LISTEN TO THE BEST IN INSURANCE AND REINSURANCE FIELD Event Speakers
Mr. Sufian Ahmed Beker
Former Minister of Finance, Ethiopian Government
Mr. Sufian Ahmed Beker
Former Minister of Finance, Ethiopian Government
Sufian Ahmed Beker is a distinguished Ethiopian economist and policymaker with a career spanning over three decades in public financial management, development policy, and global economic governance. He served as Ethiopia’s Minister of Finance and Economic Development from 1995 to 2015, becoming the longest-serving Finance Minister in Sub-Saharan Africa. During his two-decade tenure, he played a pivotal role in shaping Ethiopia’s macroeconomic policy, mobilizing international development finance, and leading major economic reforms that contributed to the country’s sustained growth trajectory.
Following his ministerial service, he was appointed Chief Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister of Ethiopia from 2015 to 2017, where he provided high-level policy guidance on national development strategy, fiscal policy, and regional economic integration.
Internationally, Mr. Ahmed was appointed to the G20 Eminent Persons Group on Global Financial Governance, where he co-authored the landmark 2018 report, “Making the Global Financial System Work for All,” which proposed ambitious reforms to strengthen the effectiveness of the international financial architecture.
He currently serves as a Non-Resident Fellow at the Center for Global Development (CGD) in Washington, D.C. Mr. Ahmed is also a member of the Advisory Board at the Center for Disaster Protection (CDP), which supports countries in better managing disaster risk financing, and serves on the Advisory Board of the Harvard Ministerial Leadership Program, which mentors senior government leaders on transformative governance and public sector reform.
Dr. Corneille KAREKEZI
Group MD / CEO - AFRICA RE
Dr. Corneille KAREKEZI
Group MD / CEO - AFRICA RE
Before joining Africa Re, he was its Board Member for 3 years, and he worked in various departments of insurance companies in Burundi and Rwanda and left the insurance industry as CEO of SONARWA (Rwanda).
Dr KAREKEZI holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and master’s degree in management (Burundi), postgraduate diplomas in Business administration (UK), a doctorate in business administration (France & Israel), as well as various executive courses certificates.
Since 1996, he has contributed significantly to the development of the insurance and reinsurance industries at the national, regional, continental, and global levels, including speaking in various seminars and conferences across the world.
Dr KAREKEZI has served and is still serving as Chairman and Board Member of various (re)insurance companies, financial institutions and charitable organizations.
He is currently a Member of the Executive Committee of AIO and a member of the Executive Council of the International Insurance Society (IIS).
Mr. FIKRU TSEGAYE WORDOFA
Acting CEO- Ethiopian Reinsurance
Mr. FIKRU TSEGAYE WORDOFA
Acting CEO- Ethiopian Reinsurance
Fikru is a Certified Insurance and reinsurance professional working in the insurance industry. Fikru has received CTP (Certified Takaful Practitioner), ARA (Associate Reinsurance Administrator), ACS (Associate Customer Service), FLMI (Fellow, Life Office Management), and an Executive Diploma in Islamic Banking and Finance. He has studied for, a Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Arts (MA) in Human Resources and Organizational Development (HROD), Master of Arts (MA) in Journalism and Communications (MAJ&C), MBA in Islamic Banking & Finance, Bachelor of Science (BSC) degree in Business Education, Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing Management, Diploma in marketing and sales; and Certificate in Insurance from Chartered Insurance Institute, England (CII, UK). He has received his first and master's degrees from Addis Ababa and other renowned universities. He has also served as a frequent lecturer at various local private colleges and universities, and academic institutions, including the Ethiopian Institute of Financial Studies (EIFS). Currently, he is studying for his Ph.D. and LLM.
His practical career spans over Two decades in the Insurance and Reinsurance Industry holding the positions of Executive Management. Currently, Fikru is serving as Acting Chief Executive Officer (A/CEO) of Ethiopian Reinsurance Share Company (Ethio-Re) and before that he has served as Executive Officer of Strategy and Business Development, and Secretary to the Board of Directors at the Ethiopian Reinsurance Share Company (Ethio-RE), efefcticve its establisgment period. He has also worked in the capacity of Manager, Business Development, and Corporate Affairs in Ethio-Re. Before joining Ethio-Re, he served as Director of Marketing and Strategic Management, Director of Microinsurance, Strategic Management Team Leader, Principal Researcher, and Principal Customer care and Underwriting and Claims section supervisor, at the state-owned Ethiopian Insurance Corporation (EIC).
