Meet our team

Andrew Britton

CEO

Andrew is Kumi’s founder and CEO, responsible for overall leadership of the business. He is recognised internationally as a leading expert in responsible business conduct and supply chain due diligence.

Under Andrew’s leadership, Kumi has and continues to play an instrumental role in shaping compliance frameworks and industry standards for responsible supply chains. Kumi has become a trusted advisor to businesses across the world, helping them to identify and manage risks, meet customer and stakeholder expectations and deliver more value through responsible business practices. From its beginnings as a “one-man-band”, Kumi is now a fast-growing and truly international consulting firm.

Spending the formative years of his childhood in rural Uganda – in Kumi District – sowed the seeds for Andrew’s conviction in the power of business to help tackle poverty and drive sustainable socio-economic development in the world’s poorest countries. This conviction has guided his career as a sustainability and human rights professional. Prior to founding Kumi in 2015, Andrew spent 13 years working for a number of sustainability and international development consulting firms. This included eight years in the sustainability practice of EY.

Andrew has worked in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas and across many industry sectors. At Kumi, he oversees and is actively involved in the delivery of Kumi’s consulting services to clients: engaging senior leaders, advising project teams, and assessing and developing responses to challenging situations.

In his free time, Andrew enjoys hiking, running, and travelling with his family to explore off-the-beaten-track holiday destinations.

Alex Graf

Senior Consultant

Alex is Senior Consultant at Kumi and a sustainability enthusiast with significant experience in EU and international sustainability agendas. His main expertise is centred around the responsible sourcing of mineral raw materials for the green energy transition. His activities include the support of industry clients by developing tools to improve their responsible business conduct and facilitate decision making processes.

Previously, Alex was a Senior Project Manager at Vienna University of Business and Economics where he coordinated and supported various large-scale EU Horizon projects on responsible sourcing, circular economy and responsible research and innovation. His activities focus on multi-stakeholder engagement and peer-learning, closely collaborating with the European Commission, upstream and downstream businesses as well as civil society and academia.

He also worked in international development consulting where he supported different United Nations entities and civil society organisations in areas such as strategic planning as well as monitoring and evaluation. Alex holds an MA in Philosophy from the University of Vienna and a PhD in Transcultural Studies from Heidelberg University.

Alex loves nature as much as his family and appreciates every moment he is able to enjoy both together.

Caroline Quirke

Senior Consultant

Caroline is a Senior Consultant at Kumi where she supports our projects across all sectors, with a particular focus on our metals and minerals portfolio. Prior to joining Kumi, she was a Risk Officer at Alfred H Knight where she led a number of strategic projects from business continuity planning to compliance improvement programmes. One of her main projects was establishing the company’s responsible sourcing policies and guidance in relation to tin, tungsten, tantalum and gold, as well as developing and delivering training to over 40 locations worldwide.

Caroline is currently studying for an MSc in War and Humanitarianism at Birkbeck, University of London. Her academic work focuses on humanitarian aid in the Global South. She also holds a professional qualification in risk management awarded by the Institute of Risk Management and holds a BA (Hons) in Modern Foreign Languages from the University of Liverpool. Caroline speaks English and Spanish.

Outside of work, Caroline is an avid gamer and enjoys walking through the countryside with her dog, Juno.

Ethan Ijaz

Consultant

Ethan is a Consultant at Kumi, with experience assisting companies to develop responsible sourcing strategies in order to meet the requirements of industry standards and comply with due diligence legislation. This includes desk-based research and analysis, drafting policy and procedural documents as well as building risk management toolkits. His project experience includes working with a large fashion brand and a global mining company.

Ethan holds a Masters in Fashion Futures from the University of the Arts London focused on sustainability in fashion design and production. During his studies, he researched just transitions and the challenges facing SMEs when introducing responsible practices into garment and textile supply chains.

Ethan has an undergraduate degree in European Social and Political Studies from University College London which involved French and Spanish studies. Prior to working at Kumi, he worked for a fashion brand in a role which involved visiting supplier factories.

In his spare time, Ethan enjoys struggling to learn to sew and watching live music around London.

Fiona Hutmacher

Senior Consultant

Fiona is a Senior Consultant at Kumi supporting clients on projects across all sectors with a particular focus on the upstream and mining industry. Fiona has strong experience in analysing and assessing regulatory and industry ESG compliance requirements and collaborating with clients to develop customised and specifically tailored supply chain due diligence solutions. Recent work includes a capacity building programme in Bolivia, mine site assessments in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and managing the partnership with Kumi’s charitable partner, the Congo Children Trust.

