Team

Syakaa is the Chief Operating Officer of SITU and Executive Director of the Biodiversity Investments Researcher and Accelerator (BIRA). In these roles, he leads program design and implementation across SITU’s portfolio and oversees the delivery of BIRA’s nature- positive investments. His focus is on ensuring that the organization’s initiatives achieve measurable outcomes and build pathways for scalable, sustainable impact.

At SITU, Syakaa plays a central role in building and supporting diverse programs from incubation through delivery, ensuring strong systems, effective coordination, and results- driven execution. As Executive Director of BIRA, he leads Africa’s first biodiversity accelerator which helps nature-based enterprises strengthen their investment readiness, pilot innovative financing mechanisms such as nature credits, and connect with funders through the BIRA Funders’ Circle.

Syakaa’s experience spans over a decade of work in program management, climate finance, and sustainable development across Africa. He is also an Associate Partner at Axum, where he co-leads the Tanzania office, and serves on the Advisory Council of the Climate Smart Forest Economy Program. Syakaa is a Co-Founder of the Tanzania Climate Network and an Africa Finance Corporation Carbon Fellow, contributing to global efforts to build more inclusive and equitable climate markets. He holds a degree in Economics from Yale University.