Market Matters Inc. Staff

MM, Inc. works with academics and practitioners from a wide range of fields and diverse geographic backgrounds to carry out its work. Currently, our permanent staff include Professor Ralph Christy, CEO, and Dr. Krisztina Tihanyi, COO.

Ralph Christy, Ph.D.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Ralph Christy is J. Thomas Clark Professor of Emerging Markets at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, where he teaches, conducts research on food marketing, and coordinates educational programs on the economic performance of markets and distribution systems. Christy has advised industry leaders and public policy makers on food marketing strategies, economic development, and the organization of the global food economy.

Krisztina Tihanyi, Ph.D.
Chief Operating Officer
As Chief Operating Officer for MM, Inc., Kriszta coordinates the organization’s various research and outreach activities and is in charge of publications, financial management, and fundraising. Prior to joining MM, Inc. in October 2004, she earned a Ph.D. in Anthropology at Cornell University. An experienced researcher and writer, she conducted her dissertation research in South Africa.

Edward Mabaya, Ph.D.
Coordinator of the Seeds of Development Program
Ed is both an academic and a development practitioner. As a development practitioner, Ed is involved in several programs that seek to improve the lives of African farmers by through private enterprises. Ed established and coordinates the Seeds of Development Program (www.sodp.marketmattersinc.org), a business development services and networking program for emerging seed companies in East and Southern Africa. He facilitates the Making Markets Matter workshops (www.mmm.marketmattersinc.org), a series of management training program targeting agribusiness firms in Sub-Saharan Africa.

As a Research Associate in the Department of Applied Economics and Management at Cornell University, he conducts research on food marketing and distribution, seed systems, spatial market equilibrium, and the role of efficient agricultural markets in Africa’s economic development. An award winning instructor, Ed lectures in Marketing Management, Economic Development, and Emerging Markets courses.

Ed earned both his MS and Ph.D. degrees in Agricultural Economics at Cornell University and his B.Sc. from the University of Zimbabwe. In 2007, Ed was an Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellow, a training program offered by the African Leadership Institute at Oxford University.

Danie Jordaan
Regional Agribusiness Coordinator
Danie Jordaan is the Regional Coordinator of Market Matters Inc’s activities in Southern and East Africa and represents Market Matters Inc in the region. Danie has trained in Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Management. Danie is tasked with liaising with stakeholders in East and Southern Africa, assisting in management consulting services to agribusiness firms, coordinating capacity building and networking activities, conducting market research, design marketing plans and implement market penetration strategies for agribusiness enterprises, coordinating and facilitating management training workshops for Africa’s agribusiness firms and developing business management training modules and case studies for SME agribusiness firms.