Our Board
Dr. Ben Litalien, CFE has invested over two decades in the franchise community, with a broad range of key management and franchise building experience. His specific strengths are in strategic planning, organizational development, concept management, and franchise
system growth. He has developed and implemented strategic plans for a diverse group of companies including a major oil company, quick serve concepts including a sandwich and catering franchise and a national franchiser of food court cafes. Under his direction and
management, he forged significant expansion in the United States and abroad, as well as increasing brand awareness and improving profitability. Ben is the Founder & Principal of FranchiseWell, LLC, a consulting practice dedicated to the improvement and enhancement
of franchising and serving clients across the globe including IKEA, Subway, Direct Energy, RE/MAX and The UPS Store. He is also on staff at Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Education as the Academic Advisor for Entrepreneurship and Franchise programs, and teaches the Franchise Management Certificate program each semester for franchise and nonprofit professionals from across the country and around the world.
Ben completed his doctoral program at the University of Maryland University College focused on the theory of Social Franchise. He holds a Bachelor degree in Business Administration from Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas and an Executive Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Houston in Houston, Texas. He received his CFE (“Certified Franchise Executive”) designation from the International Franchise Association in 2003 and was appointed to the ICFE Board of Governors for the IFA in 2013. He resides in Virginia near Washington, DC with his wife of 32 years.
Expertise: Franchising, social franchising, international franchising and everything-else franchising.
system growth. He has developed and implemented strategic plans for a diverse group of companies including a major oil company, quick serve concepts including a sandwich and catering franchise and a national franchiser of food court cafes. Under his direction and
management, he forged significant expansion in the United States and abroad, as well as increasing brand awareness and improving profitability. Ben is the Founder & Principal of FranchiseWell, LLC, a consulting practice dedicated to the improvement and enhancement
of franchising and serving clients across the globe including IKEA, Subway, Direct Energy, RE/MAX and The UPS Store. He is also on staff at Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Education as the Academic Advisor for Entrepreneurship and Franchise programs, and teaches the Franchise Management Certificate program each semester for franchise and nonprofit professionals from across the country and around the world.
Ben completed his doctoral program at the University of Maryland University College focused on the theory of Social Franchise. He holds a Bachelor degree in Business Administration from Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas and an Executive Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Houston in Houston, Texas. He received his CFE (“Certified Franchise Executive”) designation from the International Franchise Association in 2003 and was appointed to the ICFE Board of Governors for the IFA in 2013. He resides in Virginia near Washington, DC with his wife of 32 years.
Expertise: Franchising, social franchising, international franchising and everything-else franchising.
Aditi Shrivastava is a co-Founder at Pocket Aces, a new age digital entertainment company making highly engaging content for the millennial via their channels FilterCopy, Dice Media, and Gobble. She works closely with advertisers on innovative content solutions that get their messaging across to target audiences in the most effective manner. Aditi also advises Intellecap, where she set up the Intellecap Impact Investment Network, the largest angel network investing in for-profit businesses dedicated to creating a positive social impact
across India and East Africa. She worked with entrepreneurs, advising them on their business models and investment approaches. Prior to joining Intellecap, Aditi spent over 5 years at Goldman Sachs in New York, specializing in quantitative equity research, trading and portfolio management.
Aditi graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University majoring in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. She is a CFA (USA) charter holder, a Shaper in the World Economic Forum Global Shaper Mumbai Hub, and a TiE Mumbai Charter Member. She currently serves on the advisory boards of Jibu, an affordable clean drinking water enterprise in East Africa, and Impact Business Leaders, an organization dedicated to grooming more talent for the impact space. Aditi is passionate about problem solving, dance, and travel. She calls Kuwait (where she grew up) and Mumbai (where she currently
resides) home.
Expertise: Operational / expansion strategies on the ground; fundraising and exposure to investors / awards programs / grants; inside knowledge of models that are working in India and India suppliers.
across India and East Africa. She worked with entrepreneurs, advising them on their business models and investment approaches. Prior to joining Intellecap, Aditi spent over 5 years at Goldman Sachs in New York, specializing in quantitative equity research, trading and portfolio management.
Aditi graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University majoring in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. She is a CFA (USA) charter holder, a Shaper in the World Economic Forum Global Shaper Mumbai Hub, and a TiE Mumbai Charter Member. She currently serves on the advisory boards of Jibu, an affordable clean drinking water enterprise in East Africa, and Impact Business Leaders, an organization dedicated to grooming more talent for the impact space. Aditi is passionate about problem solving, dance, and travel. She calls Kuwait (where she grew up) and Mumbai (where she currently
resides) home.
