2026 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.

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.

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).

Dr Sidi Ould Tah, a Mauritanian, became the ninth President of the African Development Bank Group. He took office on 1 September 2025, for an initial five-year term, with the objective of repositioning the Bank to act with greater agility, accountability and proximity to its clients, in the service of Africa’s economic transformation.

He has begun this repositioning around his strategic vision, the “Four Cardinal Points”: Unlock Africa’s Capital Power; Rebuild Africa’s Financial Sovereignty; Turn Demographics into a Dividend; Build Resilient Infrastructure and Competitive Value Chains. At its heart is the New African Financial Architecture for Development (NAFAD) — resting on subsidiarity, complementarity, coordination and risk transformation.

NAFAD aims at mobilising the continent’s own resources, alongside those of the Bank Group’s partners, to help close Africa’s estimated $400 billion annual development financing gap.

Since taking office, this vision has translated into action: the seventeenth replenishment of the African Development Fund (ADF-17), the Bank Group’s concessional window, concluded in December 2025 with a record $11 billion mobilised. The African Union Summit endorsed NAFAD in February 2026; and in Brazzaville in May 2026, the Board of Governors Four Cardinal Points made the Four Cardinal Points the institution’s strategic direction.

An economist and development finance leader with extensive public-sector and multilateral experience, Dr Sidi Ould Tah served as President of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) from 2015 to 2025, during which the institution moved from unrated to AAA/Aa1/AA+ credit ratings. He also served as Mauritania’s Minister of Economy and Finance from 2008 to 2015.

Dr Sidi Ould Tah holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis, France. He is fluent in Arabic, French and English, and has a working knowledge of Portuguese and Spanish.

Vera Daves de Sousa was born in Luanda, daughter of Angolan parents, married and 
mother of three children. She has a degree in Economics from the Catholic University of 
Angola in 2005.

Vera began her professional career in 2006 at Sonangol ESSA as a Finance Technician 
and, in the same year, joined Banco Privado Atlântico, where she served as Risk Analyst, 
Market Analyst and Director of the Products and Research Department until 2012.

During this period, between 2006 and 2012, she was also an Assistant Lecturer in the 
subjects of Public Finance and Economic Integration at the Catholic University of Angola.
In 2013, she co-authored the book Public Finance – Theory and Practical Exercises. From 
2013 to 2016, she was a member of the jury for the Sirius Awards, sponsored by Deloitte. 
During this time, she also worked as an economic commentator in various media outlets.

From 2016 to 2017, she was Chairwoman of the Capital Markets Commission, after serving 
nearly five years as an executive board member. From October 2017 to October 2019, she 
held the position of Secretary of State for Finance and Treasury. Since then, she has been 
Minister of Finance, having been reappointed after the August 2022 elections.

In April 2022, she successfully completed the Women’s Leadership Master-Class by ODDO 
BHF, consisting of 8 modules designed and delivered by the SMART Leadership Institute.

In 2022, Vera Daves de Sousa was distinguished as Minister of Finance of the Year by the 
African Banker Awards and, in 2023, she received the African Minister of Finance award, a 
distinction made by The Banker magazine.

Mr. Uanguta currently serves as the Governor of the Bank of Namibia. His professional journey commenced in 1996 as a Research Assistant and Junior Researcher at the Namibia Ecoomic Policy Research Unit (NEPRU). In 2000, he joined the Bank of Namibia as an Economist in the Research Department.

Over the years, he has steadily advanced through various roles, including Senior Economist, Deputy Director responsible for the Economic Policy Research Division and the Modelling Forecasting Division in 2002 and 2006, respectively. From 2007 to 2010, Mr. Uanguta was appointed as an Advisor in the Executive Director’s Office at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington, D.C., representing Namibia and other member countries. Upon his return, he was appointed Director of Research at the Bank of Namibia in 2011, and in 2012, he assumed the role of Deputy Governor. 

Throughout his career, Mr. Uanguta has authored and co-authored numerous research papers and articles published both internally and in regional and international journals. He also served on various Boards, including the Africa Econometric Society, the National Housing Enterprise, the President’s Economic Advisory Council in the Namibian Government, and as Chairperson of the Africa Leadership Institute (ALI). 

Mr. Uanguta holds a Master’s degree in Economics from Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia (1999), and a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Namibia (1997). He has attended several executive education programmes, including the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School (2018) and the Senior Executive Fellow program at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, USA.

Ethiopis Tafara is IFC’s regional Vice President for Africa. In this capacity, he oversees all investment and advisory operations in a region with a committed portfolio of $17 billion and nearly 800 staff working to expand the private sector’s role in addressing urgent development challenges in the financial, manufacturing, agribusiness and services, and infrastructure industries.

Previously, Mr. Tafara served as the Vice President, Chief Risk, Legal & Sustainability Officer and Partnerships for the World Bank Group’s Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), where he was responsible for the supervision and oversight of MIGA’s Finance and Risk Management Group, the Economics & Sustainability Group, and the Legal Affairs & Claims Group, in addition to overseeing MIGA Partnerships.

Prior to this, Mr. Tafara served as Vice President and General Counsel for IFC where he was responsible for non-financial risk management, including the Legal, Compliance and ESG functions. In that role, he was named as Financial Times Global GC 25 in 2018.

Prior to joining IFC, Mr. Tafara served as the Director of the Office of International Affairs at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. He practiced as a regulatory lawyer for close to 20 years, focusing on international securities regulation and cross-border law enforcement litigation. Mr. Tafara was the recipient of the prestigious Chairman’s Award and has been recognized for his work on facilitating cross-border investor access by promoting mutual recognition of comparable regulation.

Mr. Tafara also held leadership positions in several international bodies, including as the Vice Chairman of the Board of the International Organizations for Securities Commissions, the Chairman of the Public Interest Oversight Board Monitoring Group, and the SEC Deputy to both the Financial Stability Board and the IFRS Foundation Monitoring Board.

In 2019, he was appointed as a Public Governor on the Board of Governors for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and has also served as Vice Chair of the Trustees of the International Valuation Standards Council.

Mr. Tafara holds a JD from Georgetown University Law Center and an AB from Princeton University. Mr. Tafara is a US national of Ethiopian origin. He grew up in Ethiopia and Italy and speaks Amharic, French, Italian, and Spanish, in addition to English.

