Principal Consultant
Maria Holmqvist
Principal Consultant | International Facilitator & Results-Based Management Expert
With more than two decades of international consulting experience, Maria Holmqvist specializes in helping organizations design, manage, evaluate, and strengthen development initiatives.
Professional background
Two decades across the project cycle
Maria has supported public institutions, international NGOs, development agencies, and private sector organizations throughout the project management cycle — from analysis and design to follow-up and evaluation.
Results-Based Management
Helping organizations plan, manage, and report on the results they want to contribute to.
International facilitation
Leading participatory planning processes with diverse groups of stakeholders.
Monitoring and evaluation
Designing M&E systems and supporting staff in using them, including with UN agency teams.
Logical Framework Approach
Structured project planning from problem analysis to objectives, indicators, and risks.
Strategic planning
Strategic and operational planning for programs, projects, and organizations.
Organizational development
Supporting organizations in strengthening their processes and ways of working.
Training and capacity strengthening
Training staff and partners in planning, RBM, and M&E methods.
Development cooperation
Assignments with Sida, UNICEF, UN agencies, and international NGOs.
International experience
Assignments in 24 countries
Maria's professional profile lists experience in the following countries.
Latin America & Caribbean
- Belize
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- El Salvador
- Nicaragua
- Costa Rica
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- Peru
- Bolivia
- Brazil
Sub-Saharan Africa
- Burkina Faso
- Liberia
- Tanzania
Middle East & North Africa
- Egypt
- Israel/Palestine
- Jordan
- Iraq
Europe
- Sweden
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Ukraine
Asia
- India
- Thailand
- Vietnam
Sector expertise
Thematic areas
- Human Rights
- Civil Society
- Democratic Development
- Gender Equality
- Culture
- Rural Development
- Private Sector Development
- Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
Languages
Working languages
- Spanish
- Native
- Swedish
- Full professional
- English
- Full professional
- French
- Basic
- Portuguese
- Basic
Working philosophy
Collaborative, participatory, context-sensitive
Maria's work is grounded in facilitation: creating the conditions for people to analyse their own situation, agree on priorities, and take ownership of the plans they make. Structured methods such as LFA and RBM provide the framework; the participants provide the substance.
That approach requires listening carefully to the institutional and cultural context, adapting methods rather than imposing them, and keeping the focus on what will actually be useful once the workshop is over.
Discuss an assignment with Maria
Reach Maria directly by email to talk about a planning process, an evaluation, a training, or advisory support.