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Our Team


Welcome to Advance. Here we work on creating a world in balance. A world in which all people can lead fulfilling lives while our planet flourishes. Not easy. Very necessary. 

'That’s why: we drive impact through private sector development. We create and nurture the ecosystems in which businesses can sharpen their purpose, improve their plans, fund their actions and

get the support they need in delivering sustainable positive change. We provide an environment that challenges the status quo, boosts new ideas and connects the dots between people and organisations.

We trust together we can create the impact we all need. Work with us. Let’s advance.



Netherlands (Ede)

David Milne

Business Consultant

David has been working in the energy and environment sector for over 5 years, with both public and private organisations. He has spent 3 years in Sub-Saharan Africa working on project finance and capital raising in the renewable energy sector for impact funds and project developers. Amongst others he has worked on solar, wind, waste-to-energy, biomass, green hydrogen, and off-grid projects. He holds an MSc in Energy Science and a BSc in Geology, both from Utrecht University.

Mariska Kools

Senior Operations Manager

Mariska is an experienced finance & operations professional, with a heart for people. There is an African proverb that says “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”. Working together with the global team of Advance Consulting on a common goal is driving her every day. She likes number crunching and improving processes, but it is the people behind the figures and processes that inspire her. Mariska has lived and worked in Ukraine and Poland for several years which sparked her passion for international cooperation. She worked previously among others at Global Initiative on Psychiatry (mental health reforms in Eastern Europe and former USSR), SharePeople (supporting entrepreneurs in Africa on improving their business plan) and Bopinc (supporting companies in Africa and Asia to bring quality products and services to low income consumers). She brings a lot of experience of working within project organizations together with international partners.