M. Luís Filipe Rodrigues Lélis a débuté sa carrière à la Sonangol, avant de rejoindre le Ministère des Finances comme Conseiller, puis de revenir à la Sonangol en 2002. En 2004, il a intégré la BAI, S.A., où il a occupé les postes de Directeur Commercial puis Directeur-Coordinateur, avant d’être élu Administrateur en 2006. Il a également présidé le Conseil d’Administration de la BAI Cabo Verde. Il est aujourd’hui Président de la Commission Exécutive de la BAI (CEO), Président du Conseil d’Administration de la Banco BAI Europa et Président de la Commission de Rémunération des Organes Sociaux de la Banco BAI Cabo Verde, S.A.

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.

Serge EKUE takes office as President of the West African Development Bank (BOAD) in 2020.

Prior to joining BOAD, Serge EKUE had headed Natixis’ Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) activities for the UK in London since 2016. He combined this responsibility with that of Market Solutions for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Serge Ekue was also head of the Africa and Russia Departments at Natixis.

A recognized expert in Financial and Capital Markets, Serge EKUE headed Natixis’ Markets Activities for the Asia-Pacific region for almost six years (2010-2016) before taking over as Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong-based bank. He has over twenty years’ experience in International Finance, Structured Finance and Capital Markets, having exercised these broad responsibilities worldwide.

He holds an Executive MBA from HEC Paris, a DESS in Banking and Finance from Paris V, and a diploma from the Institut d’Études Politiques in Bordeaux, and has extensive international experience.

CLEMENT CHINAKA

Chief Executive Officer | Old Mutual Africa Regions Cluster

The 1988 Old Mutual Zimbabwe Mathematics Olympiad winner, Clement Chinaka was an Old Mutual bursary student at the University of Zimbabwe where he studied BSc general (Statistics and Computer Science).

He joined Old Mutual in 1992 as an actuarial student. He qualified as an actuary in 1998.  Clement has held a number diverse roles with the Old Mutual Group spanning Pensions and  Life Actuarial roles, including role of Chief Actuary of Old Mutual Life Assurance Company of Zimbabwe between 2001 and Dec 2005, Chief Financial Officer of Old Mutual Corporate in South Africa, Managing Director of Old Mutual Corporate from 2015 to 2019 and since 2019 currently serving as Chief Executive Officer of Old Mutual Africa Regions (a cluster of Old Mutual Limited accountable for the group’s businesses in 10 African markets outside South Africa).

Notable achievements include:

• Recommended the closure and paying out of policies that were losing value in the early days of very high inflation in Zimbabwe;

• Led project that successfully transitioned Old Mutual South Africa’s famed distribution through changes in commission on savings products from upfront to over the life of a policy;

• Part of the team that started and drove the consolidation of retirement funds into umbrella funds in South Africa;

• He has added significant shareholder value as MD of Old Mutual Corporate, growing profits by over 50% over 4 years and has turned the Old Mutual Africa Regions portfolio into a formidable portfolio of quality businesses.

Dr. Yamungu M. Kayandabila serves as Deputy Governor of the Bank of Tanzania (BoT), responsible for economic and financial policies. A seasoned economist and public-sector leader, he plays a central role in shaping Tanzania’s macroeconomic strategy, monetary policy implementation, and financial-sector reforms.

In his current capacity, Dr. Kayandabila oversees the coordination of monetary and fiscal policy frameworks to sustain growth, maintain price stability, and promote financial inclusion. Speaking on behalf of the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee in 2025, he highlighted the country’s solid economic performance – marked by 5.5 percent growth in 2024 – driven by agriculture, finance, mining, and construction.

A strong advocate for innovation in financial services, Dr. Kayandabila has called for new financing models to empower small- and medium-scale miners, whose limited access to capital constrains productivity and sectoral growth. Under his leadership, the Bank has intensified collaboration with institutions such as Afreximbank to expand project financing, credit guarantees, and tailored capital solutions for Tanzania’s real economy.

Before his appointment as Deputy Governor, Dr. Kayandabila built extensive experience across the Tanzanian financial system and academia, contributing to the development of economic policy and regulatory capacity. His work continues to focus on enhancing the resilience of the financial sector, strengthening monetary transmission mechanisms, and supporting sustainable, inclusive economic transformation.

Dr. Kayandabila is widely respected for his analytical rigor, pragmatic leadership, and commitment to aligning financial innovation with Tanzania’s national development goals.

Dr. George Agyekum Donkor is the President of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), and the Chairman of the Board of Directors, a position he has occupied since 2020. EBID is a regional international financial institution owned by the fifteen (15) West African States.

Dr. Donkor had previously held the position of Vice-President, Finance and Corporate Services, for seven (7) years and prior to that, Head of Legal / Compliance Division for four (4) years in the same institution. His professional areas of interest include corporate law, leadership, change management, and improvement.

A lawyer by profession and a development banker by training, Dr. Donkor’s illustrious career, which spans three decades, has been marked by outstanding success. He focuses on implementing change to drive progress not only in the West African Sub-Region but also to stimulate a wider international impact through regional integration and engagement.

Under his visionary leadership, EBID has, and continues to achieve a wide range of remarkable successes. These successes include securing two major incremental upgrades of the Bank’s credit rating by Moody’s and Fitch Ratings, the attainment of Green Climate Fund accreditation, improvement in the financial and operational performance, tripling the loan book within six (6) years and earning the historic position as the first development finance institution to issue a Green, Social and Sustainable Bond Listing on one of Africa’s most vibrant regional stock exchanges, Bourse de Valeurs Regional (BRVM) in 2024.

The Bank has also won numerous awards, which include “2024 Financial Institution of the Year” at the Africa Sustainability Awards and the “Most Innovative Operation” for the year 2025 at the BRVM Awards.

Dr. Donkor is a distinguished academic, and holds numerous academic qualifications, which include a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) and a Master of Applied Business Research (MABR) degree, both from the SBS Swiss Business School, Zurich, Switzerland. He also holds an Executive MBA from the University of Ghana, Legon. He is an alumnus of Harvard University.

He is a Council Member of the University of Ghana and former Chairman of the Investment Committee of the University Council. He is also a Board Member of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), ASKY Airlines, Labianca Company Limited, WAICA Re-Insurance, among others. He was an adjunct lecturer in the Department of Finance at the School of Business of the University for Development Studies (UDS), Tamale, Ghana, and currently a Visiting Faculty Member at the Regent University of Science and Technology, Accra, Ghana. He has published extensively in the areas of development finance and strategic management.