Before joining Kumi, Fiona was working for a leading Swiss law firm, not for profit and non-governmental organisations in the employment, migration and social change sector and has also done a traineeship at the Council of Europe, Europe’s leading human rights organisation. Fiona has a Masters in law and is currently studying for her second Masters in Global Political Economy at Goldsmiths, University of London. She is a Swiss national and speaks German, English, French and (basic) Spanish.

In her free time, Fiona can be found in North Devon, mainly running after her dog Jack.

James Lewry

Director

James Lewry is a director of consulting with Kumi based in London. James helps our clients to build responsible sourcing practices and manage their exposure to ESG and social sustainability risks in their supply chains.

He draws on an academic background and career in risk management and responsible business and advises multinational companies on responsible sourcing in supply chains, risk and crisis management, with a specialist interest in social risks.

Prior to his role with Kumi, James worked for an international specialist risk consultancy for 17 years helping clients to manage enterprise and supply chain risks in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

James is a fellow of the Security Institute and a governance risk and compliance professional (GRCP). He holds an MSc in risk management and has completed studies at Cambridge University (sustainable finance), NYU Stern (corporate sustainability), and the London School of Economics (crisis communications).

In his free time, James enjoys cycling, running, and triathlon, and can be generally found in the woods and hills of Surrey and Devon.

Jania Rozas

Senior Consultant

Jania is a Senior Consultant at Kumi; she has international experience advising companies in developing sustainability strategies, carrying out compliance procedures and complying with international best practices. Jania supports our projects across all sectors, with a particular focus on our metals and minerals portfolio in Latin America.

Before joining Kumi, Jania worked in the oil and gas sector for Camisea Consortium in Peru, specifically for SK Innovation (a subsidiary of South Korean company SK Energy) and Sonatrach (the state-owned oil company of Algeria), where she was responsible for leading legal and commercial matters with a business-oriented approach, supporting them to meet international standards. She also worked in the fashion and textile industry as a Corporate Legal Manager for a company with offices in the United States. Her leadership across the legal department was crucial for implementing responsible sourcing strategies to meet industry requirements; due diligence focused on local and international legislative compliance; and the development of the corporate sustainability strategy for the company.

Jania has a master’s degree in international business administration from Pace University New York and Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, a Bachelor’s degree in Law from the University of Lima, and studies in Corporate Sustainability at the Imperial College in London. She is a Peruvian national and speaks Spanish, English and (basic) French.

In her free time, Jania is a yoga instructor and loves to lead workshops about emotion management through mindfulness.

Jean-Baptiste Collovray

Senior Consultant

Jean-Baptiste recently joined Kumi as a Senior Consultant. Previously working for a global semiconductor company in Europe and Singapore, he has developed a robust understanding of complex global supply chains, as well as regulatory and industry schemes’ requirements.

He has extensive experience of deploying due diligence and responsible sourcing programmes across the supply chain, working closely with suppliers globally, supporting them with capacity building, risk identification, mitigation and remediation. He had a leading role in his previous company’s global supply chain risk analysis to identify and support the most at-risk suppliers, adopting a risk-based and impact-driven approach.

With a legal background, he has comprehensive understanding of regulations and international standards, assessing downstream companies’ compliance with the EU Conflict Minerals Regulation and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, and driving the implementation at both corporate and local levels.

He engages widely with external stakeholders, leading collaborative projects and initiatives working with the Responsible Business Alliance.

Jean-Baptiste speaks English and French and holds a Master in Law from the University of Aix-Marseille, and a Diploma in Common Law from University College Cork.

Outside of work, Jean-Baptiste is a fan of music and the outdoors.

Luke Smitham

Senior Manager

Luke is a Senior Manager at Kumi and is based in our Berlin office. He has strong expertise in supporting multinational enterprises with complex supply chains to think strategically about, develop and implement responsible sourcing management systems. He also leads the delivery of Kumi’s alignment assessment work with the European Commission and OECD, and therefore has strong knowledge of policy and regulatory expectations, as well as knowledge of many of the world’s leading industry initiatives.

