Menu

Meet our speakers

Mr. Thabo Thamane

AADFI Chairman,
CEO CEDA

Mr. Thabo is the Chief Executive Officer of Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) in Botswana, and has held the position since January 1, 2011. Prior to that, Thamane was responsible for the core business of CEDA as the Deputy CEO (Operations).
Thamane has been with CEDA since 2003 and has progressed over time from middle management through to the CEO position.

Thabo graduated from the University of Botswana with a combined Finance degree, and has also undergone leadership development with the Wits Business School in South Africa as well as Executive Development with the London Business School.
He also serves as a Board Member at Botswana Tourism Organisation.
After serving as an EXCO Member of the Association of African Development Finance Institutions (AADFI) for a number of years, Thabo Prince Thamane was elected as AADFI`s Chairman during the Association`s 45th Ordinary General Assembly (OGA) Meeting held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea in June 12, 2019.

Micheal Mensah-Baah

Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Development Bank Ghana

Michael Mensah-Baah has 28 years of experience working in financial services across Europe, America and Africa.

  • In 1998, Michael began his professional career in the United Kingdom and joined JP Morgan as an Associate on the Equity Derivatives Trading Desk. He later became Vice President, Investment Banking with Union Bank of Switzerland (UK), where he helped the bank grow Fixed Income Product Revenue, managing to increase the client base while keeping losses to a minimum.
  • In 2010, Michael joined Barclays Bank (now ABSA) in Africa, starting as Vice President and Head of Risk Management and subsequently becoming Chief Operating Officer.
  • In 2022 Michael joined Development Bank Ghana as Deputy Chief Executive Officer responsible for setting up the bank and Investments.
  • Over the years, Michael has gained unique expertise in the development and implementation of strategy, the establishment of key strategic partnerships, and the development of new products and services.
  • Michael holds a Bachelor of Science in Statistics and Computer Science from the University of Ghana and a Master of Science in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science (UK). He is both an Associate Member of the Chartered Global Management Accountants (CGMA) in the US and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (ACMA) in the UK.

Currently, Michael serves on the board of VRA International Schools Limited, the UN Global Compact, and the Oasis Africa VC Fund II. He also previously chaired the Absa Bank Provident Fund Board of Trustees.

Michael is also a corporate executive in residence (Guest Lecturer) at the University of Ghana Business School.

Michael is married with 3 children and likes to keep fit by playing golf, swimming, and running.

 

Boitumelo Mosako

Chief Executive Officer, Development Bank of Southern Africa

Ms. Boitumelo Mosako is the Chief Executive Officer of the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA).  Prior to her appointment, she served as the DBSA Chief Financial Officer (CFO), focusing on strategy, investor relations, supply chain management, and information technology. An experienced Chartered Accountant and executive with vast experience in the financial sector, spanning over 22 years.

Prior to re-joining the DBSA in 2018, Ms Mosako worked at the South African Bureau of Standards as a CFO, successfully serving two terms on the Board of the South African Bureau of Standards.

Started her career as a trainee accountant at Ernst and Young. On completion of the training programme, she worked at Ernst and Young, USA. She broadened her experience in the financial sector, by joining Citi Bank as a Corporate Finance Transactor, and later the Triumph Venture Capital as Executive Director Finance and Investments focusing on various key business objectives.

Ms Mosako holds a Higher Diploma in Auditing, a Post Graduate Diploma in Accounting and a BCom Accounting Degree from the University of Cape Town, an Advanced Management Program Certificate from Harvard Business School and a BBBEE Management Development Program Certificate from UNISA.

 

Dr Adél Bosch

Senior Economist, Development Bank of Southern Africa

Dr Adél Bosch holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. Currently serving as a Senior Economist at the DBSA, Adél is responsible for macroeconomic modelling, forecasting and analysis.

In addition, Adél conducts economic research on various topics, including the South African and African macroeconomic environment, climate modelling and infrastructure development finance and investment. Recently, Adél has been collaborating on developing a stock-flow consistent macroeconomic model to model climate change and net zero scenarios for the South African economy.

Previously, Adél served 16 years at the South African Reserve Bank where her career progressed to Senior Economist, focusing on short-term economic indicator analysis, seasonal adjustment as well as analysis and dating of the South African business cycle.

 

Admassu Tadesse

President & Managing Director TDB Group

Admassu Tadesse has been serving as Trade and Development Bank Group President and Managing Director since 2022. Prior, he led PTA Bank, and its evolution into TDB, and previously served as Executive Vice President for International Finance and Corporate Strategy with the Development Bank of Southern Africa. Under his leadership, TDB Group has expanded into several new and under-served markets, with new strategic business units and subsidiaries, achieved investment grade credit ratings, with total assets growing about 10-fold to USD 10 billion in 2023.

