Kalongo Chitengi is general manager of AGCO Zambia and plays a strategic leadership role in the management of AGCOs Future Farm Training and Learning Centre and in the general management of its operations in Zambia.
She is a Zambian national and has worked for over twenty-five in the private, state enterprises and non-governmental organisations at senior management level. She has worked extensively on rural agriculture, environmental, community development, and infrastructure development programmes in Zambia and across the continent.

Previously, she was the Country Director for Self Help Africa in Zambia, and was the organisation’s first woman CD.

Kalongo is a firm believer in the empowerment of women particularly in their role as custodians of food security at household level and agriculture in general. Her thesis from her master’s degree was subsequently published and she is the author of the book “Farming as a business: An examination of the gender perspective”.

In 2016, Kalongo Chitengi was nominated one of CEO Global Africa’s ‘Most Influential Women in Business and Government Awards’ for Southern Africa.

Pat Murphy is Head of Environment Knowledge Transfer at Teagasc, the Agriculture and Food Development Authority. He has worked in various roles with the agency, including as Assistant Director of Advisory Services.

Martin is an experienced business development professional who has spent the majority of his career working in the African agricultural and facilities management industries. His early career was spent in Zambia working for the Ministry of Rural Development. He returned to Ireland in 1974, where he was employed in various senior positions in agribusiness until 1985. Martin returned to Africa in 1985, working in Ghana in agribusiness, timber and furniture manufacturing, exploration drilling and hospitality sectors until 1997. He then co-founded ATS Group, providing facilities management and catering to the mining industry. By the time he sold ATS Group in 2017, the business was established in 15 African Countries. Martin continued as Business Development Director working and travelling extensively in Africa from home in Ireland. He retired in 2020 and currently chairs the Board of Directors of Partner Africa

Joe Healy is a dairy farmer from Athenry and recently finished his terms as President of the IFA (Irish Farmers Association) which ran from 2016 to 2020 and Vice President of COPA (European Farmers Association) from 2017-2020

He has been involved in farming politics since the early 1990s and is a former President of Macra na Feirme, former Vice President of the European Young Farmers Association, and a member of the milk quota appeals board and the Farm Apprenticeship Board. He also served on the boards of Bord Bia, FBD Insurance and the Agricultural Trust. Joe was chairman of Athenry Co-Operative Livestock mart from1998-2004and served as Manager of the mart  from 2004-2005.

Currently he serves on the European Economic and Social Committee in Brussels and is on the board of Gurteen Agricultural College.

He is also a former honorary president of IASTA (Association of Agricultural Science Teachers) and has served on the IFA Farm Business Committee.

Joe was Livestock Markets reporter for Farming Independent from 1999-2015. During his tenure as a President of the IFA, Joe visited Self Help Africa programmes in Africa together with our CEO.

Geoff is an experienced professional in the commercial and not-for profit sector. He served as Group Finance director of Glanbia plc from 1992 to 2005 at which point he took on the additional role of Deputy Group Managing director until his retirement in 2009. He has a broad range of experience covering business operations, acquisitions and disposals, investment appraisal, banking arrangements/negotiations, IT and shared services and general management. In the not-for-profit sector he served as National President of the Society of St Vincent DePaul from 2012 to 2017.

Geoff is a Certified Public Accountant having trained with PwC in Kilkenny. He currently self-employed consultant providing commercial and financial advice to mainly medium sized businesses. He is a director of several companies including Enterprise Ireland as well as being chairman of the boards of Bord na Mona and Bon Secours Health System.

Chinyere Almona is the head of the Africa Corporate Governance Advisory Program of the International Finance Corporation.

She is also the serving Director-General/Chief Executive at Lagos Chamber of Commerce in Nigeria. Chinyere is a governance professional with extensive global experience in establishing standards.

She is a Cognitive Reflex Conditioning Practitioner, is a board advisor and trainer.  She is the author of a number of books, including ‘Corporate Governance for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses in African Economies,’ ‘Boards of the Future’ and ‘Divine Direction: Experience the Power of Looking in the Right Direction.’

Geoff is a Certified Public Accountant having trained with PwC in Kilkenny. He currently self-employed consultant providing commercial and financial advice to mainly medium sized businesses. He is a director of several companies including Enterprise Ireland as well as being chairman of the boards of Bord na Mona and Bon Secours Health System.