Averda appoints Ex-Ford Motor finance director

Nitesse Lenton CFO at Averda. (Photo: Averda)

Described as having a “wealth of relevant experience and knowledge”, Niteese is the former deputy group CFO for energy logistics company Tristar Transport.

She is a graduate of Florida A&M University in the United States and during her 20-year career has also held the position of finance director at Ford Motor Company Middle East & Africa.

Malek Sukkar, Averda CEO, said: “Niteese’s past experience of financial management in multinational corporations with a presence in many of our countries of operation makes her an excellent candidate for the role as CFO at Averda, and one that I am certain she will excel at given her past achievements.”

Niteese, who replaces outgoing CFO Samir Sharma, will manage the company’s financials and help drive its growth by supporting business development opportunities in the market. 

Averda said: “She will also help manage deployment of the $45 million investment loan recently secured from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) for the construction and development of new recycling facilities, as well as providing additional operational working capital for other sustainability initiatives already underway.”

Speaking of her appointment, Niteese said: “I am delighted to be joining Averda’s finance team at an exciting time for the business, as it attracts new funding to drive its sustainability initiatives across the countries in which it operates.

“The importance Averda places on circularity and sustainability aligns closely with my personal ethos and is one of the reasons I am so keen to join the group. I look forward to starting this new role and working closely with the finance team as well as other key internal and external stakeholders.”