Willem has 19 years of experience in establishing and managing social enterprises in Africa, mainly in the field of microfinance and renewable energy. In 2001, Willem co-founded ProCredit Bank Ghana and then later became the bank’s MD. In 2005, he co-founded Catalyst Microfinance Investors (CMI), a USD 125m private equity fund investing in microfinance Institutions in Africa and Asia. In this capacity, he also co-founded ASA International, a network of Greenfield MFIs in Africa and Asia.

In 2009, Willem decided to use his microfinance skills in the renewable energy space. He transformed the award-winning Rural Energy Foundation into SolarNow and has served as CEO since its inception. SolarNow provide real electricity for the entrepreneurial class. The company now has 46 branches in Uganda and Kenya, 480 staff and a revenue in excess of USD 500,000 per month.