Its equity capital has also multiplied manifold, with its investor base more than doubling to 48 shareholders. He is a recipient of several distinctions and awards, including African Banker of the Year, African Business Leader of the Year and Development Banker of the Year. He is an alumnus of the London School of Economics, Western University, Wits Business School, and Harvard Business School.

 

Dr Olasupo Olusi

MD/CEO, Bank of Industry

Dr. Olasupo Olusi is a distinguished economist and seasoned development finance expert, with a remarkable over two-decade career dedicated to shaping economic policies, fostering fiscal sustainability, and driving private and financial sector development on a global scale. Currently the Managing Director and CEO of the Bank of Industry, Dr. Olusi brings a wealth of expertise honed through his extensive experience garnered at prestigious institutions such as the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

His illustrious career journey commenced at the World Bank, where he significantly contributed to capital markets reform and conducted ground-breaking research on finance and private sector development in the Middle East and North Africa. Over the years, Dr. Olusi has assumed pivotal roles, such as; World Bank Country Economist for several countries, Economic Adviser at the Federal Ministry of Finance in Nigeria, and Senior Private Sector Specialist at the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

In the sphere of fiscal policies and debt management, Dr. Olusi brings his expertise to bear in ensuring financial stability and transparency, a testament to his commitment to responsible economic practices.  With a proven track record in project management, financing, and implementation, he has successfully led diverse projects, showcasing proficiency in both lending and non-lending spheres. His strategic vision includes creating an enabling environment for businesses through thoughtful policy reforms. Dr. Olusi’s adept knowledge and management skills contribute to impactful initiatives, including newsletters and inspirational lecture series.

Dr. Olasupo Olusi’s comprehensive approach to stimulating development encompasses nurturing entrepreneurship and fostering overall business development. His multifaceted expertise positions him as a valuable leader in shaping economic landscapes and driving transformative change. Noteworthy accomplishments include leading multi-million-dollar development projects, steering private sector diagnostics, and managing investment lending initiatives. Dr. Olusi played a pivotal role in delivering the World Bank Group’s inaugural comprehensive assessment of Nigeria’s private sector in 2020.

In his current role as the Managing Director and CEO of the Bank of Industry, Dr. Olusi is steering the organization towards transformative and impactful economic endeavors. Leveraging his profound understanding of macroeconomic dynamics, his leadership is marked by a commitment to sustainable development, strategic planning, and localised implementation of corporate priorities. Devoted to the growth of enterprises; Large, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), he actively works towards economic diversification and drives impactful reforms in public sector entities, emphasizing improved governance and efficiency. Actively engaged in collaboration with multi-stakeholders, co-leading knowledge management initiatives, and spearheading impactful projects, Dr. Olusi continues to significantly contribute to the success and resilience of Nigeria’s industrial landscape.

The six thematic areas of focus under his leadership at BOI are SMEs, Digital Transformation, Youth and Skills, Gender and Climate and Sustainability and Infrastructure. These thematic areas will help deepen the Bank’s development impact in key sectors. Also, there’s a special focus on strategic initiatives that will be game changers for Nigeria’s private sector.

Dr. Olusi holds a B.Sc. Economics from Hull University, UK; M.Sc. in International Money, Finance, and Investment at the University of Durham, UK and Ph.D. in Economics, also from the University of Durham. He is a proud member of the Royal Economic Society (United Kingdom) and the American Finance Association (USA).

 

Muhammad Zubair Mughal

Managing Director, AlHuda CIBE FZ LLE – UAE
Islamic Banking and Finance Expert

Mr. Muhammad Zubair is a distinguished expert in the field of Islamic banking and finance, with over 18 years of extensive experience. As the Managing director of AlHuda Centre of Islamic Banking and Economics (CIBE), he has played a pivotal role in shaping the Islamic finance landscape globally. His expertise spans Shariah advisory, Islamic financial engineering, Takaful, Sukuk, Islamic microfinance, and the transformation of conventional financial institutions into Shariah-compliant entities.
Mr. Zubair’s career highlights include founding several key initiatives, such as the Islamic Microfinance Network and the Halal Research Council, reflecting his dedication to poverty alleviation and sustainable development through Islamic finance. His consultancy work with prominent international organizations, including the World Bank, Islamic Development Bank, and numerous central banks, has contributed to the growth of Islamic finance across more than 85 countries. A prolific researcher and public speaker, Mr. Zubair is committed to advancing the Islamic finance industry through innovation, capacity building, and education.

