Transforming rural economies in the emerging markets

Dear expats

I probably should have introduced myself 2 years ago when i first moved to Ghana, however better late than never. My name is Mar, i am 54, single and i originate from England. I left England when i was 18 on a one way Freddy Laker ticket to NYC and £50. I spent 20 years in the USA becoming a successful entrepreneur in the clothing, restuarant, barter, counter trade and software industries, of which the latter i built into a large NY Stock exchange company.

I returned to the UK in 2001 for family reasons and launched D1 Oils later that year, which became the first company to produce biodiesel from non edible vegetable oils. I traveled the globe to find the most cost effective non edible vegetable oil and by 2002 we selected Jatropha. By 2005 the company was public and considering to import food grade vegetable oils instead of breeding better strains of Jatropha, so i left. i then spent 3 years in India, where i opened my own biotechnology lab and began looking at other alternative energy fuels and conversion technologies By 2008 i had identified a strain of bamboo, grass and a fast growing species of tree that were suitable for low cost production of energy using gasification (off grid) technology. in 2009 i launched Clenergen on the stock market and was operational in several companies including the Philippines and Guyana we did not succeed in raising finance for our projects, so in 2012 i moved to Ghana in partnership with a private German equity fund.

Over the past 2 years i implemented scientific trials on a mining site using 4 species of bamboo and two grasses in order to prove yield and economic viability of energy crops in order to generate electricity directly for end users or communities i imported a strain of bamboo produced from tissue culture which are all identical and plant 450 per acre I drove 21,000 km in Ghana to source suitable land for large scale cultivation during which i stayed at over 140 different hotel rooms during the past 2 years. i believe due to problems finding food in the communities, i am now eaten my 230th Tilapia fish. Certainly there has been many adventures both past and present.

i look forward to meeting other ex pats during the next stage of my work in Ghana which will involve less travel, a central location/home and a better selection of food!

Anyway, this is an introduction and look forward to hearing from other expats

Mark