Brett Rierson
Education
INSEAD
MBA, International Business 1994-01-01 - 1994-12-01
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Bachelor of Arts, History - Land reform, developmental economics 1984-01-01 - 1988-01-01
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Bachelor's degree, Broadcast Journalism 1984-01-01 - 1988-01-01Work Experience
Maisha Pharma - Uganda
Current
Maisha Pharma - Uganda
DoGood Dried Fruit
Current
DoGood Dried Fruit
Harvest Agricultural Solutions Ltd.
Current
Harvest Agricultural Solutions Ltd.
USAID Post Harvest Loss Innovation Lab - Kansas State
2017-09-01 - 2023-06-01
USAID Post Harvest Loss Innovation Lab - Kansas State
World Food Programme
2009-08-01 - 2019-06-01
World Food Programme
IncubAsia - Hong Kong
1999-09-01 - 2009-09-01
IncubAsia - Hong Kong
Clinton Global Initiative
2008-01-01 - 2009-01-01
Clinton Global Initiative
World Food Programme
2005-06-01 - 2008-03-01
World Food Programme
Overseas Vote Foundation
2003-10-01 - 2005-12-01
Overseas Vote Foundation
Home!
2002-01-01 - 2005-05-01
Home!
Skills
Summary
Brett Rierson has built a multifaceted career across the private sector, politics, and international development, working in over 30 countries throughout Asia and Africa, with additional assignments in Paris and London. He began his career as an electrical engineer with Matra Transport, contributing to the construction of the Taipei Metro. After completing his MBA at INSEAD, Brett embarked on a 15-year career with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). There, he worked his way up from an entry-level consulting position to become WFP's Representative to China, where he worked to translate China’s domestic success in hunger reduction into meaningful contributions to global food security. He then founded the WFP's Global Post-Harvest Knowledge & Operations Centre, helping to scale WFP’s groundbreaking work in reducing post-harvest losses for smallholder farmers globally. He also held the role of Deputy Managing Director of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) in Asia, building cross-sector partnerships to address critical development challenges, raising over $180 million in commitments for climate, gender and sustainability organizations. In the private sector, Brett worked with A.T. Kearney, advising multinational clients on supply chain logistics, food systems, and healthcare reform. He has also launched and managed venture capital funds, and in 2003, he founded Overseasvote.com, the first internet-based U.S. voter registration tool for citizens living abroad—now the largest non-partisan platform of its kind. Based in Uganda for the past decade, Brett leads efforts to build transparent, ethical trade channels between African farmers and global buyers. His work is rooted in the belief that “trade, not aid” offers the most dignified and sustainable path to development.
