The Context Network’s ESG Expert Jason Nickerson Promoted to Principal

 

WEST DES MOINES, IOWA (July 7, 2022): The Context Network (Context), an agribusiness consulting firm, broadened its leadership team with the promotion of Jason Nickerson to principal.

Nickerson most recently served as program director at Context with a focus on global strategy and sustainability. As a principal, he will bring 10 years of sustainability consulting experience to help companies throughout the food and agriculture value chain establish and achieve ambitious sustainability and social impact goals.

Context Partner Matt Sutton-Vermeulen said, “Jason can walk into a boardroom or a machine shed and bring the best out in everyone. He combines well-honed financial and analytical skills with an intuitive grasp of public-private dynamics in food and agriculture. Our clients—and increasingly, their shareholders and supply chain stakeholders—are more focused than ever on sustainability, and Jason can help them gain greater visibility and accountability around critical environmental and social impacts.”

Since joining Context in 2016, Nickerson’s advisory work has centered on combining market analytics, decision sciences, and marketing strategy to unlock financial and social value. He has helped global agribusinesses evaluate product-market fit, define go-to-market strategy, and hardwire ESG into their operations. Within the development realm at Context Global Development (Context’s not-for-profit sister organization), Nickerson has been instrumental in designing, implementing, and investing in transformative food systems initiatives via partnerships with donors, governments, and non-governmental organizations.

“There’s no challenge today more worthy—or more complex—than climate change,” Nickerson said. “Energy is galvanizing around solutions within the agricultural sector, and investors expect it. I’m thrilled to be part of the leadership team at Context that’s focused on helping our clients address this challenge head on.”

In addition to his background in ESG strategy and implementation and in global development, he brings depth in risk management, deal structuring, and transaction evaluation. Nickerson served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Central Asia and holds an MBA from Duke University. Beyond his work for Context, he currently sits on the board of Seed Programs International, an NGO that connects vulnerable communities with access to vegetable seed.

With the promotion of Nickerson, Context continues to grow its slate of leaders, with eight principals now working alongside the firm’s nine partners. Founded more than 30 years ago, the Context Network is committed to applying its consulting practice to advance agriculture to be more productive, efficient, and sustainable.

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