He writes regularly for several magazines and Journals. He has contributed extensively to the world of Insurance and reinsurance and his publications appeared in various Business, insurance, and reinsurance Journals, magazines, and newspapers, including the Journal of African Insurance Organization (AIO), Organization of Eastern and Southern Africa Insurers (OESAI) and African reinsurance publications.
Fikru is the recipient of various international and national awards and recognitions including the 2020 Global “Emerging Professional in Takaful and Retakaful of the Year Award”, at the African Interest-Free Banking and Takaful Awards, and the AIO Best Book Author, First Rank Award (2023) for his book entitled Islamic Insurance (Takaful) In Ethiopia.
Dr. Abiba Zakariah
Commissioner of Insurance, Ghana.
Dr. Abiba Zakariah
Commissioner of Insurance, Ghana.
She holds a Doctorate in Management from Swiss Management Centre, Geneva, Switzerland a master’s degree in Marketing from the University of Ghana, Legon. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute, Institute of Risk Management Professionals Ghana and a Chartered Marketer, has attended several international courses, holds an LLB, and is a Pastor of the Assemblies of God Church, Ghana.
Abiba has over thirty years of working experience and has served on several committees in the marketing and insurance industry. She was the Chief Operating Officer of WAICA Reinsurance Corporation PLC, an international reinsurance company, and before then the Group Chief Operations Officer of TG Holding LTD and, before then, the Managing Director of Ghana Re. She was a visiting lecturer at the West African Insurance Institute and a resource person at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and Ghana Insurance College, amongst other institutions.
Dr. Abiba Zakariah is a member of the Board of SAHA Global. She chaired the Ghana Oil and Gas Board and served on the following Boards; Ghana Reinsurance, Hollard Insurance Ghana, NSIA Ghana Insurance Company, Priority Insurance Company, Unique Life, CDH group of Companies Ltd and the Ghana Agric Insurance Pool amongst others.
Abiba was the Chairperson of the Sierra Leone Insurance Industry Developmental Plan. She also served on the Ghana National Insurance Commission to support industry growth; the Agricultural Insurance Pool Steering and Technical Committees, the “No Premium No Cover” Committee and Reinsurance Committee.
As a motivational speaker, posts motivational quotes, has spoken on several institutional platforms including the University of Ghana, Legon and the SOS Hermann Gmeiner college in Ghana. She is the founder of "The Strategist Consortium," a management consultancy company offering solutions for effective and efficient performance through research and training. She is also the founder of ‘SilentScream’ an NGO for mental health through awareness.
She is an awardee of the Young Insurance Professionals (YIP) in Africa 2024, PILA’s top 50 women in insurance in Africa 2022, the Business Insurance Women to watch EMEA in 2019 and the Northern Youth for Peace and development in Ghana in 2017.
Mr. Mikir Shah
CEO - Africa Specialty Risks
Mr. Mikir Shah
CEO - Africa Specialty RisksMikir Shah is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Africa Specialty Risks, with over 25 years of experience in Africa. Prior to ASR, Mikir was Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AXA Africa Specialty Risks. A highly skilled practitioner with extensive financial experience, Mikir has also previously held the position of Head of Insurance (UK) and Head of Financial Institutions at Barclays Investment Bank. He started his career at ABN AMRO Bank N.V where he became Head of European and Emerging Markets before joining Macquarie Capital as Head of India showcasing his diverse market experience and skillset. An advocate of taking a proactive approach to insurance by finding and working with clients on the ground in Africa, Mikir was born in Kenya and has frequently visited Africa to understand client’s specific needs and provide solutions.
Mrs. HIKMET ABDELLA,
CEO - FSD Ethiopia
Mrs. HIKMET ABDELLA,
CEO - FSD Ethiopia
Hikmet Abdella is the Chief Executive Officer of FSD Ethiopia and the former Director General of the Accounting and Auditing Board of Ethiopia. She is widely recognised for her leadership as the founding Country Head of ACCA Ethiopia from 2004–2013.
She serves on the Board of Trustees of the Center for Dialogue, Research and Cooperation (CDRC), an independent Ethiopia-based non-profit think tank, and is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Ethiopian Red Cross. In 2022, she was one of 50 members of the Destiny Ethiopia Initiative, contributing to the development of four possible future scenarios for Ethiopia in 2040. Currently, she is an active member of the Women Caucus within the Ethiopian Inclusive Dialogue (EID), hosted by CDRC.