Dr. Donkor has been recognised with many awards, notable among which are the recent “Distinguished 2026 African Development Finance Leadership Award – Regional Integration & Economic Transformation”, at the 16^th Edition of the African Leadership Awards (ABLA) held at the historic House of Lords, London,  United Kingdom, “2025 CEO of CEOs” (Ghana CEO Vision and Awards), twice the winner of the “CEO of the year -Africa” 2023 & 2025, (Ghana CEO Vision and Awards), “2023 Development Champion Award”, at the Rebranding African Forum, Brussels, Belgium, “2022 Prix de la Foundation Award” at the prestigious Crans Montana Forum, Geneva, Switzerland. His name has been featured four consecutive times among the top 100 personalities transforming Africa by Financial Afrik, a renowned international magazine.

Dr. Donkor is the Chancellor of NiBS University in Ghana. He is also the current Honorary President of the Global Network for Export-Import Banks and Development Finance Institutions (G-NEXID), which is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. Dr. Donkor is a Public Speaker and Resource Person at numerous international conferences and fora.

Jennifer Zabasajja is Bloomberg Television’s Chief Africa Correspondent and Anchor, based in Johannesburg.

She leads high-impact coverage across the African continent and regularly contributes to and co-hosts the daily “Horizons: Middle East and Africa” program, reporting on a wide range of topics, from business and finance to politics and innovation.

Jennifer also hosts Bloomberg’s monthly “Next Africa” program and the weekly podcast “Next Africa,” offering in-depth analysis and insights into the most pressing issues and reporting driving Africa’s development. 

In her role, Jennifer has conducted exclusive interviews with influential figures across industries, including African Heads of State such as Botswana’s President Duma Boko and Kenya’s President William Ruto, as well as business leaders such as Yvonne Ike, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa at Bank of America and Phuti Mahanyele-Dabengwa, CEO of Naspers & Prosus South Africa.

She has also interviewed global financial figures, including World Bank President Ajay Banga and African Development Bank President Sidi Ould Tah. Her interviews span government officials, C-suite executives, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders, offering a platform for diverse voices shaping the global economy.

Philip Sigwart is Group Chief Executive Officer of Baobab Group, a leading provider of inclusive financial services in Africa. Since 2019, he has led the Group’s transformation and growth across a seven-country platform serving 1.6 million customers, of whom more than 600,000 are active micro-entrepreneurs and small businesses. Roughly half of Baobab’s customers are women, and around 70 per cent were unbanked before joining the Group.

Baobab delivers credit, savings, payments and insurance through a hybrid model combining digital channels, agent networks and branches. The Group disburses more than USD 1.2 billion in new loans annually, manages over USD 1.3 billion in assets, mobilises substantial local-currency deposits, and employs more than 4,000 people.

Before joining Baobab, Philip was Group Head of SME Banking at Equity Bank in Kenya and held senior leadership roles with the ProCredit Group, including as CEO of its subsidiaries in Kosovo, Georgia and Congo DRC.

Following Baobab’s acquisition by Beltone Holding, part of the International Holding Company (IHC) ecosystem, Philip is leading the Group’s next phase: digital acceleration, deposit-led growth, and the transformation of Baobab into a broader African financial services platform serving underserved entrepreneurs at scale.

Sofiane Lahmar joined DPI in 2010 and is the CEO of the Firm after serving as senior Partner and Head of the Investment Team.  Sofiane has over 20 years of experience in African PE, alongside extensive expertise in finance, including in private equity, M&A investment banking, and option trading.

Prior to joining DPI, he was a Partner and Co-Chief Investment Officer at Kingdom Zephyr Africa Management (KZAM), a Pan-African private equity investment firm majority-owned by Kingdom Holding Company, the investment vehicle of HRH Prince Alwaleed bin Talal. Earlier in his career, Sofiane served as a Vice President in the M&A group at J.P. Morgan in New York, where he helped advise on over US$25 billion worth of M&A transactions. He started his career in Boston on the FX options trading desk at FleetBoston Financial.

Sofiane has received multiple industry recognitions, including being named among the Financial News 100 Rising Stars in 2008, Africa Private Equity Manager of the Year by Jeune Afrique in 2010, and one of Africa’s Leaders of Tomorrow by Jeune Afrique in 2013.

He holds an MA in International Economics & Finance from Brandeis University’s International Business School (Boston) and a Maitrise in Management from Dauphine University (Paris).

Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CFR, is a leading African investor, banker and reformer shaping the continent’s economic trajectory. He co-founded the Tengen Family Office, which oversees a multibillion-dollar investment portfolio, and he chairs Access Holdings Plc and Coronation Group. Under his leadership, Access Bank evolved into one of Africa’s largest banks with operations across Africa, Europe and Asia.

Through the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation he co-founded with his wife Ofovwe Aig-Imoukhuede, he is advancing public sector reform and leadership development. The Foundation’s partnership with Oxford University’s Blavatnik School of Government and its collaboration with Nigeria’s civil service reform agenda are equipping a new generation of high-performing public leaders.

He also chairs EnterpriseNGR and has played pivotal roles in the financial markets as the President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange and the Chairman of the FMDQ Exchange, he chairs the King’s Trust International Africa Advisory Board and the France-Nigeria Business Council. A law graduate and Executive MBA holder from LSE, NYU Stern, and HEC Paris, he is a Fellow of Nigeria’s banking and stockbroking professional institutes.

His memoir, “Leaving the Tarmac – Buying A Bank In Africa”, chronicles his transformative journey in African banking. Honoured with Nigeria’s Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) and multiple global awards, he is a devoted husband and father and serves as a values-driven leader committed to integrity, enterprise and Africa’s long-term prosperity.

Dr Denny H. Kalyalya is the current Governor and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Bank of Zambia since October 2021. He is also the Co-Chair of the Financial Stability Board Regional Consultative Group for Sub-Saharan Africa (FSB-RCG SSA), and was Chairperson of the Association of African Central Banks (AACB) from August 2023 – August 2024. He also served as the Vice Chairperson of the AACB from August 2022 to August 2023. Prior to that, he was Chairperson of the Southern African Region of the AACB.

Dr Kalyalya is a Member of the Board of Directors of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) since 2019. He served as an Independent Co-Chair of IDA 20 Replenishment, that is, the International Development Association, a member of the World Bank Group (WBG). He previously served as a Borrower Representative for the IDA 18 and IDA 19 replenishments. He also served as Governor and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Bank of Zambia from February 2015 to August 2020. Prior to that, he served as Executive Director (2012 – 2014) and Alternate Executive Director (2010 – 2012) for Africa Group One Constituency at the WBG, and Deputy Governor – Operations at the Bank of Zambia.

