Thaven is multi-skilled and prepared to go the extra mile in his assignments, bringing into play all his skills and networks, with a keen awareness of cultural sensitivities.
As the recent Southern Africa Coordinator for the Private Finance Advisory Network (responsible for the 16 SADC states, the Indian Ocean Francophone SIDS and the Atlantic Lusophone SIDS), Thaven has been actively involved in sourcing projects for the PFAN development pipeline as well as expanding the network in the region and managing relationships with key partners, including companies in the green economy, international organizations, state enterprises, development finance institutions and private sector equity funds and institutions.
Thaven has experience as a renewable energy project developer, working on both large and small-scale projects, and draws experience from a range of industries, including art, crafts, architecture and building construction, entertainment, and media – print, radio and television. As a practicing farmer working without chemicals in a low-carbon, low-input, sustainable farming system using innovative technologies and indigenous knowledge systems, my experience and knowledge contributes to the teams I work with, supporting the intensification of small-scale agriculture in the Southern Africa region.
His contribution includes project conceptualization, project management, strategic management, and various aspects of training, in sustainable development, renewable energy, waste recycling, agriculture, climate change adaptation and access to finance, with a special interest in innovation and how innovations are mainstreamed. In his previous position, he led the PFAN process of supporting adaptation projects secure private sector finance from the conceptualization of the program through the implementation of the pilot project and now in collaboration with UNIDO, developing the expanded work program and a dedicated fund.
While he is intrinsically drawn to innovation and has an enduring love of agriculture, his areas of greatest interest are around climate adaptation and building resilience, the circular economy, future carbon markets in Africa and the race to Net-Zero.
Thaven has a degree in sustainable development and renewable energy (BPhil) from the Sustainability Institute of the University of Stellenbosch and a degree in architecture from the University of Cape Town (BAS).