2025 Speakers

Makhtar Diop is the Managing Director of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a position he has held since March 2021. Previously, he was the World Bank’s Vice President for Infrastructure. Prior to that, Mr Diop served for six years as the World Bank’s Vice President for Africa. An economist by training, he began his career in the banking sector before joining the IMF and then the World Bank. He was also Minister of Economy and Finance of Senegal.

The new Minister of Finance and Budget, Cheikh Diba, served as Director of Budget Programming within the General Directorate of Budget until his appointment on April 5, 2024.

Born on August 22, 1978, in Dakar, Cheikh Diba holds a scientific baccalaureate. He was subsequently admitted to Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar (UCAD) and the National School of Applied Economics (ENEA), where he simultaneously obtained a master’s degree in economics and an engineering diploma in economic planning and organizational management.

Mr. Diba later joined the DEA program in economic policy management at the African Institute for Economic Development and Planning of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (IDEP-Dakar).

His academic journey was further enriched at the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, where he spent three (03) years at the Sorbonne School of Economics, specializing in the “Statistical, Economic, and Financial Modeling (MoSEF)” program. This program places significant emphasis on learning programming, statistical modeling, finance, data engineering, and more.

Professionally, he has over sixteen (16) years of experience in Senegal’s public finance sector.

As a tax and domain inspector trained at the National School of Administration (ENA) of Senegal, he initially worked as an auditor within the operational units of the tax administration before serving as an editor at the Directorate of Revenue Collection, where he oversaw the centralization of revenues and represented the General Directorate in the Weekly Revenue Monitoring Committee.

Mr. Cheikh Diba later served as Technical Advisor to the Director General of Budget. In this capacity, he actively participated in implementing budgetary and financial reforms, from the transposition of the 2009 UEMOA directives to their effective implementation, as well as in the reorganization of MFB services to align with the new requirements of the harmonized public finance framework.

Finally, he served as Technical Advisor to the Minister of Finance and Budget (MFB), responsible for monitoring the implementation of major projects under the Emerging Senegal Plan (PSE) and coordinating the economic and financial program concluded with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under the Policy Coordination Instrument (PCI).

Amir Ben Yahmed graduated from INSEEC in 1993. After working for the investment banking and brokerage firm, Gruntal & co, based in New York City, he quickly joined Jeune Afrique Media Group where he has been managing the company and leading its development program.  In 2012, he founded the Africa CEO Forum, which within a few years has become the largest annual gathering of the African private sector.

· Minister of Finance of Libya since March 2021.

· Former Executive Director of Financial Resources Mobilization and Investment, the Maghreb Bank for Investment and Foreign Trade (BMICE).

· A Chairman of Jumhouria Bank, Arab Agricultural Company-Egypt.

· Member of Board of Directors at Alrefi Bank, Libyan Investment Authority (LIA), Privatization and Investment Board (BIP), Libyan Foreign Investment Company (LAFICO), Oil Libyan Company –Djibouti,

· Former Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Investment Promotion Fund in Africa.

· Holds a PhD in Investment and Finance and Master of Project Management (MPM), Southern Queensland University, Australia and an MBA, University of Central Queensland, Australia.

Aivo Handriatiana ANDRIANARIVELO was appointed Governor of Banky Foiben’i Madagasikara by the Council of Ministers on 04 January 2023, after working for 30 years as an economist in banking and finance. An economist with in-depth knowledge of capital markets and a specialist in banking operations, he also has solid experience in business management, project diagnosis and set-up and financing, as well as in the management of public and private funds. Before becoming Governor of BFM, Aivo Andrianarivelo worked as an Executive Director and member of the Board of Directors of the International Monetary Fund, representing 23 countries in Africa II. He gained previous experience at bank level, then with Catholic Relief Services as Finance Director. He then became Managing Director and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Fonds de Portage et de Privatisation, a company that manages and sells shares on behalf of the Malagasy government. He then served as a technical adviser in the office of the Minister of Economy and Finance, prior to his position as Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). A graduate in economics and banking techniques, he has also completed a number of training programmes in foreign exchange, money markets, foreign exchange, capital markets, project structuring, management and leadership.

Jules Ngankam is the Group Chief Executive Officer of the African Guarantee Fund (AGF).

Under his leadership, AGF has expanded its operations in over 40 African countries, partnering with lending institutions to increase access to finance for Small and Medium Enterprises through AGF’s risk-sharing guarantees and capacity development assistance.

Jules has over 20 years of experience in banking and financial services. Prior to joining AGF, Jules worked with Barclays Capital, the investment banking division of Barclays PLC, in various roles including rates strategist, rates trader and treasury vice-president.

He holds Master’s Degrees in Business Administration, Statistics and Economics, Applied Mathematics, Applied Statistics as well as Computer Science. 

