Dayaxa Frankincense combines an international team hailing from Somaliland, the UK, and the USA. Our teams on the ground are ever-expanding according to the demands of our business and the needs of our sustainability and impact programmes, but here are a few of our core management team members
Abdirizak – Founder
Abdirizak was born in the Sanaag Region of Somaliland, leaving when his family fled the country during the troubles when he was a young child. He grew up in Norway and later in London, where he completed an Engineering Degree at the University of London, qualifying with a Bachelor of Engineering degree. Abdirizak is fluent in Somali, English and Norwegian.
After reconnecting with his family and visiting the region in 2018 Abdirizak formed the Dayaxa Frankincense Export Company (DFEC). With the founding of the company, he has made it his business to understand Frankincense, the Boswellia tree, the raw material, the different quality resins, the region and, in particular, understanding the sustainability of the harvesting and management.
Stephen – Sustainability & Innovation
Stephen is a professional frankincense nerd, originally exploring the frankincense value chain as a researcher, conservationist, and technical advisor. He has been involved in research and setting up sustainable harvesting systems in frankincense on the ground in Somaliland, Somalia, Ethiopia, Oman, and Burkina Faso. Stephen co-founded the Conserve the Cal Madow project (later renamed Save Frankincense) and was later a research associate for the Aromatic Plant Research Center. He has conducted multiple on-the-ground analyses in the frankincense harvesting regions of Somaliland and Puntland, has authored more than a dozen papers and articles about frankincense, and provided consulting services for a range of clients from start-ups to billion-dollar industry leaders. Stephen’s US-based company, FairSource Botanicals, partnered with DFEC in 2020 to spearhead the implementation of blockchain traceability and sustainability in the supply chain.
Hamza – Production & Export
Hamza was born in Germany, and has lived in Somaliland since 2010. Hamza is in charge of supervising the sourcing teams in Somaliland and manages the purchasing of raw materials and implementation of key impact programs. Hamza is fluent in Somali, English and German.
Adan – Quality Control
Adan is an Elder in the Dayaxa region, and the owner and harvester of frankincense fields in the area. He has an unparalleled understanding of the intricacies of harvesting and traditional ecological management of the trees. He oversees the local production, inspects the resins, and is responsible for quality control and sustainable harvesting in the Dayaxa region.
Paul – International Operations
With over 20 years of experience managing SME’s, particularly in the hospitality sector, Paul is a jack of all trades with a knack for managing people and bringing out the best in every team member. He is responsible for managing international operations, material processing, logistics, and dispatch, and the administration of our social enterprise initiatives.
Simon – Finance & Business Strategy
Our finance and business operations guru, Simon has over 20 years of experience in various C-Suite roles in both large companies and SMEs. Simon keeps the team focused on good business fundamentals and processes in addition to our broader mission of social and environmental impact. After all, a strong and stable business is the bedrock of our ability to support harvesting communities!