Dr Kalyalya served in other senior positions, including being Special Appointee at the International Monetary Fund, Director of Economics at Bank of Zambia, and Head of the Economics Department as well as Assistant Dean, Post Graduate Studies, School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Zambia. He holds a PhD in Economics and a Master of Arts in Economics from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in the USA as well as a Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Zambia.

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.

For over 15 years Erwan GELEBART has been at the heart of economic development in emerging countries, and he has successfully managed several fintech companies and financial institutions in Africa and Asia.

He is acclaimed for his visionary and innovative approach, having established electronic payment systems that serve more than 17 million active users across leading groups in Mali, Madagascar, and Pakistan.

In this role as CEO – Open Innovation & Fintech, he is overseeing the transformation of Axian Group’s fintech, with the ambition of supporting over 18 million mobile money customers while maintaining the Group’s position as an essential and innovative reference in the digital transformation of the continent.   

Mr. Adilson Nelumba, born on March 6, 1983, in Luanda, is a Civil Engineer graduated from the University of Science and Technology of Namibia, with a specialization in Master Planning. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Copia Group of Companies, S.A.

With more than 11 years of experience in the sector, Mr. Nelumba has built a solid career in major strategic projects, standing out for his technical contribution and leadership in initiatives of national scope. Between 2006 and 2016, he was part of Sonangol E.P. as an Exploration Technician in the Geophysics Department, having participated in projects such as the 2D Seismic Acquisition of the Onshore Kwanza Basin.

He also led the right-of-way opening projects for the Transmission Lines between Laúca, Catete and Bita, as well as the demining project along those same routes.

He is also the Lead of the Fiscal Consortium for the Caculo Cabaça Hydroelectric Development, one of the largest ongoing energy ventures in the country. His areas of expertise include project management, strategic planning in civil engineering, and human capital management.

Nasser Seddiqi has served as Chief Executive Officer of the Casablanca Stock Exchange since January 19, 2026, following his appointment by the Board of Directors in December 2025. With 25 years of experience in financial regulation, asset management, and market governance, he previously served as Head of Business Lines at the Moroccan Capital Market Authority (AMMC), where he oversaw markets, issuers, and asset management, while also leading initiatives on sustainable finance and the derivatives market.

He notably chaired the Derivatives Market Coordination Committee (2022–2025) and represented Morocco within international organizations such as IOSCO and IFREFI. A graduate in French State-certified public accounting, he also holds a certificate for capital markets regulators from Harvard Law School.

Samaila Zubairu, ONL, is President & Chief Executive Officer of the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), Africa’s leading infrastructure solutions provider. Over more than three decades, he has championed African value capture, job creation and industrialisation, mobilising billions of dollars into transformative infrastructure and productive assets across the continent.

Since assuming leadership of AFC in 2018, he has overseen one of the most significant periods of growth in the Corporation’s history. Membership has expanded from 19 to 48 countries, while total assets grew  over 5x from US$4.1 billion to US$20 billion as at Q3 2026. Total Comprehensive Income increased more than fourfold, from US$118 million in 2018 to over US$513 million in 2025. During this period, AFC has delivered landmark transactions across energy, transport, natural resources, telecommunications and heavy industry, including Africa’s largest renewable energy acquisition and the largest equity exit from an industrial platform through a private capital raise involving a Gulf conglomerate and African multilateral financial institutions.

Under Mr. Zubairu’s leadership, AFC has strengthened its position as one of Africa’s highest-rated multilateral financial institutions. The Corporation has maintained Moody’s A3 investment-grade rating while securing an ‘A’ long-term credit rating from S&P Global with a Positive Outlook, an A+ rating from Japan Credit Rating Agency and a AAA rating from China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co. and S&P Global China, giving AFC investment-grade recognition across five major rating agencies.

AFC’s achievements under his stewardship have earned widespread international recognition. The Corporation has been named Best DFI – Europe & Africa at the Infrastructure Journal Global Awards and Pan-African Champion at the Africa CEO Forum Awards. In 2026 alone, AFC received thirteen international awards, including Best Borrower (EMEA) and Best Infrastructure Deal at the EMEA Project Finance Awards, recognising excellence across power, rail, natural resources and heavy industry. Mr. Zubairu was also named African CEO of the Year by AsiaOne Magazine and awarded Senegal’s highest national honour, the Ordre National du Lion – Commandeur.

Beyond AFC, Mr. Zubairu plays a leading role in shaping international development finance and investment policy. From 2025 to 2026, he served as Chairman of the Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions (AAMFI), bringing together Africa’s leading multilateral financial institutions to advance the continent’s economic interests. During the same period, he co-chaired the B20 South Africa Task Force on Finance & Infrastructure, responsible for developing business-led policy recommendations for the G20. He also co-chairs the World Economic Forum Network to Mobilise Clean Energy Investment in Emerging Markets and Developing Economies and serves on the Center on Global Energy Policy and the Rockefeller Foundation High-Level Panel on Universal Energy Abundance.

Before joining AFC, Mr. Zubairu was the pioneer Chief Financial Officer of Dangote Cement Plc, where he structured Africa’s largest syndicated project finance facility and led the financial separation of Dangote Cement from Dangote Industries Limited. Earlier, at AfriCapital Management Limited, he advised on landmark infrastructure and energy transactions, including the acquisition of Eko Electricity Distribution Plc by West Power & Gas Limited.

Mr. Zubairu is an Eisenhower Fellow and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Ahmadu Bello University.

Cyrille Nkontchou is an accomplished entrepreneur and financier, recognized for his expertise in developing investment solutions across the African continent. In 2008, he co-founded Enko Capital, a pan-African asset management firm, with the ambition of connecting global capital to the unique opportunities offered by African markets. Before launching Enko Capital, Cyrille built extensive experience in international finance. He worked at Merrill Lynch, where he was responsible for financial and strategic analysis in the telecommunications and media sectors across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. As an entrepreneur, Cyrille is also the founder of LiquidAfrica Holdings, a pioneering platform dedicated to facilitating investment in Africa, which he established in 2000. A graduate of the London School of Economics (LSE), Cyrille Nkontchou combines strategic vision, deep knowledge of financial markets, and a strong commitment to promoting the economic development of the African continent.

Olivier is an MSc Economics graduate from SOAS, the School of Oriental Studies of the University of London; he holds a Master’s in Business Administration from ESCP Business School and completed INSEAD’s International Directors Program. 