Since 2016, Hikmet has been a member of the Female CEO Breakfast Club (FCBC), part of the Association of Women in Boldness (AWIB). Ms. Hikmet has been serving as Vice Chair on Board of Directors of Global Insurance S.C for over six years.
Mr. Andrew Selous
Director of International Gov’t Affairs & Reinsurance Advocacy - C&C Insurance Group
Mr. Andrew Selous
Director of International Gov’t Affairs & Reinsurance Advocacy - C&C Insurance Group
Andrew is a distinguished Business and Government affairs executive with a wealth of experience as a former Munich Re underwriter, UK Justice Minister, Member of the UK Parliament for 23 years and Prime Ministerial Trade Envoy.
His background spans the health, green economy, and defence sectors, where he has navigated complex political landscapes to achieve significant outcomes for the UK.
He launched the UK-South Africa investment task force and signed a strategic trade partnership between the UK and Mauritius.
He secured vital infrastructure investment for his constituency during his time in Parliament. Andrew's deep understanding of government operations and high-level networks make him an invaluable asset for driving growth and innovation.
He remains passionate about the power of insurance to enhance prosperity and reduce poverty.
Mr Chukwuemeka Akwiwu (Emeka)
Group Executive Director at Continental Reinsurance
Mr Chukwuemeka Akwiwu (Emeka)
Group Executive Director at Continental Reinsurance
Chukwuemeka Akwiwu (Emeka) is the Group Executive Director at Continental Reinsurance, a leading private pan-African composite reinsurer with offices in Lagos, Douala, Nairobi, Abidjan, Tunis, and Gaborone. With over two decades of experience in the insurance and reinsurance industry, he has been instrumental in driving strategic growth and operational excellence across diverse markets.
Before joining Continental Re in 2021, Emeka held senior managerial roles at Gen Re, gaining extensive industry experience across Europe and South Africa.
He is an alumnus of the Lagos Business School Advanced Management Program, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Government and Public Administration from Abia State University, Nigeria, and a Diploma in Insurance from the Chartered Insurance Institute, London.
Mr. GANIYU MUSA
MD/CEO - FBS Reinsurance
Mr. GANIYU MUSA
MD/CEO - FBS Reinsurance
Ganiyu is a seasoned management professional with nearly 40 years of diversified experience in insurance, reinsurance, audit, consulting, and financial management. He trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Arthur Andersen & Co.
He spent 19 years at Africa Re in key roles, including Deputy Managing Director and CFO. He led the creation of the risk management function, oversaw investment strategies, and was instrumental in establishing Retakaful subsidiary in Cairo, and reinsurance subsidiary in South Africa, where he served on the Board.
As the GMD/CEO, Cornerstone Insurance Plc, he successfully transformed the company from a Tier 3 to a Tier 1 insurer between 2012 and 2023. His strategic direction led to remarkable growth.
He served as the Chairman, Nigerian Insurers Association and the Council of Bureaux, ECOWAS Brown Card, where he played significant roles in advancing the industry's growth and regional cooperation.
Currently, Ganiyu is the MD/CEO, FBS Reinsurance
Mr. Philip Lopokoiyit
Chief Executive Officer- ICEA LION
Mr. Philip Lopokoiyit
Chief Executive Officer- ICEA LION
Philip Lopokoiyit is an accomplished finance and risk management professional with over 20 years of experience in multinational companies. He currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ICEA LION General Insurance Company Limited, in addition to his role as Acting CEO of ICEA LION Insurance Holdings Ltd.
Philip also holds a Non-Executive Director position at NCBA Group and is a member of the PSI (Principles of Sustainable Insurance) Board and UNEP FI's Leadership Council.
Philip has extensive expertise in Finance, Accounting, Risk Management, Internal Controls, and Corporate Governance. He has previously served in various senior management roles and as a Non-Executive Director in several organizations.
He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, a Member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK), and the Institute of Chartered Management Accountants.
He holds a B.Com (Hons.) in Accounting from the University of Nairobi and an MBA from Warwick Business School, UK.
