Dan Thomson

Background

About Dan Thomson

I am a global leader and results-oriented economic development program manager delivering impact through strategic partnering and collaboration. Highly adept working in ambiguous environments, I navigate through change and complexity, delivering innovative shared-value solutions that mobilize resources and scale innovation. Skills: Cultivating Strategic Relationships that Deliver Impact: I convene high level stakeholders from International Donors, NGOs, and the Private Sector, converging them around strategic initiatives and committing them to collaborative resource participation. Mobilizing Finance: I build trust with partners and attract project-based funding through shared risk mitigation efforts in ambiguous and uncertain domains. Deploying Innovative Approaches to Achieve Scale: I apply technology and innovation in my approach, attaining ambitious programming goals and outcomes. Navigating through Ambiguity and Uncertainty: I am a strong communicator who can navigate through complex environments, offering composure and calm in response to challenge. Stakeholder Engagement: Aracruz Cellulose, Kaufland, L’Oreal, Mars, McCormicks, METRO Group, Olvea, Starbucks, CrossBoundary Frontier Markets Advisory Services, the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), Sweden's Government Agency for International Development (Sida), the United Kingdom’s Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office, and Weyerhaeuser International Forestlands. Achieving Scaled Impact Through Strategic Partnering: • Mobilizing $9.0 million towards the construction Moldova’s first ever Digital Information Technology Park, by performing due diligence, negotiating, and originating debt-based capital from Moldova’s largest commercial bank, Moldova Agroindbank (MAIB), to leading telecom provider, Starnet. • Brokering a strategic partnership between a Dutch non-government organization (NGO), the World Agroforestry Center, Malian entrepreneurial firm, Soataf, French multinational processor, Olvea, and leading French firm, L’Oréal, mobilizing a $1.0 million sales contract and investment into a shea storage facility, benefitting over rural Malian women harvesters. • Ensuring that 19K Indonesian coffee, spice and cocoa producers achieved access to Starbucks, McCormicks, and Mars supply chains by unlocking $18M in investment capital from Bank Andara. • Pioneering a Brazilian joint venture market entry strategy leading to Rainforest Alliance Smart Wood certified plantation-based eucalyptus production. Multi-lingual public speaker and published author.