NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

John Keane is program manager, quality assurance and consumer protection, at the Global Off-Grid Lighting Association (GOGLA). His off-grid career began 16 years ago when he became aware of the pressing need to address the lighting and energy needs of off-grid communities after living as a volunteer in rural Tanzania. Since then he has led solar operations across Africa, starting in Kenya and Tanzania where he led a range of pico-solar projects between 2003-06. Following this, he joined the then startup charity SolarAid and played an instrumental role building and establishing the organisation across east and southern Africa as its head of programmes between 2007–11. In 2011, he became the managing director (and later global development director and acting CEO in 2015) at SunnyMoney, responsible for leading and rapidly scaling sales and operations across Africa as well as the development of new business models. He’s shared his experiences in a book, “Pico-Solar Electric Systems: The Earthscan Expert Guide to the Technology and Emerging Market.” He’s married with two young, adorable/infuriating children.