Mr. Salaheddine AJI
General Director (CEO), Moroccan Federation of Insurance
Mr. Salaheddine AJI
General Director (CEO), Moroccan Federation of Insurance
Salaheddine AJI is the General Director (CEO) of the Moroccan Federation of Insurance (FMA). He joined FMA in May 2019 as Deputy General Director and was promoted to General Director in June 2023. He has contributed to key projects in the Moroccan insurance market, including catastrophic risk coverage and solvency-based risk (SBR).
With over 24 years of experience, he began his career in the oil and telecom industries in France before moving to the insurance sector. At Caisse Centrale de Réassurance (CCR) in Paris, he was a Senior Catastrophe Modeler. He later joined Société Centrale de Réassurance (SCR) in Casablanca as Director of Risks, then became Executive Director, leading the implementation of Enterprise Risk Management (ERM).
Before FMA, he was Regional Chief Risk Officer at Allianz Africa Financial Services, helping establish Allianz’s risk policy across Africa.
He is also Vice President of the Moroccan Association of Actuaries, a member of the GAIF executive committee, and a member of the AIO executive life committee. Salaheddine holds a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics.
Mr. Jonas Mushosho
CEO - AfrexInsure
Mr. Jonas Mushosho
CEO - AfrexInsure
Jonas is an experienced business leader with experience in both the private and public sectors; his experience spans over 30 years. He has led multinational portfolios in different lines of business, particularly in financial services. He is known for his business knowledge, outstanding leadership, experience, execution, and track record of turnaround of several distressed businesses.
Jonas is currently the CEO and Principal Officer of Afrexim Insurance Management Company (AfrexInsure) a subsidiary of Afreximbank. AfrexInsure is a Pan African specialty insurance entity that seeks to develop and make specialty insurance more readily accessible and available on the African content in order to retain premiums in Africa and support trade and trade related investments across the continent. Prior to joining AfrexInsure Jonas was Managing Director for Old Mutual Rest of Africa, heading operations in 12 countries in Southern, Eastern and Western Africa comprising of five different lines of business, he also doubled as Group CEO for Old Mutual Zimbabwe Limited. Before this, he held several roles, such as MD, CFO, General Manager, among others in Old Mutual. Jonas also worked in several roles up to Deputy Commissioner for Taxes for the Department of Taxes in Zimbabwe. Jonas is a former board member and chairman of several entities, currently, he sits on the boards of Delta Corporation Ltd, Zimbabwe Open University, Equity Group Holdings Plc, AfrexInsure and Brooks & Oracles.
Jonas is a Chartered Accountant (CA)Z, (CA) SA and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators. He holds an MBA (UZ), a Bachelor of Accountancy (UZ), and a B Compt Hons (UNISA). He also holds several other qualifications, such as the International Directors Program and Channel Leadership Program (both from Insead Business School, France), General Management Program (Harvard Business School, Massachusetts), Old Mutual Global Leadership Program (London Business School, England), and a Management Development Program (UCT Graduate Business School).
Mr. Henri Théodore BAYOUAK
Chief Executive Officer, Chanas Assurances
Mr. Henri Théodore BAYOUAK
Chief Executive Officer, Chanas Assurances
Currently serving as Chief Executive Officer of Chanas Assurances S.A., Mr. Henri Théodore BAYOUAK stands as an iconic figure in African insurance. His path of excellence began at the Technical University of Berlin, where he earned a specialization in Mathematics Applied to Finance and Insurance (Dipl. Math. OEC.), followed by positions at Skandia/Old Mutual and AXA in Germany, where he developed advanced expertise in actuarial science, risk management, and audit.
In late 2007, he dedicated his expertise to developing the African insurance sector by joining the ACTIVA group in Cameroon. As Head of the Financial Insurance and Micro-Insurance Commission of ASAC (Association of Insurance Companies of Cameroon), he drives sector innovation, particularly through the development of micro-insurance solutions and parametric agricultural insurance products.
His dual expertise, combining international technical mastery with a deep understanding of African challenges, establishes him as a key player in the transformation of the continental insurance sector.
Mr. Clement Chamboko
Managing Director: Business Development, GCR Ratings, Africa.
Mr. Clement Chamboko
Managing Director: Business Development, GCR Ratings, Africa.
Clement has vast knowledge of regulatory and market dynamics across the continent and has a deep passion and appreciation for Africa.
In his current role, Clement oversees the expansion of GCR Ratings' coverage and the growing participation of the rating agency in capital markets across Africa.
