For this edition of The Ones Who Make It Happen series, we spoke with Gellila Woldemichael, Consultant for Governance and Economic Growth in our Ethiopia office.
Gellila Woldemichael is part of the driving force behind transformative initiatives as a Consultant for Governance and Economic Growth at our Ethiopia office.
Gellila’s journey is one of relentless pursuit. Holding a master’s degree in International Management, she navigated her way through Sales and Business Analyst roles before discovering her true passion: driving change and contributing towards the Sustainable Development Goals through strengthening governance systems.
What sets Gellila apart is not just her impressive resume; it’s her unwavering commitment to create meaningful impact in her country, Ethiopia, where inflation, lack of adequate governmental reforms and a shortage of foreign exchange have been an obstacle to the nation’s growth.
Post-graduation, Gellila honed her skills in data analytics, transforming raw data into actionable insights. This invaluable experience paved the way for her current role at Crown Agents, where she engages in bid writing and fosters client partnerships across governance initiatives.
Being a change agent through governance stregthening
For her, it’s not about sitting behind a desk; it’s about witnessing a tangible impact on her nation through providing better public services for citizens through effective resource management. She’s a change agent, orchestrating a domino effect that ripples across various sectors. Take, for instance, her pivotal role in supporting Crown Agents in providing advisory procurement services for the Ethiopian Ministry of Revenue.
It is well known that Ethiopian taxpayers have to take a day off work to endure long queues while paying their taxes. This not only steals their time but also hinders their ability to plan their lives outside of work. Gellila was able to deliver cross-cutting advisory work with Crown Agents procurement team and the Government of Ethiopia to start revolutionising the tax and invoicing systems. This was done by sharing Crown Agents’ extensive tax administration knowledge with the nation’s Tax Transformation Office (TTO) and set a guideline for their procurement process.
For Gellila, each day is an opportunity for growth. Working collaboratively within a dynamic team, she doesn’t just implement projects; she fortifies systems. It’s a journey filled with challenges, victories, and an unwavering determination to find the silver lining—the Ethiopian way.
Gellila isn’t just an observer, she feels the impact of her projects. The pride she feels is immeasurable, knowing that her contributions extend far beyond her professional realm.