Jules is passionate about leveraging financial innovation to support financial inclusion and sustainable development. He firmly believes in supporting SMEs to fully realize their potential in driving economic growth, product innovation, regional development and job creation in Africa.

Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CFR is an investor, banker and philanthropist with a track record of major accomplishments in both for-profit and not-for-profit initiatives within Nigeria and beyond.

He co-founded Tengen Family Office and oversees a significant portfolio of investments and businesses in banking, finance, insurance, technology, real estate and energy. Through the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation and its subsidiaries, the Africa Initiative for Governance and the Aig-Imoukhuede Institute, he is focused on building Nigeria’s next generation of government leaders, helping transform public sector effectiveness, and improving access to quality primary health care.

His career in banking and finance which spans over three decades in financial markets, investment banking, risk management, strategy and commercial banking has earned him international recognition. He was the Group Managing Director of Access Bank Plc between 2002 and 2013 where he led its transformation to a top five bank in Nigeria.

Mr. Aig-Imoukhuede was a member of Nigeria’s Banker’s Committee and in 2012, he led the banking sector’s’ voluntary adoption of the Nigerian Sustainable Banking Principles, an initiative that has since been emulated by several countries across the world. As Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fuel Subsidies, he is credited with saving Nigeria more than $6 billion in fraudulent petroleum subsidy claims.

He is the founding Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Financial Market Dealers Association and led the establishment of the FMDQ Securities Exchange. He was elected president of the Nigerian Stock Exchange Council in 2013, becoming the first African to earn the privilege of chairing two national exchange platforms. As president of the Exchange, he championed demutualisation, which was successfully completed in 2021.

He holds an Executive MBA jointly awarded by the London School of Economics, New York University and HEC Paris. He also holds a Bachelor of Laws Degree from the University of Benin and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1987. He received honorary degree from Olabisi Onabanjo University. He is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria.

He serves as Chairman of Enterprise NGR, a Nigerian financial and related professional services advocacy group. He was appointed a member of Oxford University’s Blavatnik School of Government International Advisory Board in 2017. His contributions towards universal health care for all Africans led to his appointment in 2011 as the first African co-chairman of the New York- based GBC Health, a private sector coalition against HIV, malaria and tuberculosis. He is a Board Member of the Aliko Dangote Foundation.

Olusegun Alebiosu was appointed the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, First Bank of Nigeria Limited (FirstBank Group) in June 2024.

He was until this appointment the Acting Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer since April 2024.  He was previously Executive Director, Chief Risk Officer and Executive Compliance Officer from January 2022 until 20 April 2024. Prior to that appointment, he was the Group Executive/ Chief Risk Officer, a position he held since 2016.

Segun brings to the Executive Management of FirstBank over 28 years’ experience in the banking and financial services industry with cross-functional exposure to Credit risk management, Financial planning and control, Credit and marketing, Trade, Corporate and commercial banking, Agriculture financing, Oil and Gas, Transportation (including Aviation and Shipping) and Project financing.

He commenced his professional career in 1991 with Oceanic Bank Plc. (now EcoBank Plc.) and prior to joining FirstBank in 2016 served as Chief Risk Officer at Coronation Merchant Bank Limited, Chief Credit Risk Officer at African Development Bank Group and Group Head, Credit Policy & Deputy Chief Credit Risk Officer at United Bank for Africa Plc.

Segun is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School of Government.  He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Relations and Personnel Management, and also a Master’s degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos.  He obtained a Master’s degree in Development Studies from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and completed Advanced Management Program (AMP) at Harvard Business School

He is a member of various professional bodies namely, Fellow, Institute of Chartered Accountants (FCA), Associate, Nigeria Institute of Management (ANIM), Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and Member, Nigeria Institute of International Affairs.

Segun is a golfer and an adventurer. He is happily married with children.

Mr. Benjelloun Touimi has extensive experience in the financial sector. He holds a Doctorate in Currency, Finance, and Banking from the University of Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne. He is the Deputy Managing Director and Board Member of BANK OF AFRICA, a Board Member of the Group’s European banking entities, and either Chairman of the Board or a Director of various Group companies in Morocco operating in investment banking, specialized financial services, and insurance. He also serves as a Board Member of RMA insurance company and its holding company, O Capital Group.

Additionally, he is a Board Member of the BMCE BANK Foundation for the Promotion of Education and Environmental Preservation, as well as the Othman Benjelloun Foundation.

He also serves on the Board of Directors of Proparco, the French development finance institution, and is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Casablanca Stock Exchange

Jeremy Awori is the Group CEO of Ecobank. He brings with him more than 25 years of experience in the banking industry, including nearly ten years as Managing Director of Absa Bank Kenya Plc. Prior to joining Absa, he held senior positions at Standard Chartered Bank in the Middle East and Africa. His extensive expertise, skills and industry know-how make him a valuable asset to the Ecobank Group.