He has 28 years of banking and financial services experience covering trade finance,  infrastructure and telecom finance as well as corporate finance and sovereign debt advisory services, all Africa-related :  

• General Secretary, AFIS – Africa Financial Summit, a platform bringing together key stakeholders and leaders, public and private, from Africa’s financial services industry.
• Founder and Managing Partner of Mokka Capital, a Paris-based financial advisory firm dedicated to African corporate clients. Focus on capital raise and debt restructuring for private and sovereign clients across various industry sectors: financial services, private equity, agribusiness and natural resources.  Strategic advisor to family-owned businesses and various African financial institutions. 
• Former Managing Director, First Bank of Nigeria UK’s French branch.  
• Held Management roles at IFC, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, as Africa Sector Lead for Telecoms, Media & Technology Finance, IFC Region Head for the Central Africa region and Client Lead in the Financial Institutions Group for West & Central Africa. 
• Established and managed the regional merchant banking operations of Belgolaise Bank (Fortis Group) for West Africa after working with ING Bank on soft/agri commodities. 
• Current Board Directorships with prominent African financial institutions: Bank of Africa Group (16 countries footprint), Rawbank (DRC’s premier bank) and Activa Insurance Group as well as Enko Private Equity Fund.
• Investment Funds : Senior Advisor to Enko Capital for the launch of an Africa Impact Credit Fund and previous Fund Advisory Committee roles with Africinvest (Funds II and III) and Horizon, a South African tech fund. 

Dr. Félix Edoh Kossi AMENOUNVE is the Chief Executive Officer of BRVM and the President of ASEA (Association of African Stock Exchanges). He holds a Doctorate in Administrative Sciences (Ph.D.), option Finance, obtained at Laval University in Canada in 1995. He is the architect of the major reforms of the WAEMU (UEMOA) financial market and is considered one of the most influential finance specialists in Africa.

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, responsible for the market surveillance and audit 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

El-Hassana, an Ivorian national, is a product of both the American and British banking systems and boasts over 20 years’ experience working with leading institutions such as Citibank and Standard Chartered Bank in cities including Abidjan, Douala, Yaoundé and Lagos.

When he was promoted to Director, Metals & Mining at Standard Chartered Bank Shanghai in China, he made the deliberate choice to remain in Africa, accepting the position of Managing Director of Banque Atlantique Sénégal. During his tenure, he executed a series of innovative and high-impact transactions, culminating in the largest financial deal ever completed on the Dakar market — the structuring and successful arrangement of a CFA 250 billion (approx. USD 400 million) facility for the Government of Senegal in just 45 days.

In 2015, he decided to leave his position as bank CEO to embark on an entrepreneurial journey and pursue his lifelong dream: the creation of a fully African-owned bank within the UEMOA (West African Economic and Monetary Union) region. Three years later, through determination and vision, MANSA BANK was born — established with a fully paid-up capital of CFA 15,707,650,000, entirely held by UEMOA investors.

El-Hassana holds a postgraduate degree from the University of Oxford in Strategy and Innovation, and a Master’s in Business Management from Paris IX-Dauphine University. He also earned a certificate in “Creating Shared Value” from Harvard Business School, as well as a Master’s in Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics from the University of Abidjan.

Michael Jongeneel (1973) joined FMO in September 2021 from international consulting firm Bain & Company Michael Jongeneel joined FMO in September 2021. FMO is the entrepreneurial development from The Netherlands – with a total portfolio of around $ 13 B of which ~$ 4 B in Africa. FMO focuses on Financial Institutions, Energy, and Agriculture and Food including Forestry, with a mission to enable entrepreneurs to increase inclusive and sustainable prosperity.

Prior to FMO, Michael was a partner at consulting firm Bain & Company in Amsterdam, as well as the firm’s global lead for sustainable finance. In this capacity, Michael helped to transform banks and insurers toward inclusion of sustainability in their core businesses and to develop impact investing strategies and innovative solutions in sustainable finance. Additionally, he gained extensive experience working in and with not-for-profit organizations focused on positive social and environmental impact.

Prior to Bain, Michael spent eight years at Triodos Bank where he was the Managing Director of Triodos Investment Management BV, and initially joined as Triodos’ Chief Operating Officer and member of the Executive Board. Michael has a degree in Information Engineering from the University of Twente.

Michael is ensuring his family currently lives CO2 neutral, and aims to be cumulative net zero before 2030. Michael also authored a book on future leadership.

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.      

A statistician-economist and financial engineer, Mr. KONE has gained extensive professional experience primarily in North America (Canada) and Africa. Prior to joining AFG Holding, he held several strategic positions at the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, one of the largest pension funds in North America. Within the Ecobank Group, he led the investment teams of the asset management division, before overseeing commercial activities in the Treasury Department as well as the development and distribution of market products in the WAEMU region and Cape Verde.

Karim holds an Executive MBA from HEC Paris, a Master’s degree in Financial Engineering from Université Laval (Canada), and a State Engineering degree in Statistics and Economics from INSEA in Rabat. He also holds CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) and FRM (Financial Risk Manager) certifications, as well as several executive certifications in strategy, asset management, leadership, and management, obtained notably from HEC Paris and the Wharton Business School.

Denis Charles Kouassi is a leading figure in social security management in Côte d’Ivoire. Currently the Director General of the Social Security Institution (IPS CNPS), he has built an impressive career marked by outstanding achievements and a forward-thinking vision.

A graduate in Economics in 1986, he joined the Ivorian Training Center for Social Security Executives (CIFOCSS), where he distinguished himself by graduating top of his class in 1988. His career began as a Research Officer, but his talent and leadership quickly led him to positions of greater responsibility. In 2014, he was appointed Director General of IPS CNPS.

Since taking office, Denis Charles Kouassi has driven a strong wave of modernization and performance within the institution. He spearheaded numerous initiatives that have made IPS CNPS a key player in social protection and a model of excellence in Côte d’Ivoire. Under his leadership, the institution was awarded the 2021 Public Administration Prize.

In 2024, he was named among the 100 most influential public figures by the Association of Lobbying and Public Affairs Advisors of Côte d’Ivoire (ACLAPCI). A true visionary, Denis Charles Kouassi has transformed IPS CNPS into a benchmark institution in the fields of social security and investment in Côte d’Ivoire. His innovative initiatives and proactive management have positioned the organization as a model for the rest of Africa and beyond.

Richard LOWE is one of the founding figures of the African insurance industry. A graduate of ESSEC Paris (Class of 1980), he led the Cameroonian operations of a major French insurance group for 17 years before turning to entrepreneurship. In 1998, convinced that Africa deserved world-class insurance institutions built on its own soil, he founded ACTIVA Group in Douala, Cameroon.

