Harald Bekkers joined the DCED Secretariat in April 2023 to support overall management and co-ordination, including a particular focus on results measurement, finance and market systems development. Harald has twenty year of experience in institutionalizing market systems development in programs and international NGOs. From 2011 to 2018 Harald led the Market Development Facility (MDF) as the Team Leader and built this out to become the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s (DFAT) flagship market systems development program, active in five fragile economies with a strong focus on women’s economic empowerment, inclusion, and knowledge management. Harald is the Founder and CEO of an international consultancy firm specializing in private sector development. Harald completed his Ph.D at the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research on the role of business services in emerging Asian economies.