Alumni panelists

Eric Berseth (akin to MIA, 2006) is CEO and Managing Partner at Philanthropy Advisors, an international strategic philanthropy consulting firm, where he has worked for the last decade. Before that, he had worked as an emergency coordinator for Médecins Sans Frontières, working in Haiti, Chad, Mozambique and the DRC. He also has experience within the International Committee of the Red Cross, where he served as Head of Office in Farah, Afghanistan. Combining his diverse experience in the humanitarian sector, his work now promotes efficient and impact-oriented philanthropy.

Gerard Coenen (MDEV, 2016) is Sustainability Manager at Diginex Solutions where he works on data reporting for Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) for private and public clients. Before that he worked for more than three years at PwC, where he was a consultant and then senior consultant. During his studies, he worked at Spencer Stuart as an Executive Search Trainee. Coenen is one of the co-founders of the Geneva Consulting Network, a student initiative at the Graduate Institute and a student-led consultancy for the social sector.

Ekatherina (Katya) Kazantseva (MIA, 2020) is an Associate Analyst at Symbiotics, where she first began as an intern after graduation. Prior to joining the Graduate Institute, she acquired many years of experience in investment at Burgundy Asset Management in Toronto. She also has experience working in partnerships at Community Action Marin and with Sustainable Impact Association, Switzerland. In all her work, she is motivated to support entrepreneurs in emerging markets through access to business capital for their ideas.

Alina Truhina (MIA, 2012) is Chief Strategy Officer at Founders Factory Africa, a venture capital firm driving and investing in Africa’s startup economy. Before that, she worked in London in partnerships and growth, first at SPRING, a business accelerator and then at A2B, a growth and innovation lab for businesses in emerging markets. Prior to that, she worked for 5 years in partnerships and communications for the World Bank. In 2015, she was Vice Chair of the Women’s Business Society in Geneva.