A Hearty Welcome: Three New Appointments at KIT!

News

10 Aug 2023

We’re delighted to announce three new leadership appointments at KIT. Louis van den Berghe, the former CFO, has been appointed in the newly established role of Campus Director; Alexandra van Lokhorst, former Team Leader Finance & Control will be our new Director Finance & Operation and finally, we’d like to warmly welcome Gina Pattisson to KIT as our new Fundraising Director.

“We’re delighted with these new appointments. Not only do we have some really great colleagues in these roles, thereby strengthening the team as a whole, we have, through these changes, created more stability and a future proof organization!” says Henri van Eeghen CEO of KIT.

Meet our new colleagues

Gina Pattisson has worked in international development, income development, and the impact-driven business space for the last 24 years. Following a fast-track traineeship at Unilever, Gina went on to hold a range of global senior fundraising and management team positions, including at Oxfam International, Farm Africa, and St Anne’s College of Oxford University.

Gina most recently moved into impact investment and soil restoration and has worked across the full suite of income generation for organizations, including private and institutional funding. Gina is used to operating in highly complex situations and for challenging fundraising causes, such as ensuring all programmes across the Middle East and former Soviet Union countries were fully funded, and significantly increasing the resources of an Oxford College to complete major renovations, offer academic scholarships, and build an iconic new library.

“KIT’s mission is close to my heart and my life’s work so far, to make the world fair and more sustainable. I can’t wait to get started, and to be in touch with so many of you and explore what more we can do!”

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Alexandra van Lokhorst joined KIT in 2015 and has been the team leader of Finance & Control since the beginning of 2018. Along with the entire finance team she has set up a new administration system, reporting tools and travel declaration system.

“My main goal was to transfer the old administration system into the new system as smooth as possible. A lot of effort was put into new reporting tools (project reports, time writing and travel declaration). Next to that I also strived to make the finance department more accessible and visible in the organization.

I’m proud of the finance team who worked with me on these topics in the past 5 years. In my new role as Director Finance & Operation, I will build further on this foundation and continue to connect and communicate with all department’s about finances. I’m excited to start this new role within KIT.”

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Louis van den Berghe was the Chief Financial Officer at KIT before taking on the role of Campus Director. Within his new role, he will continue to rent out the offices at KIT while making the operation of the building more sustainable.

One of Louis’ main accomplishments as CFO was to make KIT fossil-free. As Campus Director, he will strive to take this a few steps further and implement ‘sustainability’ wherever possible and feasible from an economic point of view – within the operations of KIT Hospitality as well. He intends to give KIT Hospitality a clearer focus by ensuring at least 80% of events held at KIT are purpose driven.

“I also aim to make the Theater into a platform for KIT, residents in the building, and the neighborhood with a clear focus on the intersection between sustainability and inclusion. Social inclusion is a necessary part of sustainability. No intervention is sustainable without inclusion.”

Before joining KIT, Louis worked for multiple NGOs and commercial companies within the Netherlands. In his 25 years of experience, he set up, reorganized, and managed financial and project administrations, and developed project reports and managerial tools regarding project acquisition, financial administration, and management.

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About KIT

KIT Royal Tropical Institute is an independent centre of expertise and education for sustainable development. We assist governments, NGOs and private corporations around the world to build inclusive and sustainable societies, while measuring their impact.

Guided by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations, our work focuses on health, gender, economic development and intercultural cooperation.

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Countries in which we are active
50+

Sustainable Economic Development, Gender and Health Projects
650

Health Professionals trained at KIT
3,250

Nationalities of Students
95

Events by Conferences & Events
2,200

The SDG house at KIT Royal Tropical Institute hosts a diverse range of forward-thinking entrepreneurs, NGOs and organisations all working towards achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through partnerships, co-creation and the exchange of ideas, we aim to maximise our collective impact.

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