Valid Nutrition

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	freedom to grow
	Valid Nutrition manufactures a range of highly fortified nutritional pastes for the prevention and treatment of malnutrition. These products are made in the countries and regions in which they are needed, thereby stimulating the local economy as well as providing life-saving products at affordable prices.

	Management Team
	Valid Nutrition’s management team consists of a group of individuals with extensive experience and a wide range of skills across both the humanitarian and business spheres. Although we have a small team, we are fortunate to be able to draw on a number of highly qualified specialists (as Members of the VN Board and our Advisory Committee) who support us in a voluntary, pro-bono capacity. We strive for the highest standards of governance and our corporate officers are ultimately accountable to a group of Members. The following are Valid Nutrition’s Members who act as Trustees : Steve Collins, Alistair Hallam, Howard Dalzell, Olly Willans, Roger Yates, Claire Martin and Jo Collins. Valid Nutrition’s Board of Directors is responsible for developing and approving strategy while also ensuring that delivery happens in accordance with plans; the execution of which is delegated to the management team. The Directors of VN are as follows:

Steve Collins – Founder and Chairman

Steve Collins is a medical doctor with a doctorate in nutrition. He developed the Community based Therapeutic Care (CTC) model in 1998 and has been the central figure behind the development and expansion of CTC using Ready to Use Foods (RUFs), and the acceptance of these innovations by the World Health Organisation. In 2001, he received an MBE for his services to humanitarianism. He is a respected academic, has published widely in major international journals, including The Lancet, is a visiting research fellow at the Institute of Child Health in London and sits on the council of the Commonwealth Association of Paediatrics and Gastroenterology. Steve is one of the two founders and an executive director of both Valid International Ltd and Valid Nutrition.

Alistair Hallam – Co-Founder and Non-Executive Director

Alistair Hallam is a medical doctor who has been working in the area of humanitarian aid for 24 years, including a number of years managing relief programs throughout the world. He has worked as a research fellow at the Overseas Development Institute, the UK’s highly-regarded research establishment that focuses on development issues. He is an expert in evaluating humanitarian aid programs and has worked for many of the worlds’ leading donor governments and aid organisations. He is a qualified economist who has worked for the Central Bank in Mozambique. Alistair is one of the two founders of Valid Nutrition and a director of both Valid International Ltd and Valid Nutrition.

Howard Dalzell – Member and Non-Executive Director


	Howard Dalzell has recently retired as Concern Worldwide’s Policy Director; he has over 30 years practical experience in development and humanitarian assistance and, as well as being a director for VN, he has recently joined VN's Executive Committee as an advisor. Howard holds a degree in Agricultural Science and a Masters in Animal Nutrition.

Roger Yates – Member and Non-Executive Director

Roger Yates is Director of Disaster Risk Management at Plan International. He has nearly 30 years experience of international development and emergencies work with 10 years at Oxfam, 10 years at Actionaid and other contracts with UN and UK government. He has lived in Africa for 16 years and has also worked in Asia and the Americas. He qualified as an engineer, and was a member of the Chartered Institute for Water and Environmental Management. He has a Masters in Water and Environmental Management from Loughborough University.

Derek Staveley – Non Executive Vice Chairman and Company Secretary

Derek Staveley was the first Chief Executive of Valid Nutrition; from 2007 to 2011 and was instrumental in establishing the business. Prior to that, he spent 31 years with Unilever, including 7 years based in Africa. Derek has extensive background in general management, finance and internal audit. He was Finance Director/Vice Chairperson of Unilever companies in Zaire (4 years), Turkey (4 years) and Ireland (5 years) and Group Chief Accountant/Deputy Controller of Unilever for 6 years based in London HQ. He has a degree in Commerce from University College Dublin and is a Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants.


	In addition, we have an Advisory Committe with Members as follows:

Philip Halpenny – Advisor and Non Executive Member

Philip graduated with a business degree from Trinity College Dublin and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland. He is Finance Director of Balmoral International Land Holdings plc, the Irish quoted property company. Previously he had spent a lengthy career with Fyffes, the international fresh produce importer and distributor, and was managing director corporate affairs from 1996 until his appointment as Company Secretary in 1998, a position which he held until his move to Balmoral.

Bernd Olejak – Advisor and Non Executive Member


	Bernd Olejak has a degree in Business Administration and a 34 year history in Unilever in senior marketing and sales roles in Western Europe, Brazil, Russia and Eastern Europe. He was a former board member of Unilever’s food business in South Africa, where as dairy director he was head of a business with four factories producing food products.


	Valid Nutrition is registered as a Charity and has a distinct charitable Trust in the UK, the Trustees of which are David, Marquess of Cholmondeley KCVO, Paul Barrow, Steve Collins and Alistair Hallam. Valid Nutrition is also a registered Charity in the United States and is recognised as a 501(c)3 non-profit organisation by the IRS. The MANAGEMENT TEAM comprises full time executives, responsible for the day to day running of the business and co-ordination of all our international operations. They are as follows:

Paul Murphy – Chief Executive Officer

Formerly Chairman and Chief Executive of Unilever Ireland, in all Paul spent some 27 years with Unilever in a variety of different roles and countries. Following graduation from Trinity College Dublin with a degree in Economics and Business Administration, he joined Unilever as a Management Trainee. Prior to evolving to General Management responsibilities, initial experience was gained in Marketing and Sales. He has worked in both Spain and Portugal, as well as shorter assignments in Belgium and the UK.

Elaine Collins – Finance Manager

Elaine joined Valid Nutrition as Finance Manager in April 2011. She began her accounting career with Deloitte working with a broad range of global and domestic clients within diverse sectors including Consumer, Manufacturing, I.T. and Energy. She worked with a not for profit in Kenya managing a wide spectrum of volunteers, fundraising and finance in both Nairobi and Western Kitui. She held a finance and legal position with the social innovation company, Ashoka. She holds a BEng in Electronic Engineering, from the University of Limerick, along with a PDA from Dublin City University. She is also a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ireland (ACA) and the Irish Institute of Taxation (ITI).

Peter Akomo – Product Development Manager

Peter Akomo has a Bachelor’s degree in Food Science and Technology from the University of Nairobi. He has experience in bakery management, food quality assurance in food manufacturing industry, designing diets for college students and over five years’ experience in project management and child development with Compassion International. Just before joining the Central Management Team, Peter served Valid Nutrition for over two years as a consultant food technologist, coordinating and supervising sample production for Research and Development projects.

Dave Morgan – Food Technology Manager

David Morgan is a food technologist with more than twenty years experience in the food manufacturing industry across a wide range of product types, packaging formats and processes. He is an established technical manager having worked throughout the UK in a technical, quality and development capacity. David manages food safety, quality and the regulatory aspects of production and is working with our manufacturing partners in Africa to establish new production facilities.

Mary Doyle – Administration & HR Manager

Mary has a broad level of administration experience from various positions held in Ireland, the UK and Australia, including working as a Senior Administrator in the higher education sector, as a Treasury Analyst with a leading blue chip multinational and as the General Manager of a start-up community childcare project. She holds a BA in Politics and Social Policy and an MA in Child and Youth Care.


	In addition, there are full time Executives based in Malawi and Ethiopia.

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