A graduate of the Mohammadia School of Engineers, Ouafae Mriouah began her career in organizational and digital transformation, first at BMCI before joining the CDG Group in 2000. There, she contributed to major projects, including the design and implementation of the IT master plan.

In 2006, she played a key role in the establishment of CDG Capital, the group’s investment bank, where she held various leadership positions in capital markets and asset management. In 2013, she was appointed CEO of CDG Capital Gestion, a subsidiary specializing in OPCVM management, while also serving as Deputy CEO of CDG Capital, overseeing all capital market and asset management activities.

In July 2023, leveraging her extensive experience and recognized leadership, Ouafae Mriouah was appointed CEO of Société Centrale de Réassurance, a strategic subsidiary of the CDG Group, with the mission of strengthening its position as a national and regional leader in the reinsurance sector.

Abdeslam Alaoui Smaili is a visionary leader in the global payments industry, currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer of HPS, a fintech firm he co-founded in 1995. With over 30 years of experience, Abdeslam has driven HPS’s impressive growth, including its successful public listing, positioning the company as a pivotal player in the evolving digital payments landscape.

Abdeslam’s solid background in engineering and business management has enabled him to strategically guide HPS at the forefront of payment technology innovation. His leadership emphasizes adaptability and continuous technological advancement, resulting in secure, efficient, and accessible payment solutions that meet the diverse needs of global markets.
Renowned for his hands-on approach, Abdeslam is known for implementing complex payment solutions and crafting strategies that cater to the unique demands of various regions. His commitment to innovation and foresight has allowed HPS to anticipate and respond to rapid changes within the financial ecosystem.
A respected speaker at industry-leading conferences, Abdeslam is widely recognized as a thought leader in payments and fintech. He actively participates in global forums to advocate for best practices and regulatory frameworks that support financial innovation and inclusion, bridging the gap between emerging and established markets.
Abdeslam holds an engineering degree from Toulouse University and has completed executive programs at INSEAD and Harvard University. His leadership at HPS reflects his belief in the transformative power of technology in finance. Under his guidance, HPS has strengthened its competitive edge while contributing significantly to the global discourse on the future of digital payments.      

Temi Popoola is the Group Managing Director/CEO of Nigerian Exchange Group, having previously served as CEO of its subsidiary, Nigerian Exchange Limited. A Wall Street-trained investment banker, he began his career in London managing African energy assets before working as an equity derivatives trader at Bank of America Securities in New York.

He later led structured products at UBA and sales & trading at FCMB’s CSL Stockbrokers, advancing foreign investment into Nigeria. At Renaissance Capital, he rose to CEO for West Africa, driving revenue diversification.

An alumnus of the University of Lagos, MIT, and Harvard Business School, with a CFA charter. He serves on the Executive Committee of the African Securities Exchanges Association and chairs both Central Securities Clearing System and NG Clearing Limited, demonstrating his commitment to strengthening market infrastructure and transparency. His expertise spans investment, trading, banking, and global financial leadership.

Dr. James Mworia, MBS
Visionary Business Leader | Architect of TRIFIC | Champion of Innovation in Kenya

Dr. James Mworia is the Group CEO and Managing Director of Centum Investment Company Plc, East Africa’s leading listed investment company. Under his transformative leadership, Centum has grown from an asset base of just USD 40 million to over USD 400 million—without shareholder dilution—delivering strong investor returns and over USD 40 million  in dividends.

Dr. Mworia is the visionary architect of TRIFIC (The Regional Financial & Innovation Centre), Kenya’s first Services Special Economic Zone and one of only three International Financial Centers in Africa recognized by the World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC). As part of Centum’s portfolio, TRIFIC has positioned Kenya as a premier destination for global finance and outsourcing services.

Over his distinguished career, Dr. Mworia has successfully scaled businesses across banking, asset management, bottling, automotive, education, housing, green energy, and industrial real estate. Centum companies have accounted for over 20% of Kenya’s private equity exits, with a USD-based internal rate of return (IRR) averaging 21%.

He currently serves as the Chairman of Sidian Bank, which Centum acquired as a small lender and has since grown into a leading bank focused on empowering Kenyan enterprises and SMEs. He previously served on the board of the Nairobi Securities Exchange, contributing to the governance and modernization of Kenya’s capital markets.

Dr. Mworia is also deeply committed to environmental conservation. As Chair of The Nature Conservancy Africa Council, he helped launch the USD 1 billion Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) to fund long-term biodiversity and climate efforts in Kenya. He serves on the boards of  Loldaiga Conservancies.

