companies based in Kenya, and as an advocate, networker and business coach, he has assisted many companies and financiers to develop viable approaches to build the green energy sector. He has played a key role in building financial support for the private sector-led development of energy access and solar energy. He won the AFSIA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023

Rita Marouço is a renewable energy advocate who studied Energy and Environmental Engineering. Since the beginning of her professional career, she worked in European Research Projects focused on the fight against energy poverty, promotion of renewable energy cooperatives and the development of energy communities. At ALER, she works as a senior project manager, with a focus on Angola and Mozambique markets, coordinating and implementing several projects regarding the development of renewable energy in Portuguese-speaking African countries, the acceleration of mini-grid private sector investment and the promotion of gender equality to sustainable energy access.