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

Koen Peters has been GOGLA’s Executive Director since 2014. He has more than 20 years of international work experience, of which more than 12 years in relation to energy access.

Prior to joining GOGLA, Peters worked as renewable energy expert within the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In this capacity, he focused on development assistance programmes promoting access to energy in Africa – with a specific focus on private sector cooperation and development finance instruments. Here he worked with the leading international development finance organizations, donor governments, and international NGOs active in the field of sustainable energy in developing countries.

Earlier, he worked for about ten years as a consultant, supporting start-up businesses with business planning, project management, and fundraising – in particular in relation to energy access business initiatives in developing countries. During this period he co-founded and co-managed a solar PV company in Tanzania – then (in 2001-2006) the first company to focus mainly on providing solar energy solutions to poor people in rural communities. Peters was also project manager of one of the first projects aimed at solar mobile phone charging solutions, in Uganda.

Peters has a Master’s degree in Environmental Engineering from Wageningen University and a Master’s in Business Administration jointly from Nyenrode University and Kellogg School of Management.