His experience in this sector has built up over the last decade and has included previous jobs which involved supplier engagement, worker interviews, deep-dive assessments of companies and factories on specific risks in Europe and Asia, leading multi-brand collaborative projects to address systemic risks in Myanmar and India, and managing teams and associates globally. He started on this path in 2010, working for the Natural Resource Governance Institute in London and Ghana, helping to implement its work to reduce corruption and improve policies and laws on extractives.

Fluent in English and French, Luke has an MA in Law and a BA in History from the SOAS, University of London. During his studies he particularly focused on multinational enterprises, global economic law, and sociology.

Marcia Marini

Senior Advisor

Marcia is a Board Director with over 20 years of experience in Executive and Non-Executive roles.

As an executive, she has started, grown (with expansion into over 20 countries), acquired, sold, and integrated several businesses. Having led the growth of a health consultancy from zero to £20m in 7 years, she led its sale to the Mott MacDonald Group, where she became one of the top nine executive leaders, and the first female one.

Over the last 12 years, Marcia has focused her work on helping entrepreneurs start, grow, and scale their businesses. She has worked with hundreds of SME founders and leaders in various capacities – NED, Board Advisor, Growth Expert, and Coach & Mentor – meaningfully contributing to the sustainable growth and success of over 60 SMEs.

Marcia has led or been involved at Board level in 15 M&A transactions.

She has held (and holds) several Non-Executive Director and Board Advisor roles, including in plc environment. She has also chaired and been a member of several Board Committees.

Marcia is a Growth Expert at The Consultancy Growth Network (a membership outfit with 400+ consultancy leaders who are growing and scaling their businesses).

Mariana Granziera

Senior Manager

Mariana is a Senior Manager at Kumi, where she works across our portfolio, with a particular focus on commodity supply chains.

Having worked across Latin America, Africa and Europe, Mariana has significant experience developing and implementing ESG management systems and responsible business practices along supply chains. She also has extensive experience in on-the ground ESG due diligence assessments.

Her background in business, economics and development, combined with her professional experience, is reflected in her pragmatic and business-oriented approach advising our clients. Prior to joining Kumi she was a Senior Analyst at Sancroft International where she led a number of projects supporting global brands to improve their social and environmental performance. She also worked in sustainable finance at the IFC, Itaú Bank and Global Canopy. Mariana is a Brazilian national and works in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese.

Mariana has a Master’s degree in Environment and Development from the London School of Economics and a Bachelor’s degree in Business from the University of Sao Paulo. Mariana is also the Head of the Global Outreach Committee of Women in Mining UK.

Outside of work, Mariana likes rock climbing.

Martin Christie

Senior Advisor

Martin has nearly 30 years’ experience in the energy and extractive industries and, as a Senior Advisor at Kumi, brings strategic insights and deep industry expertise to our work for clients.

Martin has global corporate responsibility and external affairs experience at both corporate and operational level – from policy development to project implementation. He has been involved in oil, gas, mining and renewables projects and businesses in Australia, Asia, Africa and the Americas.

Most recently, he was the first Executive Director of the global supply chain initiative, Bettercoal. Martin was responsible for establishing Bettercoal as a non-profit company; leading the development of a new mining standard, the Bettercoal Code, and Audit Toolkit; and engaging with new members and external stakeholders globally.

Martin has been the head of Communication and Sustainability for BP Biofuels, the Vice President Corporate Responsibility for Katanga Mining, and the Vice President of Sustainability and External Affairs for BHP Billiton Petroleum. Between 1992 and 2001 he held several senior external affairs roles within Shell.

With two grown-up sons entering the medical profession Martin is now finding more time to pursue his interests – bee keeping, cycling, hiking, gardening and watching sport.

Melina Albarracin

Associate Consultant

Melina is part of Kumi’s team contributing to the implementation of the Responsible Sourcing Programme in Bolivian mining companies as part of the Due Diligence Capacity Building Project for minerals and metals. She supports the sector’s adaptation to international standards and expectations in relation to Environment, Operational Safety and Community Relations.

Melina is a Bolivian environmental engineer with extensive experience in environmental impact assessments, spatial analysis and environmental monitoring. Throughout her career, she has worked in the mining and oil and gas sectors, including for the National Environmental Authority. She has analysed the implementation of mitigation measures for environmental licensing and provided technical support in the formulation of regulations for these sectors. She has been part of the monitoring team of Protected Areas in Bolivia, supporting in the revision of Management Plans and zoning of different National Protected Areas and in the control of mining and oil and gas activities that take place within them.

