Smita is a Partner in KPMG’s Advisory function in East Africa and Head of International Development Advisory Services (IDAS), Kenya. She currently serves as an elected member of the KPMG Africa Governance Council. She previously served as an elected member of the KPMG East Africa Board. In addition, she is a member of the Global IDAS Leadership network.
Smita had the privilege of being a member of the founding team at KPMG in East Africa that began development advisory in the region. At KPMG’s IDAS, Smita has worked with private foundations, public sector players and donor agencies such as Mastercard Foundation, FCDO, SIDA, USAID and Zurich Foundation. She has vast experience in programme and fund management, programme design, strategic financial management, and business performance improvement.
With almost twenty-five years’ international development experience, Smita has led various fund management programmes as Lead Partner with Regional, Africa and Global reach in a range of sectors such as: Climate Change and Resilience; Impact Finance; Youth, Entrepreneurship and SMEs; and Trade and Investment. Within programmes in these sectors, she has led their design, strategic direction, delivery and oversight. She has spearheaded various service delivery performance initiatives in IDAS and provides quality assurance to large, complex programs.
Smita is passionate about the transformational impact of education on young people and has been a member of the board of Dignitas Project for over 10 years. In addition, she is the founder of MentorKonnect, a mentorship programme for young people in tertiary education in Kenya under a partnership between Asian Foundation and Kenya Community Development Foundation.