OUR BOARD
The Board provides corporate governance on behalf of SABA’s members and partners. It establishes and maintains the association’s vision, mission and values, approves the strategy, annual business plans and budget.
JOHN PATERSON
Chairman
John is a former CEO with extensive international experience in Oil & Gas, Industrials and Consumer Goods working for multinationals, private and private equity owned businesses. He comes from a finance background and has extensive experience in general management, strategy development, accelerated growth, marketing and distribution, key account management, new market entry, M&A and joint ventures.
ELAINE ALEXANDER
Board Member
Elaine has over 20 years’ experience working in Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries sector development in Sub Saharan Africa in both the public and private sectors. During her tenure the in public sector Elaine held the positions of Deputy Director-General: Economic Development International Trade and Marketing, for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and Chief Director: Sector Development Agriculture and Agro-processing in the Department of Trade and Industry, South Africa.
CHRIS LOW
Board Member
Chris is an international banking, digital transformation, risk management and emerging markets leader, with more than 30 years of proven strategic delivery at Board and C-suite levels. He holds a Chartered Accountancy qualification and has worked in the UK, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Currently, he advises the HM Government on strategies for engaging with the UK banking sector to promote trade and investment. Also, he holds a Board seat on the Bank subsidiary of a public quoted East African Banking and Insurance Group while advising the Group as well as a number of early-stage FinTechs based in West and East Africa.
CRAIG MCLAREN
Board Member
Brought up in the Copperbelt region of Zambia, schooled in Scotland then spent over 20 years working in the Middle East for Johnson & Johnson. Now back in the UK Craig is a Leadership and Healthcare advisor as well as an Executive Coach, Charity Trustee and a GlobalScot (Scottish Development International).
JOYCE ONUONG
Board Member
Joyce is the MD of John White & Son (Weighing Machines Ltd) the oldest family business in Scotland that has been with the White family for over 300 years. Joyce acquired the business a few years ago after working at JWS for over 20years. Joyce’s with her two sons who work in the business are inspired is to grow the JWS legacy they have inherited into a successful Scottish- Kenyan business.
JAMES CRAWFORD
Board Member
James has been Kuro Consulting Services Managing Director since April 2019. Prior to this he spent time as an independent consultant for a year after leaving his role as Marathon Oil Regional Vice President in Equatorial Guinea. With more than 30 years’ industry experience, he has spent the past 18 years in a variety of senior leadership, operations management and contracts management roles within the Africa region as well as in Europe, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Brunei and the Philippines.
In addition, James is also a GlobalScot, and is a founding partner of Leadership Development Specialists - Actif4.
