HERMAN SIPS

Herman Sips is the Head of East Africa and Financing Logistics Decarbonisation at Smart Freight Centre, where he leads initiatives to accelerate the transition towards low-emission freight and logistics systems across Eastern Africa. His work focuses on bringing together governments, logistics operators, shippers, financiers, development institutions, and the private sector to build commercially viable pathways for decarbonising road freight and scaling zero-emission transport solutions.

With extensive international experience in sustainable transport, clean energy, and climate finance, Herman specializes in developing innovative financing models that enable the adoption of electric trucks and other low-carbon freight technologies. He works at the intersection of policy, investment, and implementation, helping transform ambitious climate goals into bankable projects that can attract private and public capital.

At Smart Freight Centre, Herman leads the Green Freight Support Program in Eastern Africa, a regional initiative developed in partnership with the Kuehne Climate Center and key corridor institutions. The programme supports freight decarbonisation through capacity building, emissions transparency, fleet efficiency improvements, ecosystem development, and the deployment of zero-emission trucks along the region's major transport corridors.

A strong advocate for collaboration, Herman believes that the decarbonisation of freight requires coordinated action across the entire logistics value chain. He is passionate about building partnerships that connect industry, governments, financiers, and development partners to accelerate the transition to cleaner, more efficient, and more resilient freight systems across Africa and beyond.