She has also participated in the team that formulated the Strategic Action Plan for the Binational Basin of the Lake Titicaca – Desaguadero River – Poopó Lake – Coipasa Salt Flat (TDPS) in Peru and Bolivia, being responsible for Biodiversity and Environment. Her experience also covers projects related to sustainable development projects, waste management, environmental audits and supervision of environmental measures in infrastructure projects.

Melina’s studies include environmental quality, water security, ecosystem restoration and environmental services and responsible gold production for artisanal and small-scale mining. She speaks Spanish and English and is learning Portuguese. She loves travelling, nature and animals and in her spare time, she takes care of her eight dogs.

Nick Collier

Operations Director

Nick is an Operations Director at Kumi and works with clients across our portfolio. He also manages Kumi’s business operations, building our capability and resilience as we grow rapidly. Nick has spent 25 years in the mining and metals industry, including 20 years working for CRU International Ltd. He was a Managing Consultant in CRU’s consulting practice, where he acted as lenders’ market consultant for some of the world’s most high-profile project finance transactions and IPOs. Nick was also CRU’s relationship manager for consulting and subscription services in Africa, Middle East and India where he worked closely with many of the world’s leading metals, mining and fertilizer producers, consumers and traders, as well as financial institutions, governments and infrastructure providers.

Nick studied Economics at Cambridge University. He enjoys spending time outdoors with his family as well as coaching and playing the sport of korfball.

Salomé Wyns

Senior Consultant

Salomé Wyns is a Senior Consultant at Kumi, supporting clients on projects across all sectors, with a particular focus on OECD alignment assessments and the fashion and textile industry.

Prior to joining Kumi, Salomé worked as a Senior Analyst for a Berlin-based risk consultancy focused on ESG and integrity due diligence. There, she primarily worked with Nordic and German private equity clients, advising them on ESG risks and opportunities in relation to acquisitions in several industries, including manufacturing and tech.

Salomé holds an MA in International Affairs from the Hertie School in Berlin and a BA in International Relations and Politics from the University of Sheffield in the UK. She speaks English and French and has some knowledge of German, Dutch and Spanish.

In her free time, Salomé enjoys playing basketball and the electric guitar.

Sandy Rodriguez

Associate Consultant

Sandy is a member of Kumi’s consulting team in Bolivia contributing to the implementation of the Responsible Sourcing Programme in mining companies as part of the Due Diligence Capacity Building Project for minerals and metals.

She obtained her degree in environmental engineering at the Military School of Engineering where at the same time she trained as a reserve second lieutenant, fostering values of discipline, civility, responsibility and honesty. Specialised in mining safety and with experience as an environmental manager in a state mining company, Sandy continued her education with a postgraduate degree in Responsible Gold Production for Artisanal and Small Scale Mining and Water Safety from the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés.

Sandy’s work experience includes specialisms in environmental impact assessment, environmental risk mitigation, health and safety and community liaison to underpin the sustainable implementation of various activities, works and projects. She has supervised cooperatives, mining companies and construction companies, and provided support to obtain environmental licenses.

A Bolivian national, Sandy is fluent in Spanish and English and has a basic knowledge of Portuguese. She has worked as a volunteer in wildlife conservation activities in Bolivia and environmental education for at-risk youth in Brazil. In her spare time, Sandy enjoys connecting with the natural environment by tending her organic garden and bird watching.

Sasha Ragan

Marketing Coordinator

Timothy Perkin

Senior Consultant

Timothy is a Senior Consultant at Kumi, supporting companies to meet good practice recommendations for supply chain due diligence and to integrate responsible sourcing into corporate strategies. His primary focus in recent years has been supporting clients to meet the European regulatory requirements for responsible sourcing, with experience working with one of the world’s largest steel companies, a global aluminium company and a medical distributor. He has also worked with automotive companies, fashion brands, mining companies, several industry initiatives and policymakers.

Timothy was involved in designing our Responsible Sourcing Diagnostic methodology, which is our gap analysis tool for assessing company’s management systems against requirements for responsible sourcing. He has also worked with our partner, Grouptree, to create technology solutions for supply chain due diligence for clients.

Prior to joining Kumi, he worked in business development at Itad, a consultancy firm specialising in monitoring and evaluating foreign aid programmes. He was awarded a Distinction for his Masters in Economic Anthropology and a First for his BA in Anthropology, both from the University of Sussex.

In his spare time, he keeps himself busy with performing improv and is involved in an amateur dramatics company.