A strong advocate for education and youth empowerment, Dr. Mworia personally funds the Chancellor’s Scholarship Fund at Machakos University, providing scholarships to over 200 bright, underprivileged STEM students. Through Ajiry, a Centum initiative in partnership with Mastercard Foundation, over 20,000 Kenyan youth have gained employment and digital skills.

In recognition of his national impact, Dr. Mworia was awarded the Moran of the Burning Spear by the President of Kenya in December 2024—one of the country’s highest civilian honors.

De nationalité Ivoirienne, El-Hassana KABA est un pur produit du système bancaire Américain et Britannique avec plus de 25 ans d’expérience notamment avec la Citibank et la Standard Chartered Bank à Abidjan, Douala, Yaoundé et Lagos. 
 

En 2010, malgré sa promotion au poste de Director Metal & Mining à la Standard Chartered Bank Shanghai en Chine, Il a préféré rester en Afrique pour occuper les fonctions de Directeur Général de la Banque Atlantique Sénégal. 
 

Pendant son passage au sein de cette banque qui n’avait connu que des pertes successives depuis son ouverture, il l’a profondément transformé tout d’abord en banque profitable après seulement 06 mois de prise de fonction, faisant passer en 05 ans, sa taille de bilan de CFA 36 Mlds à environ CFA 370 Mlds avec à la clé la structuration de diverses transactions aussi originales les unes des autres. L’apothéose étant la réalisation en Déc 2013 de la plus grande transaction d’une banque commerciale du marché Dakarois à savoir la structuration et levée en 45 jours d’un financement de CFA 250 milliards au profit de l’Etat du Sénégal.

En Mars 2015, il décide de quitter son poste de DG de banque afin de se lancer dans l’aventure de l’entreprenariat et se consacrer entièrement à la réalisation de son plus vieux rêve : la Création d’une Banque Africaine avec des capitaux détenus à 100% par des acteurs de la zone CEDEAO.

40 mois plus tard et grâce à sa persévérance, naît MANSA BANK avec un capital à ce jour de CFA 20.943.530.000 entièrement détenu par des capitaux 100% CEDEAO. En seulement 04 ans d’activités, le total bilan de MANSA BANK est proche de CFA 500 Mlds faisant d’elle la banque ayant la plus forte croissance du marché bancaire local et régional.

A travers ses différents programmes, notamment JEUNES MANSA pour la promotion de l’entreprenariat des Jeunes Africains, MANSA LEGACY pour la rénovation des écoles publiques et MANSA GREEN pour le REBOISEMENT des forêts ivoiriennes, MANSA BANK confirme son engagement à œuvrer pour l’essor d’une Afrique de Champions.

En Septembre 2023, El-Hassana a reçu le Prix National de l’Excellence 2023 de la Présidence Ivoirienne dans la catégorie ‘’CHAMPION NATIONAL’’.
 

El-Hassana est Diplômé de Troisième cycle des Universités : 
oUniversity of OXFORD in ’’Strategy and Innovation’’, 
oUniversité de PARIS IX-DAUPHINE en ‘’Gestion des Entreprises’’;
oUniversité d’ABIDJAN –  ‘’Maitrise de Gestion’’ et une ‘’Licence d’Economie d’Entreprise’’
oHARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL : Executive Certificates in ”Creating Shared Value” et ”Driving Digital Strategy’’
 

Thierry joined MCB in October 2019 as Head of Corporate and Institutional Banking (CIB). Prior to joining the Bank, he has accumulated extensive experience in Corporate and Investment Banking over the last 35 years, holding leading positions within Crédit Agricole Group in Eastern and Central Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Thierry has a solid track record in managing large teams and senior bankers in a multicultural environment. 

Cristina Lourenço, graduated in Management, from the London School of Economics and Political Sciences, London (United Kingdom), in 2012, having completed a Master’s in Investment Management, from Pace University, Lubin School of Business, New York (United States of America), in 2014 after a brief stay at BAI’s Investment Banking Department in 2012.

Returned to Luanda, in 2014, and began her professional career at the Angola Debt and Securities Exchange (BODIVA) and integrated the Trading Department where she worked as a market analyst, she was also responsible for training the first trading technicians for regulated markets.

In 2016, embraced a new challenge at the Ministry of Finance, more specifically implementing and structuring the Technical Unit for Monitoring Projects with External Financing (UTAP) where, in her role as Deputy General Director, her main task was to assess the degree of impact and preparation of investment projects financed by external resources, as well as ensuring their good physical and financial execution.

Currently, she holds the position of Chief Executive Officer, responsable for the market suveilace and audity after 4 year of assuming the position of Executive Director and Member of the Board of Directors of BODIVA, being responsible for the Finance and Assets and Communication and Exchange Departments

Bydon is a banking and finance senior executive who has over 27 years of experience in auditing, accounting, finance and banking. He has vast experience in leading large organizations, strategy development and execution, as well as business transformation and has worked in Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa and Zambia.