What began as a single operation is today one of the most significant insurance groups in Sub-Saharan Africa, operating through 10 insurance companies across seven countries, alongside a reinsurance company, a technology subsidiary, a financial holding, and a European office in Paris. IFC (World Bank Group) and PROPARCO (Agence Française de Développement) count among its strategic shareholders.

His ambition has always reached beyond his own Group. In 2007, he founded GLOBUS, the first pan-African insurance intermediation network, present in 49 countries. He also served as President of FANAF from 1996 to 2002. His work has earned him CEO of the Year (OAA, 2018) and Insurer of the Year (Financial Afrik, 2021).

Richard LOWE’s legacy is architectural: nearly three decades spent building the institutions, networks, and partnerships that underpin African insurance today.

Ms. Karuaihe-Martin is a seasoned business and finance professional with over 30 years of experience in the financial and insurance industry, including Senior Partner at PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC). She is the 2nd Vice-President of the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI).

Patty is the immediate past President of the Africa Insurance Organization (AIO) and UNEP-FI Global Steering Committee Co-Chair, Invictae Vice President for Southern Africa and NAMW IFI Director. Patty was recently awarded the Top 50 Women in Insurance in Africa award by AIO and PILA (Professional Insurance Ladies Association), the Top 10 Women to Watch in the Insurance Sector award by Angaza (Africa Women in Banking, Finance & Investment), and in 2023 she was shortlisted as Top 50 for the Africa Financial Industry Summit Awards in the Woman Leader by the Africa Financial Industry Summit (AFIS).

NamibRe has enjoyed significant success under her leadership. She strongly believes in thought leadership and continuous professional development; she has a great passion for sustainability and an unquestionable drive to make a tangible impact in the insurance landscape.

Ms Karuaihe-Martin strongly advocates Thought Leadership through social media, imparting knowledge and participating in global spaces and platforms and regular industry roundtable discussions. She serves on a global network of change agents as Woman Working for Change Ambassador, a title conferred on high achievers who are actively committed to unleashing the potential of female leadership in Africa.

EXPERIENCE OVERVIEW 
Tom Gitogo, Bsc Eng, BFP, FCPA, FKIM, CPS, MBA.

Tom is an accomplished Financial Services Professional with a rich experience and diverse 
Background.  He is the Group MD & CEO of British American Holdings PLC (Britam) and sits on several boards including CIB Bank and Housing Finance. 

Insurance Leadership in Kenya 
Before rejoining Britam, Tom was the Group CEO of listed CIC Insurance Group where he was in charge of the group’s businesses in Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan and Malawi. 
Before CIC, Tom was the CEO of Pan Africa Life (now Sanlam Insurance) – which like CIC is 
also listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange.  Tom had joined Sanlam from British 
American Insurance where he was the Finance and Strategy Director. 
He is the current Chairman of the Association of Kenya Insurers (AKI) www.akinsure.or.ke, 
the industry body that is charged with promoting the industry growth (raising awareness, 
lobbying and collaborating with regulators and other stakeholders). 

Other leadership Roles 
Tom is a member of the Steering Committee of the Insurance Development Forum (IDF) 
www.insdevforum.org, a global public-private partnership led by the international insurance industry and supported by multinational organisations.  Basically IDF aims to optimize and extend the use of insurance to build resilience and protection for people, communities and businesses that are vulnerable to disasters and their associated economic shocks. 
Tom also sits on the Board of UN Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate 
sustainability initiative, promoting responsible business practices. 
He is also the chairman of Endeavor Kenya http://kenya.endeavor.org, the Kenyan chapter of a leading Global Community that creates a multiplier effect by inspiring high-growth 
entrepreneurs to dream bigger – supporting and investing in them to scale faster. 
As a young man in the early 90s, Tom trained as a Chartered Accountant with 
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in London where he worked for several years before re
joining PwC in Kenya. He trained as a Civil Engineer at the University of Nairobi before joining PwC as a Graduate Trainee and has an MBA in Strategic Management. 

Abdoul Aziz Ndao is a senior ICT executive with over 20 years of experience in information systems governance, strategy, and digital transformation across the GovTech, RegTech, aviation, rail transport, gaming and lottery, telecommunications, and audit and consulting sectors. He brings deep expertise in IT governance frameworks and standards, including COBIT, ITIL, and ISO 20000, as well as information security under ISO 27001 and business continuity management under ISO 22301. Throughout his career, he has successfully led the implementation of regulatory platforms and the digitalisation of public services across Africa.

Uzoma Dozie is one of Nigeria’s leaders in the financial sector and the last Group Managing Director of Diamond Bank, Nigeria.

An experienced Financial Advisor, Economist, Technologist and Entrepreneur, Dozie has led the way in implementing large-scale technology solutions to drive sustainable economic reform in Africa’s financial services sector for over twenty years.
Uzoma has since launched Sparkle, a mobile-first platform for Nigeria’s retail sector, combining his vision for using technology to power financial inclusion, at scale, with his extensive background in retail and financial services.

Uzoma is an advocate for financial inclusion, focussing on providing best-of-breed financial and non-financial solutions to the millions of unbanked across Africa. He is bullish on the need for widespread mobile adoption in the finance sector. He is passionate about leveraging technology to play a definitive role in the social development and transformation of the people and businesses on the continent. He believes that technology, along with good governance, as well as support and education for SMEs, has the power to push Africa forward and continues to work towards this goal.

Kossi Tenou is Chairman of the UMOA Financial Markets Authority (AMF-UMOA). A Togolese economist and career central banker with over two decades of experience at the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), he served as National Director for Togo and later as Advisor to the Governor. In October 2025, he was appointed Deputy Minister for Trade and Quality Control in Togo, before being named head of AMF-UMOA.

Aruoture “Rotus” Oddiri is the host of the Global Business Report on Arise News which is broadcast across the African continent and in the United Kingdom. 

He holds a Bachelors degree in Economics from the University of Houston and has spent over two decades working in Banking and Finance from JP Morgan in the United States to Financial Derivatives Company Limited under the tutelage of renowned Nigerian Economist Bismarck Rewane.

He enjoys discussions around macroeconomics and takes every opportunity he can to remind individuals to save and invest as much as they can to defeat the enemy of mankind which is inflation

Mr. Marc ABEGHE has served since January 2026 as Minister Delegate in charge of the Budget to the Minister of Economy, Finance, Debt and State Holdings, in charge of the Fight against the High Cost of Living, of the Gabonese Republic. In this capacity, he leads the preparation and execution of the State budget, including the 2027 Finance Bill.

