Lathifa K. Sykes

• Strategic Leadership: Provide visionary leadership and direction, ensuring alignment with TCT’s objectives and goals for sustainable tourism. Inspire and lead a team dedicated to making Tanzania a top sustainable tourism destination.
• Policy Advocacy: Champion policy reform and advocate for an enabling environment that supports sustainable and responsible tourism development. Engage with various stakeholders, including government, local communities, and international partners.
• Program Management: Oversee the design, implementation, and evaluation of TCT programs. Ensure that these initiatives effectively contribute to the organization’s strategic objectives and enhance its visibility and impact within the tourism industry.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Develop and maintain robust relationships with key stakeholders to foster collaboration and secure support for TCT’s initiatives. Act as the primary spokesperson for the organization in various national and international forums.
• Financial Oversight: Manage organizational finances with integrity and transparency. Pursue opportunities to enhance funding and resource allocation to support TCT’s strategic initiatives.
• Worked closely with organizational leadership and board of directors to guide operational strategy.
• Forge strong relationships with board members, providing regular updates on organizational progress and soliciting their expertise when needed.
• Guided staff through periods of organizational change, maintaining morale and engagement during transitions.
• Oversaw financial management, ensuring fiscal responsibility and long-term sustainability for the organization.

Successfully Hosted the 'Blue and Green' Event: Orchestrated the landmark 'Blue and Green: Making the Most of Tanzania's Coast and Hinterland Ecosystems' event. This pivotal forum convened key stakeholders from the public and private sectors, yielding significant commitments towards sustainable tourism practices and policy frameworks.

• Commissioned specifically to assist the Local Air Operators to lobby against the spontaneous introduction (removal of exemption) of Value Added Tax (VAT) on Air Charter services
• Continue to represent the Private Sector Aviation Industry to advocate for Policy Reform and Business Enabling Environment for the industry
• Currently working closely with the Executive Secretary of TAOA to build institutional capacity and improve the organizations stakeholder engagement and membership initiatives

Successfully lobbied in reversing the imposition (maintain exemption) of VAT for local air charters

• Provide extensive experience in organizing and executing high-profile events, as well as working on policy advocacy (with a focus on tourism, conservation, and youth)

• Represented the Consumptive (Hunting) Tourism industry and its stakeholders as CEO for both associations and continued to work closely with the Tourism apex body, Tourism Confederation of Tanzania (TCT), to strategize and bring efficient and effective advocacy and lobbying on the common Non-Consumptive (Photographic) and Consumptive (Hunting) issues
• Successfully lobbied in reversing the imposition (maintain exemption) of VAT to Consumptive Tourism Industry
• Highly engaged in the Tanzania National Tourism Policy review process to ensure ‘Conservation’ is prominently featured and highlighted in the policy to ensure growth of sustainable Tourism in Tanzania

• As CEO of the association, reporting to the Board of Directors, my responsibilities entailed: Identifying key issues affecting the Hospitality Industry (accommodation providers and investors) and lobbying/advocating at a national level in seeking a conducive business environment for accommodation providers in Tanzania
• Grow the association membership base to strengthen the voice of accommodation providers nationally and internationally (put HAT on the Map)
• Engage in a steady and continuous dialogue with Government, Public Sector, Executive Agencies and stakeholders that affect the Tourism Private Sector
• Build long lasting and reliable partnerships between the Tourism Private Sector and Government/Public Sector for more effective and efficient Public-Private Partnerships
• Engage with all levels of the hospitality industry as its first point of contact for commercial and political concerns
• Provide members with services that are oriented toward the needs of their business as accommodation providers, regardless of size through: Knowledge & Research, Education, Marketing & Communication, Advisory, Special offers for members
• Involved in various key industry Boards
• Successful advocacy and lobbying for improved Tourism Industry initiatives – Multiplicity of Taxes, Fees, Levies and Charges (World Bank); Regrow Project (World Bank); maintain exemption of VAT on Tourism Services (2013-2015)
• Introduced and published the first Tanzania Hospitality Industry magazine ‘UKARIMU’ (2015) - http://www.ukarimu.co.tz/
• Increased advocacy donor support by 60%