He is currently the CEO of FirstRand’s Broader Africa operations, having previously served as CFO and CEO of FNB Zambia. He is passionate about people development, customer experience and adding value to society.

Bydon is a proud father of four sons, who he spends as much time with as possible. He is a certified Chartered Accountant and holds a master’s degree in business administration.

Dr. George Agyekum Donkor is the President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID). A lawyer and development banker by training, Dr. Donkor has a distinguished career spanning over three decades, including serving as EBID’s Vice-President of Finance and Corporate Services for seven years and Head of Legal Division/Compliance for four years. Under his visionary leadership, EBID has achieved major milestones such as obtaining upgraded credit ratings by Moody’s and Fitch, securing Green Climate Fund Accreditation and becoming the first financial institution to list a Green, Social and Sustainable Bond Listing on the BRVM Regional Stock Exchange. The Bank has also won numerous awards, including Financial Institution of the Year 2024 at the Africa Sustainability Awards; Exemplary Compliance in PSGRS self-Assessment and an A Rating for 2024 from the Association of African Development Finance Institutions (AADFI), and Most Innovative Operation of the Year at the 2025 BRVM Awards. Dr. Donkor holds multiple academic qualifications, namely a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) and a Master’s in Applied Business Research from Swiss Business School, a PhD in Marketing from the Commonwealth Open University, an Executive MBA in Marketing and an LLB from the University of Ghana, and certificate of law from the Ghana School of Law. He serves on several high-profile boards, including Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), ASKY Airlines, and WAICA Re-Insurance. He is also a Council Member of the University of Ghana and an adjunct lecturer at the University for Development Studies (UDS). Dr. Donkor is the current Honorary President of the Global Network for Export-Import Banks and Development Finance Institutions (G-NEXID) and Chancellor of the Noble International Business School (NiBS) University. He has received several accolades such as the 2023 Development Champion Award (Rebranding Africa Forum), 2023 CEO of the Year – Africa (Ghana CEO Vision and Awards), 2022 Prix de la Fondation (Crans Montana Forum), and the 2019 Ghana Innovation Leadership Award (Ghana Innovation/NIBS Award). He has been listed thrice among the 100 Personalities Transforming Africa by Financial Afrik and is an active international speaker and resource person.

Jean Kacou DIAGOU, an Ivorian national born in Abidjan on August 15, 1946, is the founder and current President of the renowned African financial group, NSIA. After obtaining a high school diploma in philosophy, he earned a master’s degree in Economics from the Félix HOUPHOUËT BOIGNY University of Abidjan, followed by a specialization in insurance at CNAM in Paris. He began his career in insurance, rising to become Vice President of the AXA group for Africa.

In 1995, after participating in negotiations on the harmonization of insurance laws in the sub-region and co-authoring the CIMA code (Inter-African Conference on Insurance Markets), he realized the potential for a purely African and transnational insurance operator. This led him to found NSIA, which is now present in twelve (12) Sub-Saharan African countries and includes 1 holding company, 21 life and non-life insurance subsidiaries, 3 banking subsidiaries, 2 banking branches, a management and intermediation company (SGI), an investment fund management company (OPCVM), and a foundation.

In 2006, he led the negotiations for the acquisition of BIAO-CI, now NSIA BANQUE, which was listed on the stock exchange in June 2017. Today, NSIA ranks 3rd among insurance groups in the CIMA region and 4th among African banking institutions in the UMOA zone, with the ambition to become the leading Ivorian bank-insurance group.

From 2005 to 2016, Jean Kacou DIAGOU headed the General Confederation of Enterprises of Côte d’Ivoire (CGECI), the Ivorian employers’ association. He also served as President of the Federation of West African Employers’ Organizations (FOPAO) from 2010 to 2016. Additionally, he presided over the African Insurance Organization (AIO) from May 2001 to May 2002 and the Federation of African National Law Insurance Companies (FANAF) from 1990 to 1996.   

Vasco João Mendes Januário, married, Angolan national, was born on October 
18, 1986.
He was appointed Executive Director of the Capital Markets Commission in 
2024 by Presidential Order No. 308/24 of December 26.
At the Ministry of Finance, he held the position of Advisor to the Secretary of 
State for Finance and Treasury. He was also a member of the Supervisory 
Board of the Angola Sovereign Fund and the Remuneration Committee of the 
Savings and Credit Bank.
At CMC, he was Director of the Office of Studies and Strategy, Head of Division 
of the Department of Studies, Strategy, and Market Development, and Senior 
Technician in the same department.
He also worked in banking, having held the position of Transaction Monitoring 
Technician in the Compliance Department of Banco Millennium Atlântico and 
Transaction Monitoring Technician in the Compliance Department of the same 
bank.
He holds a Master’s degree in Finance from the Catholic University of Porto 
in Portugal and a degree in Accounting and Administration from the Catholic 
University of Angola.

