Andrew Read is a seasoned dealmaker with more than 20 years of experience driving agricultural trade, natural resource management, and market growth across Africa and Asia. He combines technical depth with proven leadership, having managed complex multimillion-dollar portfolios and delivered measurable results in some of the continent’s most dynamic markets.

In addition to scouting and validating opportunities for Anchorage Africa, Andrew serves as Vice President for Operations at Black Buffalo International (BBI), where he oversees shea butter supply chains across West Africa and manages the sourcing networks that feed BBI’s soap processing facility in Olympia, Washington. This dual role highlights his ability to build efficient, resilient value chains that bridge frontier markets with global demand.

During his tenure with USAID, Andrew established a reputation for translating strategy into results at scale. As Economic Growth Office Director in Ghana, he led teams mobilizing nearly $800 million in agribusiness sales and improved productivity of national fisheries. In Tanzania, he designed partnerships that boosted seed production and increased annual sales of participating firms by 65%. In Kenya, he spearheaded the horticultural traceability system that lifted a European Union ban on Kenyan produce while structuring over $100 million in new agricultural programs.

Andrew began his career as a horticulture specialist and extension agent with the University of Missouri, advising commercial growers and agribusinesses while also running his own cut-flower farm serving wholesale and retail markets in St. Louis. This entrepreneurial grounding continues to shape his pragmatic, results-driven approach to investment and business growth.

He holds a Master of Science in Horticulture from the University of Missouri, Columbia, and a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.

With a rare combination of technical expertise, market intelligence, and executional credibility, Andrew brings both rigor and vision to Anchorage Africa’s strategy in West Africa—delivering scalable opportunities and trusted growth for investors.

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