ANASTACIA A. O. KODI
Nairobi
Summary
Principal Research and Innovation Officer leading tourism research, policy design, and innovation for MICE strategy, mixed-methods research, and programme monitoring. Shapes evidence-based decisions through stakeholder consultations, comparative analysis, and technical reporting for government and sector partners. Strengthens community tourism and business events performance by linking research findings to implementation, budgeting, and measurable socio-economic outcomes.
Overview
1
1
Certification
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Principal Research and Innovation Officer
Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC)
02.2019 - Current
- Community Tourism & Enterprise Development
- Co-Led the MICE Mashinani Initiative, partnering with county governments and community tourism enterprises to integrate local tourism products and services into Kenya's business events value chain, enhancing community participation and destination competitiveness.
- Designed and facilitated capacity-building programmes for community tourism enterprises on product development, service quality standards, destination marketing, and market readiness.
- Spearheaded the development of Kenya's Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibition Tourism Satellite Account (MICE-TSA) in collaboration with the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), establishing a framework for measuring the economic contribution and community impact of business tourism.
- Developed monitoring and evaluation frameworks to assess socio-economic outcomes of tourism interventions, generating evidence to support programme improvement and policy formulation.
- Research, Policy & Strategy Development
- Spearheaded the development of Kenya's National MICE Strategy, coordinating consultations with government agencies, county governments, private sector stakeholders, academia, and development partners.
- Conducted mixed-methods research, including Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), and stakeholder surveys to inform tourism policy, destination development, and investment planning.
- Undertook comparative analyses of international tourism and business events models, generating policy recommendations to strengthen Kenya's competitiveness in the global tourism market.
- Produced policy briefs, technical reports, and strategic research outputs that informed institutional planning and sector-wide decision-making.
- Stakeholder Engagement & Partnership Management
- Coordinated multi-stakeholder partnerships involving the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, Tourism Regulatory Authority (TRA), KNBS, UNECA, ICCA, county governments, and academic institutions to advance tourism development initiatives.
- Represented KICC and Kenya at international tourism and business events forums, including the ICCA Congress (Poland, 2022), Africa Associations Summit (2024), and the 11th EAC Sectoral Council Meeting (2023), World Chef Congress (2026) promoting destination development and strategic partnerships.
- Supported partnership development and resource mobilization initiatives for tourism research, capacity building, and community-focused tourism programmes.
- Programme & Financial Management
- Managed departmental work plans, budgets, procurement processes, and project implementation schedules in compliance with public sector regulations and institutional priorities.
- Monitored strategic and operational plan implementation, tracking key performance indicators and reporting programme outcomes to support evidence-based decision-making.
Research Officer
Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC)
06.2018 - 01.2019
- Supported the development and implementation of research plans, methodologies, and data collection tools to inform tourism strategy and policy.
- Conducted industry research on MICE and community tourism trends, providing actionable insights to management and stakeholders.
- Monitored global tourism developments and assessed their implications for Kenya's tourism sector, contributing to evidence-based decision-making.
- Collaborated in publishing research findings in industry journals and periodicals, advancing knowledge sharing within the tourism ecosystem.
- Assisted in establishing a knowledge-sharing framework within the organisation, fostering a culture of research-driven innovation.
Sales Executive – Business Events & Conference Bidding
Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC)
06.2013 - 06.2018
- Collaboratively Developed client proposals and quotations for high-profile business events, securing contracts for KICC that generated cumulative revenues exceeding Ksh 1 billion for flagship international conferences, including:
- O 10th WTO Ministerial Conference (2015) – Ksh 100 million
- O 14th UNCTAD Conference (2016) – Ksh 150 million
- O 1st Sustainable Blue Economy Conference (2018) – Ksh 150 million
- O 25th ICPD Conference (2019) – Ksh 152 million
- O 1st Africa Climate Summit (2023) – Ksh 478 million
- O 1st Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit (2024) – Ksh 132 million
- Led Kenya's bidding process for international conferences, positioning the country as a premier MICE destination in Africa, including successful presentations for the World Congress of Herpetology (2020 & 2024) in China and Malaysia respectively, World Chefs Congress 2026 in wales,UK.
- Conducted market research to identify business opportunities, leveraging insights to develop competitive proposals and expand market share.
- Negotiated contracts and managed client relationships, ensuring high levels of satisfaction and repeat business.