Henry Mascot is the co-founder and CEO of Curacel, the modern insurance infrastructure powering protection for millions across emerging markets. Under his leadership, Curacel has raised $3.5 million from world-class investors including Y Combinator, Tencent, and Google, and has grown into a 40-person team driving innovation in the insurance space.Prior to Curacel, Henry led Growth (Sales + Product) at 54Gene, the YC-backed “23andMe for Africa” with $94.7M in funding, where he spearheaded provider partnerships and expansion. He also played a pivotal role at AmplifyPay, Nigeria’s first recurring payments gateway (acquired by Carbon), leading growth initiatives with top banks such as GTBank, Zenith Bank, and Access Bank.

Henry holds an Engineering degree and is a graduate of the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) Africa, a pan-African entrepreneurial program. He is passionate about building technology that expands access to financial and healthcare services in underserved markets. 

With over twenty years of experience in the ICT markets in Africa, Diaretou Madina Gaye Dieng has held strategic positions within the Orange Group. She joined Schneider Electric in 2024, where she will lead the company in sixty countries.

Before joining Schneider Electric, Diaretou Madina Gaye Dieng held several leadership roles within the Sonatel Group, covering five countries under the Orange brand (Senegal, Mali, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone). She joined Sonatel in 2004 as Director of Marketing and Communications for the B2B (Business to Business) unit.

Within Sonatel, she successively served as Director of Sales for commercial and government clients in the B2B unit, then as Director of Strategy and Business Development. In 2016, she was appointed CEO of Sonatel Business Solutions at Orange Sénégal.

Diaretou Madina Gaye Dieng holds a master’s degree in Management Information Systems obtained in 1999 from Centrale Lille Engineering School, and a postgraduate degree in Information Systems Management obtained in 2000 from HEC Paris. She is also an alumni of the Harvard Business School Executive Education.

Mustapha Mourahib is a Partner at Clifford Chance and co-head of the Africa Group. He is also the Managing Partner of the only Clifford Chance office in Africa, located in Casablanca. He has been involved in significant transactions across the African continent. He specializes in Mergers and Acquisitions, Private Equity, and project financing. 

About Rowan Gordon

After completing his articles at Deloitte, Rowan was employed at Standard Bank for 6 years where he worked in the corporate finance, leveraged buyout and private equity areas within the bank. Following this role, he joined Credit Management Solutions, where he was primarily responsible for managing the corporate debt advisory business. Rowan exited CMS in 2006 when the business was sold.

Rowan has been controlling shareholder and Chief Executive Officer of the Nimble Group since April 2009.  The Group has grown from 30 people to over 2000 people, servicing and investing in consumer and corporate special opportunities. Nimble Group has operations in 6 different cities in Africa – Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Windhoek, Gaborone and Nairobi. 

Rowan has worked actively with the International Finance Corporation since it acquired an equity stake in Nimble Group in 2019, seeding Funding Facilities to develop the market in NPL’s in sub-Saharan Africa.  The early successes have allowed Nimble Group to access local capital markets and bank debt facilities, which operate alongside the IFC.

Rowan has extensive experience in credit, consulting, outsourced collections management, distressed debt investing, debt restructuring, corporate finance, private equity and venture capital.  He has successfully built Nimble Group into a substantial business servicing most of the largest credit granters in Southern Africa.

Rowan has been actively involved in establishing Peak Child, an Early Childhood Development organisation, assisting children from 2 to 6 years old, in their most formative years to prepare them for formal schooling.  Rowan is a passionate fly fisherman who loves exploring untouched parts of the world, and an amateur runner looking for the next international event.  

Mrs. Namakau Mundia Ntini is the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer , Pensions and Insurance Authority, Zambia. She has been with the Authority since 2009 , and has served in different roles in Insurance and Pensions Supervision. 

Mrs. Ntini has a passion for financial inclusion and served as Chairperson of the Financial Education Working Group that developed Zambia’s First National Strategy on Financial Education, under the auspices of the Financial Sector Development Plan (FSDP), led by the Ministry of Finance. She also served on the Drafting Committee that was supported by the World Bank to develop the 2017-2022, National Financial Inclusion Strategy. 

At regional level, she has served and continues to serve in various capacities aimed at driving financial inclusion and regional integration. Currently, Mrs. Ntini represents Zambia on the ZEP-RE (PTA Reinsurance Company) Board of Directors, and was recently elected Chairperson of the Insurance, Retirement Funds, Medical Aid Schemes and Intermediary, a Subcommittee under CISNA, a structure established under the SADC Protocol on Finance. 

Mrs. Ntini is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA) and the Zambia Institute of Chartered Accountants (FZICA). She also holds a MSc Finance (Financial Sector Management) from the University of London. 