Expertise: Operational / expansion strategies on the ground; fundraising and exposure to investors / awards programs / grants; inside knowledge of models that are working in India and India suppliers.
Kitili Mbathi serves as the Managing Director at Hesabu Capital Kenya. He previously worked in various capacities at Stanbic Bank Kenya for a period of over 20 years but notably as a Regional Chief Executive Officer. He also previously occupied the position of Chairman at Kenya Tourist Board, Director General and Kenya Wildlife services and Managing Director at CFC Bank Ltd.
He currently serves as the Non-Executive Chairman of Stanbic Bank Kenya and is also an advisor at Endeavor Kenya where he provides financial, strategic, and corporate governance guidance to Entrepreneurs whose companies are in a phase of rapid growth.
He currently serves as the Non-Executive Chairman of Stanbic Bank Kenya and is also an advisor at Endeavor Kenya where he provides financial, strategic, and corporate governance guidance to Entrepreneurs whose companies are in a phase of rapid growth.
Randy Welsch co-founded Jibu and operated as its President and CoFounder for its first eight years, helping to lead it from an idea to a multinational social enterprise with over 2000 retail points across seven countries. With Jibu, he has been a pathfinder and thought leader in innovative blended capital financing models, mission-driven business, and leadership development. Randy supported Jibu’s fundraising efforts to raise over $10M during his tenor, while supporting enterprise sales to cumulatively reach over $20M globally.
Randy Welsch has launched, led and managed a wide variety of complex charitable, corporate, and entrepreneurial enterprises successfully. The breadth of his experience ranges from co-founding Master Solutions, an innovative software/system engineering company that developed advanced space-based solutions to helping lead AFMIN, a charitable organization making significant impact training leaders in Africa. Randy is a TONIIC member and part of the Mission Investors Exchange (MIE). Expertise: business strategy, blended financing, public-speaking, fundraising, M&A, entrepreneurship, social enterprise.
Randy Welsch has launched, led and managed a wide variety of complex charitable, corporate, and entrepreneurial enterprises successfully. The breadth of his experience ranges from co-founding Master Solutions, an innovative software/system engineering company that developed advanced space-based solutions to helping lead AFMIN, a charitable organization making significant impact training leaders in Africa. Randy is a TONIIC member and part of the Mission Investors Exchange (MIE). Expertise: business strategy, blended financing, public-speaking, fundraising, M&A, entrepreneurship, social enterprise.
Twenty (20) years' recognized competence and experience in designing and delivering financial services, corporate management and leading complex development programs in various countries. Hands on experience in developing innovation in the provision of financial services, turn-around of privatized company towards efficiency and profitability, systems strengthening, grant management, human and institutional capacity development. Sound expertise gained in Africa, working experience for Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean in developing and implementing Savings-Led Micro Economic Development Programs and change management within the world's poorest communities. Strong interpersonal and leadership skills in establishing strategic partnerships and implementation of field programs. Fluent in Kinyarwanda, English, a working knowledge of French and three African languages including Swahili
Chris Yeh is the co-founder of the Global Scaling Academy, which teaches individuals and organizations how to plan for and execute on hypergrowth, and of Blitzscaling Ventures, which invests in the world’s fastest-growing startups. Chris has founded, advised, or invested in over 100 high-tech startups since 1995, including 9-figure companies like Ustream (investor, advisor, CEO) and UserTesting.com (advisor). He is the co-author, along with Reid Hoffman, of Blitzscaling: The Lighting-fast Path to Building Massively Valuable
Companies, and the co-author, along with Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha, of the New York Times bestseller, The Alliance: Managing Talent in the Networked Age. Chris earned two degrees from Stanford University, with distinction in both, and an MBA from Harvard
Business School, where he was named a Baker Scholar. Expertise: blitzscaling and growth strategies, online advertising, online marketing, sales management, lead generation, product management, market research, product marketing, entrepreneurship, general management.
Companies, and the co-author, along with Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha, of the New York Times bestseller, The Alliance: Managing Talent in the Networked Age. Chris earned two degrees from Stanford University, with distinction in both, and an MBA from Harvard
Business School, where he was named a Baker Scholar. Expertise: blitzscaling and growth strategies, online advertising, online marketing, sales management, lead generation, product management, market research, product marketing, entrepreneurship, general management.
