Tuesday 22nd June 2021 – Bboxx DRC, a next generation utility, has appointed Gerard Lokossou as a Non-Executive Board Member to the company’s Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Board, reflecting the rapid growth of operations in the country.
As former CEO of Orange DRC, Gerard has a wealth of experience in driving growth in this market. Prior to this, he led the distribution for Airtel Africa Group, re-focusing its sales and services network strategy. He has also worked as a Sales and Distribution Director at MTN, and has previously held roles at Nestlé Group and Unilever.
The announcement comes at a time when Bboxx DRC has seen increased momentum in its provision of decentralised Solar Home Systems. The company has positively impacted the lives of nearly 200,000 people in the DRC through access to clean, reliable and affordable energy. It has been stepping up its efforts following its MoU signed with the DRC Government last year to bring clean energy to millions of people, driving the creation of thousands of jobs and helping to combat climate change.
The business has recently also been accelerating access to modern clean cooking services. This includes partnerships with the United States Agency for International Development and the United Nations Capital Development Fund, to bring Bboxx’s tried and tested LPG clean cooking services to more people in the country. In addition, following the Mount Nyiragongo volcano eruption in the Goma region, the company has been working hard to protect the health and safety of customers and employees impacted, and has provided energy to those who needed it.
Commenting on his appointment, Gerard Lokossou said: “I am thrilled to be joining the Bboxx DRC Board at such a transformative time for the business. I look forward to bringing my experience to help contribute to the positive impact they’re making in communities and businesses across the country.”
Laurent Van Houcke, Co-Founder of Bboxx and MD of Capital Division, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming Gerard to our DRC board. Only 4% of the DRC has access to clean cooking facilities and we are passionate about tackling this issue. Gerard’s deep expertise makes him well-placed to aid our expansion in the DRC, as we can continue to use technology to transform even more lives through access to energy.”
Other Bboxx DRC board members are Bboxx Co-Founder and MD of Capital Division, Laurent Van Houcke, Africa Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM) Investment Director, Ashwin West and AIIM Investment Manager, John Kimotho. The latter two have both invested heavily across major power and infrastructure projects on the continent.
ENDS
About Bboxx
Bboxx is a next generation utility, transforming lives and unlocking potential through access to energy. Bboxx manufactures, distributes and finances decentralised solar powered systems in developing countries. It is scaling through forging strategic partnerships and its innovative technology Bboxx Pulse®, a comprehensive management platform using IoT technology. Through affordable, reliable, and clean utility provision, Bboxx is bringing people into the digital economy, creating new markets, and enabling economic development in off-grid communities and those living without a reliable grid connection. The company is positively impacting the lives of more than 1.8 million people with its products and services in over 27 markets, directly contributing to 11 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
So far, Bboxx has deployed more than 500,000 solar home systems. Bboxx has over 900 staff across nine offices including in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, and Togo, with its head office in the UK and its manufacturing operations in China. In 2019, Bboxx was the winner of the Zayed Sustainability Prize in the Energy category – testament to the way the company is making a meaningful difference to people’s lives around the world. You can find further information about Bboxx on its website at – https://www.bboxx.com/
For more information please contact:
Amy Boekstein
Instinctif Partners
Email: bboxx@instinctif.com
Phone: +44 (0) 7457 2064