 

 

Denis Ochieng

Director of Finance & Business Operation, Uganda Development Bank

CPA Denis Ochieng is the Director of Finance and Business Operations at Uganda Development Bank Limited (UDB), a position he has held since 2016. He plays a crucial role in mobilizing funding and improving operational efficiency, establishing UDB as a leader in innovative financing and digital solutions.
Prior to his tenure at UDB, Denis served as General Manager Finance at Equity Bank Group and was the Chief Risk Officer and CFO at the National Social Security Fund Uganda, where he led the development of award-winning risk management strategies. He began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Denis holds a master’s degree in financial risk management from Glasgow Caledonian University and is a member of professional accounting bodies in both Uganda and Kenya. He also earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Makerere University.
In 2021, he was honored with the Uganda CFO Award for his contributions to finance transformation at UDB.
He resides in Kampala with his family.

Desta Mebratu

Professor, Engineering X Lead, Africa Roadmap, Center for Sustainability Transition, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

Olympus Manthata is the Head of Climate and Environmental Finance at the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA). He oversees the management of international climate financing mechanisms, including the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF). Olympus played a key role in DBSA’s accreditation with both GEF, as South Africa’s first national agency, and GCF.

In his previous role as Fund Manager for South Africa’s National Green Fund, he was responsible for directing over ZAR 1 billion in financing into impactful projects that generated significant social, economic, and environmental benefits. His 32 years of professional experience span investment in development finance, technology innovation, and various engineering roles.

Olympus holds a Mechanical Engineering diploma from Vaal University of Technology, a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the University of South Africa, an MBA from De Montfort University, a Postgraduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship, and an MSc in Technology Management from the University of Pretoria, along with an MCom in Development Finance from the University of Cape Town.

Chinua Azubike

Chief Executive Officer of InfraCredit

Chinua Azubike is the pioneer Chief Executive Officer of InfraCredit (Infrastructure Credit Guarantee Company Limited) and led the establishment of the first of its kind “AAA” rated credit enhancement institution in Nigeria in 2017.
Chinua has over 20 years’ experience in capital markets and structured finance and has been responsible for leading InfraCredit in its pioneering role of connecting Nigeria’s debt capital markets to long term local currency infrastructure finance by using guarantees to mobilise domestic credit to the private sector from domestic institutional investors for infrastructure development.
Chinua has pioneered innovative blended climate finance vehicles and financial instruments that has unlocked first-time green finance from domestic institutional investors alongside concessional funding from international development agencies to support clean energy access for unserved communities. Chinua has a strong and practical know-how of local capital markets with a firm interest in market development and has acted as a lead adviser in the establishment of key development finance institutions in Nigeria.
Chinua is a protagonist of Harvard Business School’s Case Study on “Infrastructure in Nigeria: Unlocking Pension Fund Investments” published in February 2018 and is being taught on HBS’ MBA Program.

Olympus Manthata

Head Climate & Environmental Finance, DBSA/Coordinator of AADFI Climate Change Working Group

Olympus Manthata is the Head of Climate and Environmental Finance at the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA). He oversees the management of international climate financing mechanisms, including the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF). Olympus played a key role in DBSA’s accreditation with both GEF, as South Africa’s first national agency, and GCF.

In his previous role as Fund Manager for South Africa’s National Green Fund, he was responsible for directing over ZAR 1 billion in financing into impactful projects that generated significant social, economic, and environmental benefits. His 32 years of professional experience span investment in development finance, technology innovation, and various engineering roles.

Olympus holds a Mechanical Engineering diploma from Vaal University of Technology, a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the University of South Africa, an MBA from De Montfort University, a Postgraduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship, and an MSc in Technology Management from the University of Pretoria, along with an MCom in Development Finance from the University of Cape Town.

Kevin Ramkaloan

CEO of Business Mauritius

 

Kevin is the CEO of Business Mauritius, the apex organization of the business community on public-private sector dialogue and industrial relations. He was the former Director of the MTPA, the national tourism promotion agency of Mauritius and Director of New Business Development at the Board of Investment, the national investment promotion agency.
Kevin has over 20 years of executive experience in Mauritius and internationally, spanning diverse sectors including public policy, business consulting, hospitality, financial services and the ocean economy among others.
Awarded both the State Scholarship of Mauritius and a US Fulbright, he holds post-graduate degrees in economics and policy from Cambridge University, UK and University of Maine, US respectively.

×

Table of Contents

Scroll to Top