Project and Consultancy Experience

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Karsten Weitzenegger is a political scientist specialising in international development cooperation. He is an expert on developing participatory organisational changes in the field of social and economic policy. His work has focused on institution building for financial and non-financial business development services, ownership and governance issues, and also investment and export promotion activities or products from developing and transition countries. As long term expert with the United Nations, Mr Weitzenegger has provided advice to the Government of Sao Tome and Principe on the design of the national economic policy and poverty alleviation programs. He has also recently advised banks, business associations and vocational training authorities on business services and product development.

Key Qualifications

Results-oriented professional with experience in the design, implementation and monitoring & evaluation of international development projects. Previously served as a long-term resident expert in Sao Tome and Principe for United Nations, and as Management Consultant to GTZ, EuropeAid and NGOs in economic development and change programmes providing technical assistance to ministries and agencies. Fluent in German, English, Spanish, Portuguese, professional working knowledge of French.
Experienced specialist for private sector promotion in developing and transition countries, including tasks for institutional capacity building, business development services, entrepreneurship and vocational training, SME business associations, microfinance, employment creation, regional competitiveness promotion using cluster-based economic development involving private sector associations, trade development, business advocacy, knowledge management, Web design/use of innovative communications technologies.
Versatile programme manager and team leader, experienced in using established economic development and project-cycle method-ologies with focus on stakeholder participation and transparent knowledge management.

Working as Project Manager with consulting firms for the EuropeAid Coordination Office, the German development bank KfW and the technical cooperation agency GTZ, he has gained valuable experience in designing, co-ordinating and implementing projects as well as in knowledge management in decentralised organisational structures. In addition, he has provided training to various stakeholders including participants of the pubic sector.

Mr. Weitzenegger has considerable experience in using established economic development and project-cycle methodologies to assist initiatives funded by international development agencies. He has applied logical framework approaches to development projects, undertaking stakeholder analysis, risk assessment, and policy analysis. His work has involved assessing and stimulating the participation of local people in project design and implementation, conducting stakeholder analysis and identifying risks, designing and managing public consultation exercises, and undertaking institutional appraisals. Assignments often draw on the use of participative appraisal methodologies and entail preparing and facilitating workshops using Team Up techniques to ensure stakeholder participation and local ownership.

Languages

Fluency in spoken and written English, Spanish, Portuguese, and German. Good working knowledge of French.

Academic Education

Mr Weitzenegger also has a strong academic background and is up to date to latest developments in research in his area of expertise. He received a Master's degree in Political Science from Freie Universität Berlin in 1991 and a Post-Graduate Degree in International Development Co-operation from the German Development Institute.

Employment Record

More than 15 years progressively responsible relevant post-graduate experience involving the application of principles and concepts of economics in various contexts, including through association with national or international economic policy-making, academia or foreign assistance programmes. Proven technical expertise in project management in an international environment.

Mr. Weitzenegger served the United Nations Development Programme as Programme Manager until 1996. In recent years he was responsible for business advice and programme management with internationally renowned consulting firms. He has shown strong team building skills, and the capacity to set priorities and to meet deadlines. Increasingly, he has been appointed team leader of missions and was dedicated to the formulation of policy and complex change processes.

Mr. Weitzenegger has worked for multilateral and bilateral development organizations, Governments, NGOs and the private sector in Latin America and Africa, as well as conducting desk studies for projects in Europe and Asia. Assignments have covered a wide range of sectors including economic policy, small and medium enterprises, banking, investment promotion, labor market restructuring, public sector reform and change management, education, social policy & development, and public affairs & media.

Because of his hands-on experience in managing overall resources and building information systems combined with strategic planning and organisational development skills, backed in turn by his understanding of macro-economic policy frameworks, Mr. Weitzenegger is a strong candidate for key assignments aimed linking policy with outcomes on the ground.

Country Experience

Afghanistan, Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Guatemala, Guyana, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Malaysia, Moldova, Nicaragua, The Philippines, Poland, Romania, São Tomé & Príncipe, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, Uruguay.