Managing Director

• Jul 2023 - Present

As Managing Director of the MEDA led, Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund, (the “Fund”), my role is to lead our partners - I&P, ESP, Criterion, Genesis Analytics and ACG to deliver the Fund goals of deploying $150 million in impact investing capital through 20 gender diverse investment vehicles (private equity, venture funds etc) and value creation support to 200 SMEs in Africa. For more info on the Fund, kindly check out our website (https://africagrowthfund.org) and other media. As Managing Director of the MEDA led, Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund, (the “Fund”), my role is to lead our partners - I&P, ESP, Criterion, Genesis Analytics and ACG to deliver the Fund goals of deploying $150 million in impact investing capital through 20 gender diverse investment vehicles (private equity, venture funds etc) and value creation support to 200 SMEs in Africa. For more info on the Fund, kindly check out our website (https://africagrowthfund.org) and other media.

Chief of Party Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund

• Jun 2022 - Present

As the Chief of Party (COP) at the Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund, I oversee impact investment with a Gender Lens, business support services and impact measurement. The Fund-of-Funds is a bold initiative that works through African investment vehicles to support early-stage, growth-oriented SMEs on the continent, with the goal of enabling dignified and fulfilling work for young people, particularly young women. As the Chief of Party (COP) at the Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund, I oversee impact investment with a Gender Lens, business support services and impact measurement. The Fund-of-Funds is a bold initiative that works through African investment vehicles to support early-stage, growth-oriented SMEs on the continent, with the goal of enabling dignified and fulfilling work for young people, particularly young women.

Global Lead: IFC SME Ventures Advisory Services-Africa,South East & Central Asia

• Jul 2018 - Jul 2022

•Private Equity Investment advisory in SME -Managed $690 million SME venture funds, across 16 Funds in 30 countries in Africa, South, East, and Central Asia.•Strategic leadership & Business Development-Successfully analyzed and presented 10 funds since 2015•Technical Advisory & Business Consulting- Thirteen Private Equity funds have accessed advisory support on GP skills and systems; pre-investment feasibilities; portfolio expertise for operations, management functions and compliance. •Project Management/Implementation-Design and implement programs that assist fund managers achieve performance and compliance in Light manufacturing, Financial Services, Agribusiness, Hospitality, Healthcare, Education, and Logistics,•Investment Advisory -Conduct Pre and post-investment committee due diligence, presentation of analysis, and advisory recommendation for management’s investment decision making.•Fundraising/Stakeholder Engagement-Establish strategic partnerships with Regional financial institutions, governments, experts, service providers, and the private sector.•Operations Management and result Measurement-Conduct quarterly budget reviews and variance analysis on expenditure, procurement and disbursement of advisory support.•Human resource- Coordinate a team of 4 (four) international funds specialists. •Innovations Management-Incorporation of climate-smart solutions, resource efficiencies, fiber optics, internet, mobile telephony, and mobile money technologies.•Quality Control-Continuously review the fund managers, and fund performance against the set performance targets.•Policy Development-Collaborate with the government on Private Equity/Venture capital policy assessment and recommendation e.g. The DRC, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Nepal, Kenya, and Ghana.•Donor reporting Show less

African Regional Lead

• Jul 2014 - Jun 2018

•Strategic Leadership-Provided oversight and led the IFC’s investment advisory program to SME investees and Private Equity Fund Managers (“GPs”) on the SME Ventures Program.•Private Equity investment- With a focus on emerging markets, the SME venture program grew from two (2) funds of $38 million across four (4) countries (2010), to; nine (9) funds of ~$350 million across 18 countries by 2018.•Business Development- pre-investment assessment of SME Venture Funds, due diligence, GP analysis and possible advisory solutions for management approval. Led the design and implementation of portfolio and GP support with industry experts and portfolio SMEs in the areas of: financial management, industry expertise, portfolio monitoring, De-risk portfolio, investment exits, and Environmental, Social, and Governance Standards. •Operational Management-Oversee the implementation of fund activities, manage fund specialists, firms and consultants•Stakeholder Engagement-Collaborate with technical and sector expertise, Corporations, Governments, and Foundations. Show less