Galen Welsch co-founded Jibu in 2012 and under his leadership Jibu has quickly become a top-rated social franchise bringing affordable drinking water access to thousands, and creating hundreds of jobs, mostly for youth, across East Africa. Galen's achievements at Jibu have been recognized by BBC World, the Guardian, Fast Company, the Franchise
Times, and by Forbes (30 under 30). In addition to Jibu, Galen is an Aspen Institute scholar, an advisory board member of the University of New Hampshire's Social Sector Franchise Initiative, a mentor (and prior fellow) at the Unreasonable Institute, and an honorary member of Toniic impact investor network. Galen has been a speaker at Harvard's Social Enterprise Conference and at the UN General Assembly's Global
Development Lab showcase. Previously, Galen has worked as a field manager for Colorado's Public Interest Research Group, for HEAL Africa in Goma, DR Congo, and for the Peace Corps as a Health Educator in Morocco.
Times, and by Forbes (30 under 30). In addition to Jibu, Galen is an Aspen Institute scholar, an advisory board member of the University of New Hampshire's Social Sector Franchise Initiative, a mentor (and prior fellow) at the Unreasonable Institute, and an honorary member of Toniic impact investor network. Galen has been a speaker at Harvard's Social Enterprise Conference and at the UN General Assembly's Global
Development Lab showcase. Previously, Galen has worked as a field manager for Colorado's Public Interest Research Group, for HEAL Africa in Goma, DR Congo, and for the Peace Corps as a Health Educator in Morocco.
Our Executive Team
Galen Welsch co-founded Jibu in 2012 and under his leadership Jibu has quickly become a top-rated social franchise bringing affordable drinking water access to thousands, and creating hundreds of jobs, mostly for youth, across East Africa. Galen's achievements at Jibu have been recognized by BBC World, the Guardian, Fast Company, the Franchise
Times, and by Forbes (30 under 30). In addition to Jibu, Galen is an Aspen Institute scholar, an advisory board member of the University of New Hampshire's Social Sector Franchise Initiative, a mentor (and prior fellow) at the Unreasonable Institute, and an honorary member of Toniic impact investor network. Galen has been a speaker at Harvard's Social Enterprise Conference and at the UN General Assembly's Global
Development Lab showcase. Previously, Galen has worked as a field manager for Colorado's Public Interest Research Group, for HEAL Africa in Goma, DR Congo, and for the Peace Corps as a Health Educator in Morocco.
Times, and by Forbes (30 under 30). In addition to Jibu, Galen is an Aspen Institute scholar, an advisory board member of the University of New Hampshire's Social Sector Franchise Initiative, a mentor (and prior fellow) at the Unreasonable Institute, and an honorary member of Toniic impact investor network. Galen has been a speaker at Harvard's Social Enterprise Conference and at the UN General Assembly's Global
Development Lab showcase. Previously, Galen has worked as a field manager for Colorado's Public Interest Research Group, for HEAL Africa in Goma, DR Congo, and for the Peace Corps as a Health Educator in Morocco.
Edward Johnstone FCA was born in Durban, South Africa and grew up in the UK from a young age, where he was schooled and trained to become a Chartered Accountant. Edward returned to Africa in 2004, where he has been living and working out of Nairobi, Kenya for almost 20 years.
Edward has worked across 28 countries on the continent, adding to his extensive working experience across Europe, the Middle East and the USA. This experience has been in start-ups, multi-national businesses, family companies and not-for-profit organisations. Edward has led some of these businesses and been CFO in others, getting involved across all aspects of the organisations, not just within the finance remit.
Edward is passionate about conservation of the world’s wilder spaces. He has been involved in marine protection as well as building fences around mountain ranges to protect the forests. Edward has competed as the team leader of Car 30 for the past 18 years in the Kenya Rhino Charge, raising money for the Rhino Ark Charitable Trust.
Edward has worked across 28 countries on the continent, adding to his extensive working experience across Europe, the Middle East and the USA. This experience has been in start-ups, multi-national businesses, family companies and not-for-profit organisations. Edward has led some of these businesses and been CFO in others, getting involved across all aspects of the organisations, not just within the finance remit.
Edward is passionate about conservation of the world’s wilder spaces. He has been involved in marine protection as well as building fences around mountain ranges to protect the forests. Edward has competed as the team leader of Car 30 for the past 18 years in the Kenya Rhino Charge, raising money for the Rhino Ark Charitable Trust.
