Alumnus testimonial
Leah Situnayake - Impact Officer at FMO
During the MID-program, Leah Situnayake worked as an intern at the Dutch Development Bank, FMO. Shortly after graduating, she landed a job at FMO as an Impact Analyst for the Impact Measurement and Integrated Reporting team.
I am very happy that I chose the masters International Development Studies. It made me a critical thinker and the internship experience was extremely valuable in gaining practical knowledge to enter the labor market.
Can you explain what FMO does?
“FMO invests with the aim of enhancing local prosperity in emerging markets and take risks that the commercial banking sector is not willing to take. The focus is on the private sector in the following industries: agribusiness, food & water, energy and financial institutions.”
You currently work as an Impact Officer. What does this include?
“My tasks focus on impact data management and reporting of ESG risks (Environmental, Social & Governance), and impact indicators for FMO’s financial institution investments.”
What do you like most about your position?
“What I really enjoy about my job is FMO’s mission and vision, the team dynamics, creativity, and adaptability. Impact investing is getting a lot attention and it’s constantly changing, this makes my job relevant. It also includes detailed discussions around impact indicators and collaboration with stakeholders, which I enjoy.”
In what way did the MID-program prepare you for your career?
“My experience at Wageningen University provided me with the fitting background to apply as an intern at the Agribusiness department. I did not land an internal job straight after my internship as my main interest was in impact measurement. So when a position appeared two months later as an impact analyst, I applied. Thanks to my previous experience at FMO, it made it easier for me to get the job.”