• Established an event management company with a strong focus on ‘Out of the Box’ event concept development and management
• The company has grown to be known for its superior fundraising capabilities, servicing to corporate and non-profit organizations such as: African Barrick Gold (ABG); Australia & Tanzania Society; United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR); Economic Social Research Foundation (ESRF); Wood Family Trust Foundation (WFT); Creative Eye Ltd
• (CE) and private clients for various special events
• Developed, managed and executed the first Barclays Step Ahead national campaign in Tanzania and achieved and exceeded the sponsorship target of TZS 100 million, by raising a total of TZS 412 million (in-kind and cash contributions) for CCBRT and AMREF in support of MDGs 4 & 5 – Infant Health and Maternal Health respectively
• Revamped (2 years in a row) the Australia & Tanzania Society – ‘Rafiki Surgical Missions Fundraising Event’ (previously fully run by African Barrick Gold) by creating more interest and draw of corporate entities to support the initiative
• This resulted in more than tripling the funds raised from $60,000 (2011) to $196,000 (2013)

• Consulting, communication and strategy development and management - assist with the CDC Foundation - mHealth Tanzania Partnership and National Blood Transfusion Services
• Played an integral role in creating the Wazazi Nipendeni and National Blood Transfusion Services SMS Messages
• Worked closely with the relevant Public Sector Stakeholders to ensure their views and input were considered and incorporated
• Worked closely with Text to Change in setting up the sequence of the messages and improving on the system
• Participated in the strenuous and lengthy consultation process between mHealth Tanzania and other stakeholders in producing the Training Manuals and initiative marketing
• Participated in the Wazazi Nipendeni community trainings across Tanzania
• Played a significant role in soliciting and attaining sponsorship support for the initiative through my corporate network
• Translated and conceptualized the Wazazi Nipendeni SMS messages (total 180+ messages) to fit the Tanzanian Culture and ‘Mass’ understanding
• It brings great pride to see and know I was one of many that facilitated and brought to ‘fruition’ the Wazazi Nipendeni initiative

• Recruited to a newly created position in the Corporate Affairs Department of Barclays Bank Tanzania to harmonize their event management quality across the business
• Established event standards within the organization throughout the country and ensured service levels and quality were maintained and adhered to
• Harmonized and standardized the Barclays Bank Tanzania corporate, CSR and internal events throughout the country and ensured service levels and quality were maintained and adhered to
• Revamped the internal information sharing methods by improving the communication medium and format for the organization
• Revived and implemented the Barclays Bank Tanzania Quarterly Magazine publication by collecting interesting business related news articles and interviewed featured staff members and departments for the publication that improved staff information sharing and business awareness on pertinent company issues
• Created exciting and interesting presentations and publications for the corporate intranet and improved ways of sharing information with staff to get improved reactions and participation on many internal initiatives

• Company Overview: The University Health Network, comprises of four health centers for patients, conduct leading-edge research and training of health professionals
• Setup and managed the Continuing Mental Health Education Office at the University Health Network
• Created, organized and executed the continuing education programs for the Department of Psychiatry at UHN
• The University Health Network, comprises of four health centers for patients, conduct leading-edge research and training of health professionals

• Company Overview: CACDS is a non-profit organization that represents the operators of Canada’s approximately 6,500 chain, banner and franchise neighbourhood pharmacies, as well as grocery chains and mass merchandisers with pharmacies
• (Aug
• 2001 to Mar
• 2004) promoted to Program & Membership Coordinator, where I coordinated events (National and International), and continued to manage the membership programs and office operations
• (Jan
• To Aug
• 2001) recruited as the Membership Services Representative, maintained, organized and coordinated membership services day-to-day functions (client support services) and provided full administrative support to the Vice President of Communications & Development and the Department
• CACDS is a non-profit organization that represents the operators of Canada’s approximately 6,500 chain, banner and franchise neighbourhood pharmacies, as well as grocery chains and mass merchandisers with pharmacies

• Primarily provide full administrative support amongst other duties to the Director of Information Management

• Assisted in the coordination and management of the FITTskills Program, by administering all aspects of program delivery and logistics