Sales Executive
Kenya Engineers / Institution of Engineers of Kenya (Intercontinental Publishers)
06.2012 - 06.2013
- Prospected and secured new business for advertising products, developing tailored proposals and presentations to meet client needs.
- Maintained and nurtured long-term client relationships, providing ongoing support and ensuring customer satisfaction.
Intern – Corporate Planning and Performance Management Unit (CPPMU)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
11.2011 - 02.2012
- Assisted in coordinating the development of the Ministry's Performance Contracts, ensuring alignment with government strategic objectives.
- Supported the preparation of MPER/MTEF Sub-sector reports, contributing to budget planning and resource allocation processes.
- Contributed to the Ministerial Annual Monitoring & Evaluation Report, providing data and analysis to inform performance assessment.
IT Support (Work Study)
United States International University (USIU)
05.2010 - 04.2011
- Provided IT support for lectures, meetings, and conferences, ensuring seamless delivery of academic and administrative events.
- Configured network settings, performed software installations, and maintained IT equipment, troubleshooting issues to minimise downtime.
Education
Doctor of Philosophy - International Studies
University of Nairobi
Kenya08-2026
Master of Arts - International Relations – Integrated Studies
United States International University (USIU)
Kenya01-2017
Bachelor of Science - International Business Administration (Finance Concentration)
United States International University (USIU)
Kenya01-2011
Advanced Diploma - Association of Business Executives (ABE, UK)
Oshwal College
Nairobi01-2007
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education - undefined
Asumbi Girls' High School
Kenya01-2003
Skills
Destination development
MICE industry strategy
Policy advocacy
Monitoring, evaluation & learning
Proposal & report writing
Community tourism development
Project design & implementation
Stakeholder facilitation
Partnership brokering
Multi-sectoral collaboration
Accomplishments
- Spearheaded the National MICE Strategy development, positioning Kenya as a leading business tourism destination in Africa
- Presented Kenya's bid for the 11th World Congress of Herpetology (2024) in Malaysia
- As a member of National Technical Committee Contributed to the development of MICE Standards (2020) under the Tourism Regulatory Authority
- Represented the Business Tourism Sector at the 11th EAC Sectoral Council Meeting (2023) in Arusha
- As a member of the National Technical Committee assisted in the establishment of the Kenya Tourism Satellite Account (2019) with UNECA
- Participated in the ICCA 2022 Conference in Poland, promoting Kenya as a top business events destination
- Selected by ICCA in 2015 for the Young Professionals Forum in Spain
- Successfully presented Kenya's bid to host the World Congress of Herpetology 2020 in China
Certification
Sustainable Tourism Course – Postgraduate Scholarship, Italy (2019)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- Valid Local Driving Licence & Valid passport – Available for regional and international travel
- Flexible & Adaptable – Experienced working across time zones, cultures, and remote collaboration environments
- Willing to Travel Frequently – Demonstrated commitment to regional and international assignments
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- ICCA Young Professionals Forum – Spain (2015)
- MICE Standards Development Workshop – Tourism Regulatory Authority, Kenya (2020)
- Participatory Action Research (PAR) & Qualitative Methods – Ongoing professional practice
LEADERSHIP & COMMUNITY SERVICE
- KICC Board of Trustees, Member, 2023, Present
- Corporate Social Investment, KICC, Committee Member, 2020, Present
- Sub-AIDS Control Unit (ACU), KICC, Member, 2019, Present
- KICC Environmental Sustainability Committee, Secretary, 2020, Present
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
Awarded a postgraduate scholarship (2019) for Sustainable Tourism course in Italy
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Timeline
Principal Research and Innovation Officer
Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC)
02.2019 - Current
Research Officer
Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC)
06.2018 - 01.2019
Sales Executive – Business Events & Conference Bidding
Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC)
06.2013 - 06.2018
Sales Executive
Kenya Engineers / Institution of Engineers of Kenya (Intercontinental Publishers)
06.2012 - 06.2013
Intern – Corporate Planning and Performance Management Unit (CPPMU)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
11.2011 - 02.2012
IT Support (Work Study)
United States International University (USIU)
05.2010 - 04.2011
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education - undefined
Asumbi Girls' High School
Advanced Diploma - Association of Business Executives (ABE, UK)
Oshwal College
Bachelor of Science - International Business Administration (Finance Concentration)
United States International University (USIU)
Master of Arts - International Relations – Integrated Studies
United States International University (USIU)
Doctor of Philosophy - International Studies
University of Nairobi