March 26, 2026—Sistema.bio is pleased to announce the appointment of Marina Pannekeet as its new Independent Board Chair, effective January 2026. Marina succeeds Dr. Joyce Cacho, who has served as Board Chair since October 2022 and played a pivotal role in guiding the company through a period of significant growth.
With more than 20 years of experience, Marina brings extensive experience across renewable energy, infrastructure, impact investing, and capital fundraising in emerging markets. She is driven by the conviction that access to energy and finance is fundamental to opportunity, and that strategic, sustainable investment can accelerate positive change by alleviating poverty while strengthening food security and climate resilience.
Marina began her impact investing career at FMO, the Dutch entrepreneurial development bank. As Senior Investment Officer and later Lead for the Energy Department, she directed the Africa infrastructure team and managed a €500 million portfolio focused on telecommunications and renewable and bioenergy projects, including hydroelectric, wind, and solar.
More recently, her work has focused on the intersection of philanthropy, climate, and impact investing, including supporting capital-mobilization strategies at IKEA Foundation for sustainable energy transitions. Marina is also the former Chair of the Investment Committee of ElectriFI and Water Unite, where she helped ensure strong environmental, social, and impact governance across energy-access investments.
“Having followed Sistema.bio’s progress, I am deeply aligned with its purpose and have personally witnessed the value of its products and services, as well as the significant impact generated for farmers, communities, and the climate,” said Marina Pannekeet. “I look forward to collaborating with the board and the leadership team to support Sistema.bio’s next phase of growth and expansion.”
Marina describes her leadership style as people-centered and performance-driven, emphasizing connection, trust, and coaching to enable strong teams across diverse contexts. She expressed strong alignment with Sistema.bio’s culture, highlighting it as a key driver of the company’s cohesion and success across multiple regions.
“We are delighted to welcome Marina as our new Independent Board Chair,” said Alexander Eaton, CEO and Co-founder of Sistema.bio. “Her extensive experience in impact finance, capital deployment, risk management, and aligning investments with ESG, SDG, and climate objectives in emerging markets is an exceptional asset for Sistema.bio at this stage of our journey.”
____________________________
About Sistema.bio
Sistema.bio is the global leader in biogas and regenerative agriculture solutions for small and medium-scale farmers, providing access to innovative biodigester technology, training, and financing. Since 2010, they have been addressing the interconnected challenges of energy access, waste management, and soil degradation through renewable energy and regenerative farming solutions. Operating in over 35 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, Sistema.bio delivers high-quality carbon mitigation, sequestration, and climate change adaptation programs backed by digital Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (dMRV). Sistema.bio works with family farmers all over the world to reduce their carbon footprint and make them more productive and efficient. More information, visit: www.sistema.bio
For media enquiries, please contact:
Xunaxi Cruz Velasco
Marketing & Communications Director, Sistema.bio
xunaxi@sistema.bio