The Aventura Team

Dawn Hines

Dawn co-founded Aventura Investment Partners in 2010 and serves as Managing Partner.  She is also closely involved in strategy and operations of Aventura portfolio companies.    

Dawn's background includes management roles in venture capital (Fortis Group, Vanenburg Ventures in the Netherlands), investment banking (PaineWebber -- now UBS in New York), and new business development (Reuters - Continental Europe, Middle-East & Africa).  She also completed a restructuring and turn-around of Hines Industries, a family-owned engineering and manufacturing firm, where she has served as CEO since 2009. 

Dawn completed an MBA at the Wharton School and holds a BA in Economics and Mathematics from the University of Pennsylvania. 

Gentiane Ndiaye

Gentiane joined Aventura in 2011 as Manager of Finance and Administration for Aventura's farm machinery services division.  She currently works as Investment Manager with focus both on existing portfolio companies and new investment opportunities for Aventura.

Prior to joining Aventura, Gentiane worked for Ecobank in Senegal in Client Services.  Following completion of her studies in Switzerland, She also worked for 4 years in Geneva as a Sales Executive for Ortho International, and as a Financial Analyst for Panacom Services in Switzerland, 

Gentiane holds a Masters Degree in Business from the Haute Ecole de Gestion Genève in Switzerland.   

Frédéric Robba

Fred is Managing Director of Aventura's operational companies in Senegal. He brings 35 years of management experience in France and West Africa in different productive industries. Prior to joining Les Saveurs he led ACS Ivory Coast, an IT and automation company, and was country Manager of Apostrophe (member of Paprec group – 2000 people), a paper importer and processor. Fred also successfully grew for 15 years and exited the French fertiliser producer Falienor, one of the largest in France.

Fred holds an MBA from IAE Montpellier in France. He holds a commercial helicopter pilot license and practices wilderness sports (mountaineering, mountain bike, off-road rally).

Arona Thiam

Arona is Field Operations Manager of Locaser, Aventura's machinery services portfolio company.  Prior to joining Locaser, Arona worked for over 20 years on agricultural production and development.  His experience includes 6 years with Agrina Senegal, an agricultural production firm, and ENDA Tier Monde, a development organization.

Arona completed a diploma in General Studies in Dakar.