A Chief Inspector General of Finance and a civil administrator trained at Gabon’s École Nationale d’Administration, he has spent most of his career at the heart of the country’s public financial administration. He joined the Directorate General of the Budget in 1998, serving as a policy officer and then as Head of Management at the Payroll Directorate. He was Deputy Director General of Administration and the Civil Service from 2013 to 2020, before heading the Payroll Directorate.

A specialist in public financial management and public-sector human resources, he has led or supported several flagship reforms: the public finance information system, the integrated government human resources management system and, with World Bank support, the interministerial framework of civil-service occupations. From 2021, he also served as Advisor to the Director General of the Civil Servants’ Pension and Family Benefits Fund (CPPF). He has also taught at the École de Préparation aux Carrières Administratives (EPCA).

His work in Government focuses on containing the public wage bill, modernising the expenditure chain and strengthening budget credibility, which are key conditions for sustainable development financing and a relationship of trust with investors and financial partners.

Sidimohamed Abouchikhi is Chairman of the Board of Directors of Creditinfo West Africa and Creditinfo Morocco, where he also continues to lead operations as Chief Executive Officer of Creditinfo Morocco. With over 11 years of experience in financial services and data analytics, he is committed to delivering innovative, strategic solutions for clients while building strong relationships with government stakeholders.

A firm believer that financial transparency and data-driven decision-making are key drivers of economic development, Sidimohamed places collaboration at the heart of his leadership approach.

Prior to joining Creditinfo, he served as Managing Director of Experian Morocco, which he joined in September 2010 as Sales and Business Development Manager. He has also held the role of Risk Manager at BMCE Bank, and previously served as Corporate Trust Administrator at JP Morgan Chase.

Sidimohamed holds an MBA in Finance and Financial Management Services from the Cameron School of Business, and a Bachelor’s degree in Business and Managerial Economics from Hassan II University.

• Forvis Mazars in Nigeria and Africa
• Financial Services & Regulations (Nigeria and Africa)
• Foreign currencies and Practical Management strategies 
• Financial Advisory, Fund raise activities and DD
• Audit, Assurance & Advisory support/offerings
• Future of Accounting and CEO/CFO Support (AI & Automation)
• Growth and Sustainability strategies in Africa
• Open to learning and engaging with other business leaders in Africa

Based in Accra, Nathalie Akon leads IFC’s country teams across the West African Gulf of Guinea to strengthen private sector growth, job creation, and inclusive development. Prior to this role, Nathalie served as IFC’s Global Director for the Gender & Economic Inclusion Department, based in Washington DC, USA. 
 She was previously Executive Director at Mastercard Foundation, responsible for the Pan-Africa platform, leading enterprise-wide the programmatic thematic areas of Gender, Entrepreneurship Development, Digital Economy and Agrifood Systems and Climate.
Before joining the Foundation, Nathalie held the position of Partner & Managing Director for Africa at Equator Capital Partners, an impact investment fund manager committed to advancing financial inclusion across Asia and Africa. 
Nathalie served as an independent director on leading African banks, and as Chair of the investment committee of the private sector facility of the African Development Bank Group.

Asfaw Alemu is the Chief Executive Officer of Dashen Bank S.C., one of Ethiopia’s leading private banks, with more than 30 years of banking and executive leadership experience.
Since becoming CEO in 2015, he has led the transformation and repositioning of Dashen Bank, driving growth, innovation, digital transformation and strategic expansion. Under his leadership, the Bank has accelerated its digital journey, including the launch and rapid scaling of the Dashen Super App, while expanding digital payments and technology-enabled financial services.

He has also championed strategic international partnerships, particularly with IFC, BII and FMO, leveraging their expertise, financing and risk-sharing capabilities to strengthen trade finance, SME and agribusiness financing, foreign-currency funding, financial inclusion and institutional capacity.

Prior to becoming CEO, Asfaw held several senior positions at Dashen Bank, including Vice President of Operations, Credit Department Manager and Corporate Planning and Development Department Manager, and served as Board Secretary for eight years. He previously held senior roles at Wegagen Bank, the Development Bank of Ethiopia, Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief, and Unity University.

Asfaw serves on the boards of Nyala Insurance, EthSwitch, the Ethiopian Bankers Association and Debre Markos University. He holds an MA in Economic Policy Management from the University of Ghana and is a Certified Manager.

https://www.santander.com/es/accionistas-e-inversores/gobierno-corporativo/consejo-de-administracion/d-jose-antonio-alvarez-alvarez

Daniel Araújo has been CEO of Asseco PST since 2013, when it was still called EXICTOS. Born in Luanda, Angola, he holds a bachelor’s in computer and telecommunications engineering, a master’s in network and telecommunications engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA from IESE Business School at the University of Navarra.

Alloysius Attah is the co-founder and CEO of Farmerline, which he started in 2013 to build lasting wealth for farmers. Its Mergdata platform reaches farmers through more than 3,000 partners across 50 countries. Over the last decade, Farmerline has served 2.3 million farmers, helping them grow 2.5x more and earn 3x more. TIME named two of the company’s inventions among its Best of the Year: Mergdata in 2019 and Darli AI, a voice-first agricultural assistant, in 2024. Alloysius is a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer and sits on the board of Heifer International.

Egyptian citizen, brings over 24 years of experience in financial sector development, sovereign and corporate finance in Africa and the Middle East. He has served as Acting Director of the Department since November 2022.

Since joining the Bank in January 2010, Attout has held several key positions, including Senior Financial Analyst, Principal Capital Markets Officer, Chief Capital Markets Officer, and Division Manager of Capital Markets Development.

In these roles, he has been instrumental in establishing client-facing financial markets operations and executing key financial markets-funded and unfunded operations worth over $8.5 billion across more than 40 African countries. He has also been pivotal in crafting strategies to develop and broaden Africa’s financial sector using various bank products and instruments.

Attout has spearheaded several initiatives to develop Africa’s capital markets, including the Capital Markets Development Trust Fund, which supports countries in developing their capital markets, and the Africa Exchange Linkage Project, which aims to integrate Africa’s Stock Exchanges.

His work also includes leading sovereign and non-sovereign financial market transactions, broadening funding sources for various African financial entities, and structuring liquidity schemes to address funding challenges.

