Monica Kerretts-Makau
Biography
Dr. Monica Kerretts-Makau is the Academic Director at Thunderbird's Center for Excellence for Africa based in Nairobi and Professor of Practice. Her passion and work focus on Governance/Leadership, Change Management & Communications and ICT4D Policy. Dr. Kerretts-Makau has deep experience with both multilateral institutions and the business world. She has advised and served as Consultant with the World Bank, UNCTAD, IDLO and GIZ on the digital revolution and Governance and represented Africa on the Digital Dividends multi-stakeholder collaboration with the World Bank in the Advisory Team. She has worked with KPMG in East Africa and Sydney and also with Standard Chartered Bank Group prior to joining the Academia. She is very well travelled and is a speaker at several international events. She currently co-chairs the technical commitee for UN-OSAA STEM Working Group and also chairs the technical committee of the African Union- NEPAD Kenya Council, and previously worked at KPMG, Standard Chartered Bank and Strathmore Business School.
She has served on several boards and chaired several board committees for over 10 years, a big champion for women sitting at the table . Prof. Kerretts-Makau is also a certified Trainer by IFC under their Governance program. She earned her PhD from the University of New South Wales, Australia and her Masters from Salford University, Greater Manchester UK. She has received several accolades including the top 100 Reputational Africans 2018 and Top 100 influential Africans 2017. She is a certified Board Trainer under the IFC & International Corporate Governance Certification, A Prosci Change Magement Practisioner and has trained several companies over the years. Dr. Kerretts has been Faculty and Advisor to the Dean Strathmroe Business School where she taught in the MBA and Executive Education Programs whilst undertaking several projects.
She can be reached on email at [email protected] and on twitter @monicakerretts. She is a passionate gardener/environmentalist and blogs on Instagram as @kanakegardens. She sits on a volunteer role in the Kenya Horticultural Society-Gardening Kenya Council where she spends time advocating for environmental consciousness. (www.gardeningkenya.org) and serves as Chair to the Kenya Horticulatural Society Machakos and wider eastern Districts.
Expertise Areas:
- Change Management
- Communication
- Corporate Governance
- Global Leadership
- Public Policy
Education
- PhD: University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Australia where she completed her Phd in Institutional Management in 2006.
- MSc: Univeristy of Salford, Greater Manchester UK, where she completed her MSC in Business and Information Technology with a focus on Knoweldge Management.
- BA: Daystar University, a Christian Liberal Arts University with American Curriculum and Affiliation in Kenya where she received her degree in Communications and Businsess Minor Cum Laude Honors
Dr. Kerretts has studied across three continents:
Research
I am passionate and intersted in the intersection of Techology, development and livehoods.
Current research work includes:
1. Ecommerce Survey for member countries in Africa under UNCTAD.
The project seeks to examine the e-readiness of each country and their extent of use of Technology by conducting a diagnostic of the state of e-commerce development in the form of an eTrade Readiness Assessment (eT Ready) with a view to understand the critical readiness gaps identified in seven policy areas: e-commerce strategies, ICT infrastructure, payment solutions, legal framework, trade facilitation/logistics, skills and financing SMEs. This facilites the preparation of the e-commerce strategy which will be based on the findings of the eT Ready.
Current work done for Rwanda and on-going project for Kenya.
Understanding and Improving Womens Work on Digital Labour Platforms in Select Developing Countries
( A project with the international Labour Organisation (ILO)
This ILO research, aims to explore the experiences of women in developing countries who are engaged on digital labor platforms across multiple sectors using primary field-based surveys and focused group discussions. The focus of the sectoral studies is based on both online web-based freelance and microtask work, and location-based platforms, such as domestic workers, tutors, care workers, among others, which are female-dominated. The project also reviews the policy space around the digital economy in the countries selected to ensure that decent work opportunities on digital labor platforms are promoted for those who are vulnerable especially women, migrant workers, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, among others.
The study incorporates Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda and India as case studies to examine the above areas.
- Change Management
- Communication
- Corporate Governance
- Global Leadership
- Public Policy
Public Work
Board Governance
Industry Experience
- 2017 to date : Chair, HR and Finance Commitee - NEPAD/AUDA Kenya under the AU
- 2017 to date: Chair Board Governance Commitee - Saham Assurance
- 2017 to date: Board Member Research ICT Africa
- 2013 to 2016 : Chair Board Goveranance and Chair Credit Commitee Bank of Africa
- 2009 to 2014 : Chair Technical Commitee and Chair Audit Commitee Communicaitons Commssion of Kenya
- 1999 -2001: Manager Standard Chartered Bank
- 2002 to 2006 : Regional Knoweldge Management Manager KPMG East Africa and Business Analyst KPMG Australia
- 2007 to 2018 World Bank Consultant
- 2017 Advisory Panel Member World Bank Report on Digital Dividends
- 2009- 2018 Senior Faculty and Advisor to the Dean Strathmore Business School