Business Ireland Kenya is governed by an elected Steering Committee responsible for advancing the association’s mission to promote trade and investment between Ireland and Kenya. The Committee brings together senior professionals with diverse expertise across industry, finance, and commerce.
Meet the 2026 Steering Committee below.
Katherine was admitted as a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England & Wales in 2016 and has built a distinguished career in High Net Worth and International Private Client, Dispute Resolution and Litigation.
With experience handling intricate cross-border jurisdictional issues and all manner of private client matters, Katherine also advises on international wealth and corporate structures.
She has been instructed in complex Financial Remedies matters, Contested Adoption, Assisted Reproduction (including Posthumous Conception), Child Abduction, Worldwide Freezing Orders, Medical Negligence, Trusts, Wills & Estate Litigation.
She is a strong advocate, having obtained Higher Rights of Audience in Civil Litigation been called to the Bar of England & Wales. She remains a (non-practising) Barrister and a member of Middle Temple. Additionally, she was called to the Cayman Islands Bar in 2019.
Katherine is an Accredited Civil and Commercial Mediator and previously served as Managing Partner of Muldoon & Partners LLP from 2020, handling both Civil and Commercial matters. Her passion for Commercial Dispute Resolution and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) led her to complete a Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration at Oxford. She is now a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb).
A sought-after speaker, Katherine frequently spears on panels and presents at international conferences. She also writes, with numerous published articles and has made live appearances on both TV and radio discussing legal issues.
Beyond her legal practice, Katherine is deeply committed to philanthropy. She regularly engages in charitable work and currently serves on the Board of Glad’s House, a registered NGO supporting vulnerable children and young people.
She is also dedicated to advocating for women’s issues, working to support gender equality and empowerment through both her professional practice and volunteer initiatives. Where appropriate, she undertakes pro bono work to assist those in need, ensuring access to justice for individuals facing legal challenges without the means to afford representation.
Lynette Etemesi is a seasoned public policy and legal practitioner with over a decade of experience driving policy reform, governance strengthening, and multi-stakeholder engagement across Africa.
Her work is grounded in deep, practice-oriented experience within government and non-governmental systems, where she has led and supported high-level policy and advocacy engagements, consistently delivering measurable, reform-oriented outcomes.
She has extensive experience working with governments, regulators, and diverse stakeholders to shape and implement policy frameworks, with a strong emphasis on ensuring effective uptake and institutional alignment.
Lynette is widely recognized for her leadership in mental health policy reform in Kenya, where she co-convened the national committee on the decriminalization of suicide contributing to the landmark decriminalization of attempted suicide and was part of the team that supported the drafting and legislative process of the Mental Health (Amendment) Act, 2022. She has also led regional initiatives advancing women’s economic empowerment, particularly in public procurement, coordinating policy and legal strategies across five African countries to unlock inclusive economic participation.
In addition, she is an avid mentor and advocate, actively contributing to non-governmental and professional ecosystems that advance policy dialogue, leadership development, and social impact.
She is currently a Doctoral Fellow at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, under the Building State Capability program, where her work is anchored in the Problem-Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) approach to public policy. Her research and practice focus on bridging the gap between policy design and implementation, strengthening institutional performance, and advancing adaptive, context-responsive governance solutions.
She brings to the Business Ireland Kenya Steering Committee a sophisticated understanding of regulatory systems, policy ecosystems, and the public–private interface. Her expertise positions her to contribute strategically to shaping business-enabling environments, strengthening cross-sector collaboration, and advancing policy-driven economic transformation.
Denis works for DTOS Ltd – a subsidiary of the IBL group. He heads the Kenyan operations since 2018.
A fellow of the ACCA, he has more than 25 years of experience in the financial industry in Mauritius, UK and Kenya.
Mick Murphy is a partner with Viva Africa Consulting LLP, specialising in cross-border investment and the restructuring of multi-national groups operating in East and Central Africa.
Mr. Douglas Nyamori is a Kenyan National currently serving as the Regional Manager for Intertek International Limited – GTS in East Africa.
With over 20 years’ experience in conformity assessment industry, Mr. Nyamori has been involved in the implementation of various programmes in the region. These are designed to facilitate trade assisting organisations in compliance to standards and thus participating in securing the international supply chain.
He has been involved in the design of innovative solutions that provide Assurance, Testing, Inspection and Certification (ATIC) solutions to customers around the world.
Douglas is a graduate of Chemistry and Mathematics from the University of Nairobi and is also a certified leadership and team coach.
Paul Downey is an Irish property and construction professional from County Cork, now based in Nairobi, He has over 20 years of experience across property, construction, and facilities management in Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Kenya.
He is currently General Manager for GTC Nairobi with CBRE Excellerate, where he leads the management and strategic operations of one of East Africa’s premier mixed-use developments. His experience spans commercial real estate, facilities management, project delivery, stakeholder engagement, and governance across complex, high-value assets.