Sector Lead-Operations,Portfolio & Special Reports

• May 2012 - Jun 2014

•Financial and Technical Advisory-Participated in the appraisal, analytical, and implementation of projects.•Operations Management- Covering HR planning-recruitment, training, Research, Budget management and Funding, Donor coordination, Strategic/IDG, and Portfolio targets, and Communication.•Monitoring and Implementation- Supervised three staff to analyze, monitor and provide sustainability input into the operational teams.•Project Management & Implementation- Responsible for leading all SBA staff on Portfolio Concept Review Meetings, Implementation Plan approvals & Risk management.•Coordination / Quality Assurance - Coordinated Fragile and Conflict activities, Base of Pyramid engagements, served as IFC Board Trustee on the AMSCO/ATMS Foundation, • Innovations Management-Re-design of SME/Ventures program activity in Africa and a Vocational Education Study for EAP/Philippines. Show less

Sector Lead- Health & Education Advisory Services

• Jan 2006 - May 2012

•Financial & Technical Advisory- to private SME Schools & Health Institutions; alongside access to finance from financial institutions including IFC investees.•Business Development - HIA’s(Health in Africa Initiative) first private Health sector investment into a Medical Group in Uganda - IMG. Successfully committed the US$5.7m deal with $2.2m to IFC account, led the market investigation of investment and advisory needs/potential solutions of private health SMEs across SSA countries; 150 private SME schools accessed financing, of US$33.7m. 1,550 schools (600,000 students) accessed business and education training.•Innovation Management-Designed and implemented Risk Sharing Facilities and Blended Finance products to several banks.•Policy Development -Took part in Sector and Regulatory reforms and participated in HIA’s first Health Insurance policy intervention. Show less

Lead Business Development Services Specialist

• Dec 2004 - Dec 2006

•Operations Management-Managed a team of five to deliver Business Development Services (BDS) and Access to Finance for Agribusiness/horticulture export supply chain firms. •Capacity Building -Designed a special purpose vehicle (SPV) and training for a group of horticulture export farmers to achieve: i) Fair Trade certification; ii) increase their pineapple fruit sales volumes by 50% into the top-tier export Fair Trade chain via Max Havelaar/Royal Ahold and Blue Skies Ltd; •Collaboration/Partnerships -Facilitated a PPP framework for the horticulture industry to ensure equitable private sector participation in the management of a new World Bank/GoG Fruit Terminal; (infrastructure investment) •Innovations Management-Implemented a Norms and Standards and Traceability/Bar-coding program through the horticulture export associations for its export members. •Supervised consulting firms to conduct business diagnostics, prepare business plans, Fairtrade and EurepGap certification, geographic information systems (GIS) Mapping, financial and accounting systems in the fruit processing, jewelry and horticulture industries. Show less

Director of Business Development Services & C.E.D.I Trust

• Jun 1999 - Dec 2004

•Led a TechnoServe team on the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Concept Note for the Ministry of Finance – this obtained $550m in funding for agribusiness; •Sorghum: a $250,000 project to source commercial quality sorghum for Guinness Brewery; •Managed a $50,000 grant for the rehabilitation of a “brownfield” 2MT/day rice mill; •Wenchi Tomato Processing Project (Afrique Link Ltd), Business plan that successfully raised $250,000 in 0 rated debt financing from the African Development Fund (ADF). Developed a legal structure (Trust) for smallholder farmers to own shares in Afrique Link Ltd; •Client Finance: managed a USD 500,000 Innovation fund which we applied to value added businesses in fruits and vegetables, cashew, maize, cassava and rice processing, part was used as a guarantee fund with a local bank to leverage financing for agribusiness clients; •Established an annual business plan training and competition program impacting over 150 local entrepreneurs, which evolved into the Google sponsored Believe Begin Become (“BBB”) Business plan competition – now Enablis. •Staff Training: In conjunction with McKinsey volunteer consultants, I led the delivery of training to TechnoServe professional field staff in the Fact Pack Diagnostic, Core Business consulting skills, modeling and problem-solving loops to standardize best practice delivery; Others: A three (3) year back-to-back improved maize technology field demonstrations to farmers and practitioners on better maize productivity Show less

Consultant-Corporate Finance Advisory Services

• Sep 1998 - May 1999

Consultant

• Jul 1997 - Jul 1997

Audit Trainee

• Feb 1997 - Feb 1997

Project Engineer

• Oct 1993 - Sep 1996