Ms. Uwera comes to Fairtrade with a wealth of experience in Eastern and Southern Africa and brings a unique set of skills, perspectives, and relationships to lead Fairtrade into the future. She most recently served as CEO of Comesa Business Council (CBC), the leading Business Member Organization in Africa and a private sector institution of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), which represents 34 business sectors across 21 countries.
As part of her work with CBC and COMESA, she has led projects and programs on sustainable solutions for small and medium enterprises, advocacy, technical capacity-building, industry competitiveness and market access, digital financial inclusion, and programs focused on women and youth empowerment. Ms. Uwera is a Rwandan national. She grew up in both Kenya and Rwanda. She will be based there, working from Fairtrade Africa’s offices in Nairobi, Kenya.
“We are thrilled to have Sandra at the helm of Fairtrade at such an important juncture in our organization's history,” said Lynette Thorstensen, Chair of Fairtrade’s Board. “With her exceptional talent and vision, we expect Sandra's leadership to build on our ambitious Global Strategy, hone our strategic direction, and deepen our impact around the world.”