Before joining CBRE, Paul held senior roles with Esteel Construction and DMI Kenya, and previously built his career with Lidl in Ireland and Northern Ireland across facilities, acquisitions, and holding regional property director positions.
He brings a practical understanding of both the Irish and Kenyan business environments and is passionate about strengthening commercial ties, professional networks, and knowledge-sharing between the two countries. Outside of work, Paul is a keen hiker and runner. It was running that first brought him to Kenya in February 2022, beginning a personal and professional connection with Kenya that continues today.
Rajiv Sharma brings a rare combination of technical engineering precision and high-level strategic diplomacy, making him a vital asset for steering BIK’s mission in a complex emerging market.
Rajiv possesses a robust network of senior decision-makers within the Kenyan government and international donor agencies. His experience navigating the requirements of the World Bank, FCDO, and multilateral DFIs allows him to provide BIK members with enhanced organizational visibility and a roadmap for engaging with critical institutional stakeholders.
With deep expertise in PPP structuring and SOE turnaround, Rajiv is uniquely positioned to help Irish firms translate bilateral development policies into tangible commercial projects. He understands how to align private sector execution with Ireland’s “A Better World” strategy, ensuring that ventures are not only profitable but also meet the rigorous sustainability criteria required for international funding.
Beyond high-level strategy, Rajiv offers practical, on-the-ground insights into Kenya’s most critical growth sectors. His specialized knowledge in cold-chain logistics, agriculture value chains, and industrial real estate allows him to offer BIK members technical due diligence at a glance identifying operational risks and market opportunities that others might overlook.
Having already delivered successful projects for Irish Aid and the Africa Agri-food Development Programme (AADP), Rajiv is a proven advocate for the Irish business ecosystem. He brings a clear vision for using Feasibility Study grants as a strategic lever to build a pipeline of bankable, high-impact investments for the BIK community.
Damar is a strategic marketing and business development professional with over 15 years of experience driving revenue growth, corporate partnerships, and sustainability-focused initiatives across the private sector.
She currently serves as Head of Business Development and Marketing at Village Market, one of Kenya’s premier retail and lifestyle destinations, where she leads commercial growth strategy, brand positioning, and stakeholder partnerships while linking board-level strategy to operational execution.
Recognized for her strong commercial acumen, Damar has consistently delivered measurable business results, including a 138.4% increase in corporate revenue growth in the 2025 financial year. She has extensive experience in revenue generation, market expansion, and strategic partnerships, and currently manages USD 5 million revenue pipeline at Market Masters
Limited.
Damar also brings experience in business advisory and international development financing, having supported the Kenyan social enterprise Africa Collects Textiles Limited in securing €100,000 in grant funding from Engineers Without Borders Netherlands, as well as €400,000 in grant extensions from the DOEN Foundation. Her work bridges private sector growth with
sustainability and social impact.
She holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy and Management from Strathmore University Business School and a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies and Community Development, complemented by professional training in policy making and sustainable development, including programs at New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.
Damar is also the Founder of Africa Dialogues Consulting, a platform focused on advancing Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) implementation through advisory, dialogue platforms, investment partnerships, and education initiatives.
In addition to her corporate leadership, she serves as Volunteer Chair and Board Member of Karura Forest Junior Secondary School, where she provides strategic guidance and mentorship to students and school leadership.
With a strong track record in commercial growth, sustainability leadership, stakeholder engagement, and cross-sector collaboration, Damar brings valuable insight and strategic perspective to initiatives that strengthen business ecosystems and partnerships between Kenya and the international community.
Elma Adwa (born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya), is a private sector specialist with over 15 years’ experience in African Continental Trade engagements with Government, Donors and Private Sector. A dynamic Programme Manager with expertise in continental and regional trade initiatives and sustainability.
Spearheaded green growth trade projects and enhancing collaboration between Denmark and Kenya for the past 13 years, and led emergency trade responses during Covid-19. Before her work with Denmark in Kenya, Elma worked for KPMG East Africa in the International Development Advisory Services Department.
She has a proven track record in facilitating, monitoring and evaluation, driving project success, and generating strategic leads. With a unique ability to coordinate high-level engagements and adapt strategies to evolving challenges in the continent.
Elma Adwa also has experience in organizational administration which she enjoys immensely. Elma Adwa is formally trained in Commerce, Business management and administration, Project management and more.
Ivy plays a key role in supporting the Steering Committee in delivering Business Ireland Kenya’s objectives. Serving as a central point of connection, she helps ensure smooth coordination across initiatives while fostering strong engagement with members and partners.
Through ongoing communication and support, Ivy contributes to the effective implementation of programmes and helps maintain an active, connected business network.
Contact us today to explore partnership opportunities.