Attout represents the Bank on the Sustainability-linked Sovereign Debt Hub, as a substantive Board Member of the African Trade Insurance Agency (ATI), and an Alternate Board Member at ZEP-RE (PTA Reinsurance Company).

Before joining the African Development Bank Group, he worked at Banque Audi as Corporate Relationship Manager, at the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa as Financial Analyst and Specialist in the Loans and Disbursement Department, and at Société Générale Bank as a Financial Analyst in the Corporate Finance Department.

As Group Manager for Ellevate at Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, Vera-Marie Ayitey-Smith leads the Bank’s gender finance strategy across 32 African markets. She drives solutions that expand women entrepreneurs’ access to finance, networks, capabilities, and markets. Through strategic partnerships, she is building an ecosystem that enables women-led businesses to grow and scale, create jobs, drive innovation, and contribute more fully to Africa’s economic transformation.

Hugo Azevedo is a seasoned executive with three decades of strategic finance and investment banking experience in top-level management positions, specialising in audit, financial due diligence, strategic advisory mergers and acquisitions, investment banking and senior finance. He has recently been appointed as Chief Financial Officer of Group OPAIA, a diversified Angolan conglomerate with operations in Angola, Dubai, and Portugal.

In this role, Hugo will lead the Group’s financial strategy, including institutional governance, the modernisation of financial processes, tax optimisation and treasury management, as well as M&A, debt sourcing using private debt funds, export credit agencies or via project finance structures. His key focus is to continue the improvement in the alignment of OPAIA’s operations across jurisdictions in recent years and fostering the Group’s sustainable and resilient growth.

He has also been appointed in the position of CFO and Executive Board Member of AMUFERT, OPAIA’s flagship industrial project focused on the local production and commercialisation of fertilisers in Angola. AMUFERT, a multi-billion-dollar greenfield granulated urea fertiliser plant, will contribute to the country’s agricultural transformation and long-term food security through sustainable, locally integrated solutions.

Born in Angola and raised in South Africa, Hugo is a qualified Chartered Accountant. He spent six years in London in financial due diligence for EY and Strategic mergers and acquisitions with Rabobank International. Returning to Africa he then worked for African Alliance, Standard Bank and Standard Chartered Bank, mostly in investment banking and then establishing full commercial banks from representative offices in Luanda Angola between 2010 and 2017. Following an 18-month period as CFO of Angola Cables, he returned to Cape Town, serving for six years as a Senior Investment Director for Arise B.V. Before joining Opaia, Hugo was the CEO of a Fintech, embedded revenue based funding startup for two and half years.

Vice-Chair of Investment Banking Middle East & Africa, Citigroup

In 2013 Miguel became Head of Investment Banking Africa (exc. SA & Egypt). In 2018 Miguel was appointed Head of Investment Banking for Middle East & Africa (ex-SA) and in 2023 became Vice – Chair of Investment Banking for Middle East & Africa.

Prior to working at Citigroup, Miguel was a Senior Country Advisor for Bank of America Merrill Lynch and an Executive Director at Goldman Sachs.  Miguel has an MBA in Finance from City University Business School in London and a BSc in Economics from Nova School of Business and Economics in Lisbon.

In the M&A space, Miguel has a long career of over 25 years, advising multi-billion transactions in 4 continents, starting in his native Portugal and across Europe, in Brazil, across Africa and more recently supporting Middle East based clients.

In the Debt Capital Markets space, Miguel was a pioneer in advising debut issuers, both Sovereign and Corporates, from Africa tapping into the global bond markets.

In the Equity Capital Markets space, Miguel and the Citi team have been pioneers and the clear leaders in the Middle East and Africa regions leading more equity offerings than any other global investment bank.

According to Euromoney, Citi’s team was best Advisory Bank and/or Investment Bank in Africa (2020/23), UAE (2021/22/23) and Middle East (2020/21/23).

Miguel is a regular contributor to FT, CNBC and Bloomberg TV as well as a regular speaker in regional events, including Africa Business Forum (Dubai), Investopia (Dubai), Qatar Economic Forum (Doha), World Economic Forum (Africa and Middle East) and Milken Institute (US, UK and Middle East) amongst others.

In 2023, during the Africa Development Bank Annual Summit, Miguel received, from the African Banker magazine, the career recognition award of Africa Icon Banker.

He is a member of the Portuguese Diaspora Council since 2018.

Jyoti Ball leads Amazon Web Services’ Sub-Saharan Africa business, driving strategic growth across cloud adoption, AI innovation, and digital transformation for businesses and governments throughout the region. With over 30 years of technology leadership experience spanning Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Capgemini, and Computer Sciences Corporation, she brings deep expertise in enterprise strategy, digital innovation, and building high-performing teams across diverse markets.

Her mission centers on accelerating Africa’s digital economy while creating opportunities that enhance citizens’ quality of life. A recognized voice on cloud computing, AI, digital transformation, and technology skills development, Jyoti champions initiatives that prepare young people for tomorrow’s job market. Her leadership philosophy – “lifting as you rise” -reflects her commitment to creating pathways for the next generation of tech leaders.

An active advocate for diversity in technology, Jyoti mentors emerging leaders and champions initiatives that build a more inclusive, representative industry. Her work extends beyond business metrics to creating lasting social impact across Sub-Saharan Africa.

José Barata, professionnel fort de 34 ans d’expérience, a accompagné de nombreuses entités du secteur financier. Il a dirigé de grands projets en audit, assurance et conseil au Portugal et en Angola.

Dans le secteur bancaire, il a notamment mené : (i) l’élaboration de plans stratégiques et d’affaires pour de grandes institutions financières angolaises ; (ii) des revues de la qualité des actifs (AQR) du système financier ; (iii) l’analyse fonctionnelle et la mise en œuvre d’une solution informatique pour la supervision des modèles de dépréciation du crédit des banques angolaises ; (iv) des missions d’audit au Portugal et en Angola.

Tahirou Barry is Group Chief Financial Officer of Solevo Group, a leading distributor of specialty chemicals across Africa.

With 27 years of international experience spanning finance, operations and management, Tahirou has built a diverse career across several industries and geographies. A graduate of Paris Dauphine University with a Master’s degree in Audit and Management Control, she began her career at Ernst & Young Audit before joining Shell, where she held various roles in the Oil & Gas distribution sector across Africa and France. She subsequently spent a significant part of her career with Africa Global Logistics, holding senior responsibilities across finance, management and operations.

Tahirou joined Solevo as Group CFO, where she contributes to the Group’s growth and transformation across Africa, supporting its financial strategy while accompanying the development and innovation of the business.