Hope Murera is the Managing Director & CEO of ZEP-RE, a Pan-African Public-Private Partnership with a diverse shareholding of Governments, Private sector and DFIs. 
Under her leadership ZEP-RE has become a pioneer in Climate Resilience & Mitigation as well as Agricultural Insurance that has protected millions of small holder farmers against climate risks.

Hope is a fierce advocate of closing the protection gap, especially for at-risk communities across Africa and beyond. Her guiding principle, ‘There is no financial inclusion without insurance’.

Hope chairs the ACRE Africa Board, serves as Vice Chair on the African Trade & Investment Development Insurance (ATIDI) Board, and is a board member for the Global Give Back Circle. 

Beyond her professional duties, Hope is a certified leadership coach and deeply committed to mentorship and empowerment of others. She holds an MBA from IMD International and a Bachelor of Laws (Honors) degree from Makerere University, Uganda.

Passionate about finance and driven by a desire to contribute to the economic development of the CEMAC zone, Gilles began his career as a lecturer in corporate finance at the École Supérieure de Gestion et d’Administration des Entreprises (ESGAE) in Brazzaville, his alma mater. His academic commitment reflects his deep conviction that knowledge and its transmission are the pillars of a solid and sustainable financial ecosystem.
In 2010, he joined Ecobank Congo, where he spent nine years as an asset and liability manager (ALM officer) in the Treasury Department. Building on this expertise, he continued his career progression by joining the United Bank for Africa (UBA) group in 2019 as Treasury Director. This experience reinforced his understanding of the financial challenges facing the region’s economies and fuelled his ambition to create solutions tailored to the financing needs of businesses and governments.
It was with this ambition that he founded the L’Archer group at the end of 2020. First with L’Archer Securities, which has established itself as a key player, then with the subsidiary L’Archer Asset Management, which now aims to have a portfolio of assets estimated at 65 billion CFA francs by 2026.

Manal Bernoussi, founder of Leaders On Purpose in Morocco, is an international MC, moderator, and host of the awarded Leaders On Purpose podcast. She is an engineer graduated from INSA Lyon and NUS Singapore and holds an MBA from Columbia University and Africa Business School.

With 18 years of experience in finance and consulting, Manal has held executive positions, notably at Casablanca Finance City, where she contributed to positioning the financial hub on strategic topics such as fintech and sustainable finance.

In 2022, she was named one of Morocco’s 50 Inspiring Women by Challenge magazine. In 2024, she received the Special Jury Prize at the EMEC Influence Awards for the Leaders On Purpose Podcast. In 2025, she was recognized among the 100 Most Impactful Voices in Africa by ABCD Africa and received the Voice of Transformation Award from Industrie du Maroc Magazine.

Manal is also a keynote speaker and moderator at international events. Her commitment is reflected in her drive to foster authentic and impactful conversations on leadership, innovation, and personal development. Through Leaders On Purpose, she gives a voice to leaders shaping the future with purpose.

Patrick Cooke leads Euromoney’s editorial strategy and institutional engagement across the Middle East and Africa, with a focus on banking, capital markets and financial innovation. He brings over 15 years of experience in international business media and economic intelligence, having worked extensively across emerging markets to analyse trends in financial integration, regulatory reform and cross-border investment. Before joining Euromoney, he was Managing Editor for the Middle East and Asia at Oxford Business Group. A frequent moderator and speaker at high-level forums, Patrick has interviewed presidents, prime ministers, central bank governors and CEOs across the emerging world.

Julians Amboko is a communications professional focused on public finance and capital markets. Currently, he serves as an Editorial Consultant at Nation Media Group. He has published on Africa macroeconomics with the London School of Economics Business Review, the World Economic Forum and the Journal of Economics and Sustainable Development.  He is an International Monetary Fund (IMF) Journalism Fellsow & a Research Fellow at Strathmore University’s Tax Research Centre

Ms. Ambursa is the Executive Director, Commercial Banking Division. 

She has almost three decades of banking experience from Guaranty Trust Bank and Access Bank. Her experience spans across Transaction Banking Services, Public Sector, Private Banking, Commercial Banking and Corporate Finance. Prior to joining Access Bank in 2003, she was a Relationship Manager, Public Sector in Guaranty Trust Bank Plc. 

Ms. Ambursa graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from University of Jos and obtained a master’s degree in Law and Diplomacy from the same university. She subsequently attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology (‘MIT’) where she obtained a Master’s in Business Administration. She has attended several Executive Management Development Programmes in leading institutions, and is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School. She also sits on the Board of Access Bank Ghana as a Non-Executive director.

