Our team
Isabelle Lessedjina is a distinguished finance leader with over 25 years of experience driving governance, infrastructure finance, and capital markets development across emerging markets. Currently serving as Chairwoman of Rawbank’s Board (since 2024) and Special Envoy for Finance in Common (FiCS) (since 2025), Isabelle is a pivotal voice in global financial and technology advocacy.
She actively champions the role of Public Development Banks (PDBs), spearheading cross-regional initiatives—from Africa to Asia—to foster sustainable finance and capital market development.
Her professional journey is defined by a deep technical understanding of regulated industries, including aviation, healthcare, infrastructure, and manufacturing, with leadership tenures at GE, Royal Philips, and Besins Healthcare. During her time as Senior VP of Strategy at the TCX Fund (2019–2024), she pioneered hedging solutions for frontier markets, financial markets development, capacity building, and blended finance, proving her ability to navigate complex economic landscapes.
Combining an IESE Business School MBA with a Master’s in Financial Risk Management, Isabelle bridges the gap between public-private initiatives, infrastructure, technology, and policy design. She is a staunch advocate for robust governance, holding a Diploma in Company Direction from the Institute of Directors (IoD), UK, as well as several board certificates.
Through her current advisory work at Aniz and Nyala Ventures, Isabelle focuses on bridging the economic landscapes of Africa, Asia, and Europe. She remains dedicated to building resilient, tech-enabled capital markets and championing the digital public infrastructure required to drive inclusive, long-term prosperity.
With a proven track record of driving the protein transition through strategic leadership and market intelligence, Annemarie IJkema is a dynamic force in the global shift toward a sustainable food system. Currently serving as the Country Co-Director of ProVeg Belgium and as an influential figure within ProVeg International, Annemarie excels at bridging the gap between mission-driven advocacy and commercial scalability.
Her core strengths lie at the intersection of marketing, business development, and industry innovation. With a keen eye for market trends, she has been instrumental in analyzing and promoting the accessibility of plant-based alternatives—notably highlighting how private label innovations are reaching price parity with animal products. Annemarie’s approach is rooted in a deep understanding of consumer behavior and retail dynamics, allowing her to forge impactful partnerships that accelerate the adoption of alternative proteins.
With 25+ years experience, Annemarie has demonstrated a unique ability to manage complex stakeholder environments, from leading food-system transformation projects to spearheading the commercial partnerships for the Veggie Challenge in Belgium. Her previous roles as an project manager in Telco and IT environments, an entrepreneur and board member further informs her business-centric perspective, ensuring that the protein transition is not only ethically sound but also economically viable.
Driven by a passion for sustainability and food innovation, Annemarie holds a certificate by Guberna for Director Effectiveness and is currently available for board positions, where she can provide strategic governance and industry expertise to organizations navigating the sustainability & technology landscapes. She remains a dedicated catalyst for change, focused on scaling the impact of plant-based solutions across the European market and beyond.