M. Bika est un expert-comptable de haut niveau, fort de plus de 16 ans d’expérience en audit, finance et gestion comptable. Avant de rejoindre le groupe L’Archer en 2025 comme Directeur Financier et Comptable, il a occupé pendant plus d’une décennie des fonctions de direction au sein du cabinet PwC Congo, où il a piloté des missions stratégiques d’audit, d’assistance comptable et de conformité pour des clients majeurs de la région.

Formé entre Brazzaville, Dakar et Paris, M. Bika est diplômé d’un MBA en Audit et Contrôle de gestion de l’ESG Paris, titulaire d’un diplôme supérieur de finance-comptabilité, et expert-comptable.

Reconnu pour son exigence, sa rigueur et sa vision structurante, il apporte au groupe L’Archer une expertise solide en pilotage budgétaire, optimisation des processus financiers et accompagnement stratégique. Il supervise aujourd’hui l’ensemble des fonctions financières du groupe, dans une dynamique de croissance et d’efficience à long terme.

M. Bika est également Président de la Commission Éthique et Déontologie de l’Ordre National des Experts-Comptables du Congo.

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Mr. Bika is a chartered accountant with over 16 years of experience in auditing, finance, and accounting management. Before joining the L’Archer Group in 2025 as Chief Financial and Accounting Officer, he held leadership roles for more than a decade at PwC Congo, where he led strategic audit, accounting support, and compliance assignments for major clients in the region.

Educated in Brazzaville, Dakar, and Paris, Mr. Bika holds an MBA in Audit and Management Control from ESG Paris, an advanced degree in finance and accounting, and is a certified chartered accountant.

Renowned for his high standards, rigor, and structured vision, he brings to the L’Archer Group strong expertise in budget management, financial process optimization, and strategic support. He currently oversees all financial functions of the group, driving long-term growth and efficiency.

Mr. Bika also serves as President of the Ethics and Professional Conduct Commission of the National Order of Chartered Accountants of Congo.

Aurélie M’Bida is economics editor at Jeune Afrique, in which capacity she is also co-presenter of the program le Grand invité RFI – Jeune Afrique. Having joined the JAMG group in 2018, she first held the position of Editor-in-Chief for the group’s exclusive premium newsletter, Africa Business+, then Head of the Finance section in Jeune Afrique, before assuming her current role. A graduate of IPJ – Paris Dauphine, she began her career as an international business lawyer after a master’s degree in international trade law.

Dr. Baghayo A. Saqware is a Commissioner of Insurance and Chief Executive Officer of Tanzania Insurance Regulatory Authority (TIRA) from 2017-2019 and 2022 to date. Dr. Saqware started his career as compliance officer with National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and later he joined Institute of Finance Management and Tanzania Institute of Accountancy (TIA) as a lecturer in Insurance, Social Protection and Risk Management subjects for the past 19 years. Prior to joining TIRA as a Commissioner of Insurance, he has held number management positions; he was Dean of Faculty of Insurance and Social Protection at the Institute of Finance Management (IFM), Ministerial Health Insurance Coordinator at the Ministry of Health (MoH) and Secretary to Insurance and Social Protection Technical Team that advices Bank of Tanzania on Insurance and Social Protection related matters. Dr. Saqware has extensive experience in Leadership, Research and Consultancies at varies levels. He serves in various Board of Directors, He was a Chairman of Finance and Operation Committee of the National Health Insurance Scheme for 6 years and Board Member of Occupational Safety and Health Authority (OSHA) and Africa College of Insurance and Social Protection (ACISP).

Anne-Marie Dias Borges is a Franco-Cape Verdean media expert and strategic communication advisor, with over 20 years of experience in international broadcasting across television and radio. She spent a decade at the BBC, where she began her career with BBC Africa and rose to become one of its most popular presenters, later producing and hosting business programmes in London. She also served as head of news and anchor at Africa24 in Paris, further cementing her expertise in African and international affairs. Today, she supports institutions and leaders in developing their media strategies, with a focus on narrative impact and public engagement. A skilled moderator, Anne-Marie regularly chairs high-level global events, bringing journalistic rigour and cross-cultural insight to each platform.

Mrs. Josephine Okui Ossiya is a seasoned finance and management expert with over 20 years of experience in senior roles across finance, audit, treasury, risk management, and strategy execution, including 14 years in public-private partnerships. She has worked in diverse sectors such as energy, oil and gas, pensions, financial services, FMCG, real estate, and telecommunications. Mrs. Ossiya has held leadership positions including CEO of the Capital Markets Authority and CFO of Bujagali Energy Limited. A Certified Public Accountant and Fellow of the ACCA (UK), she holds an MBA from the University of Liverpool and a Bachelor of Commerce from Makerere University. She serves as a Director on the Board of the Bank of Uganda and chairs its Strategy Finance Committee. Mrs. Ossiya’s extensive networks and experience across Africa make her a highly influential leader in the financial sector.