Clement has had a stellar career spanning almost two and a half decades, cutting across corporate and investment banking, business banking as well as retail banking.
He has held key positions in leading financial institutions across Africa, including Ecobank, Bank One, Nedbank, Commerzbank, Barclays, Absa, and HSBC
Dr. Anselmi Anselmi
Managing Director - Acclavia Group
Dr. Anselmi Anselmi
Managing Director - Acclavia GroupDr. Anselmi is an avid Researcher, Consultant, and Trainer for re/insurance players, regulators, and international organizations on planning, policy, strategy, governance, and leadership. His authorship of 11 books including the AIO Award Winning "Dealing with Climate Crisis in Africa - Strategies for Agriculture Insurance (2022)" showcases his commitment to addressing complex risks in Africa and finding solutions. Dr. Anselmi is the Secretary of AAIET, a member of AIO Microinsurance Working-Group, Insuresilience (GlobalShield) Gender Working-Group, Technical lead insurance tax reforms, National Agriculture Insurance Scheme, Insurance-Linked Securities, Bancassurance Champion, Insurance Lead for Tanzania Vision 2050 and Africa Insurance Regulatory Harmonization. Dr. Anselmi is a seasoned entrepreneur with a portfolio in finance, technology, education, real estate, and agriculture through Acclavia Group with Acclavia Insurance Brokers and Risk Consultants, iLink – MMS Payment Platform, Bimakwik - a pioneering insurtech company; Acclavia Nursery and Primary School and the Africa College of Insurance and Social Protection.
Mr. Abdul-Rasheed AKOLADE
Assistant Director, Underwriting and Marketing
Mr. Abdul-Rasheed AKOLADE
Assistant Director, Underwriting and Marketing
Mr. Abdul-Rasheed AKOLADE is an experienced Life Insurance and Reinsurance Underwriter. He was Head of Life Business Operations at Continental Reinsurance Plc, Nigeria between 2006 and 2013. In 2014, he became the Deputy Director-General of West African Insurance Institute, Banjul-The Gambia from where he joined Africa Re in December 2014. He is presently an Assistant Director, Underwriting and Marketing (Life Operations) with African Reinsurance Corporation, Lagos, Nigeria.
He is a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria and an Associate of the Nigerian Institute of Management. He followed Life and Pensions Specialist Route in his Associateship Diploma Professional Examinations of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria. Mr. Akolade holds a Higher National Diploma in Insurance from Lagos State Polytechnic (now Lagos State University of Science and Technology) and from Al-Hikmah University, Nigeria as well as an MBA from EDHEC Business School, France.
He has four academic publications to his credit and he is a co-author of the Insurance Textbook for the Nigerian Senior Secondary School Students published by the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria in 2013 and Modern Insurance Practice (A Textbook for Tertiary Institutions) published by the Profesional Insurance Ladies Association, Nigeria in 2023.
He has presented many life (re)insurance seminar papers both locally and internationally.
Mr. Graziano Brady
Senior Economist - AM Best
Mr. Graziano Brady
Senior Economist - AM Best
Graziano Brady is a senior economist on AM Best’s country risk team. His primary focus is on analysing the economic and political risks affecting economies around the world, and determining how these risks impact an insurer’s creditworthiness. Prior to joining AM Best, Graziano worked at NERA Economic Consulting’s energy practice, where he specialised in analysing energy markets to help quantify damages in international arbitration disputes.
Graziano is a CFA charter-holder, holds a master’s degree in economics from the University of St Andrews and a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, politics, and economics from the University of Oxford. He is also pursuing a part-time degree in artificial intelligence from the University of Bath.
Mrs. Christine Rodrigues
Partner at Bowmans
Mrs. Christine Rodrigues
Partner at Bowmans
Christine Rodrigues is a partner at Bowmans. She is one of South Africa’s best recognised insurance law regulatory experts. She was recently ranked in Chambers & Partners in Band 2. Christine advises on all aspects of insurance both in the life and non-life sector. In South Africa, Christine has an exceptional relationship with the insurance regulators.
Christine has a unique Pan-African practice. She advises many African insurance stakeholders on best practices and provides strategic advice for the purpose of developing and growing their market share in their relevant jurisdiction.
Prior to practice she was employed at one of South Africa’s biggest insurance groups and split her time working for the group’s Mozambican subsidiary. Therefore, she understands the challenges that the insurance sector faces on the continent.
Christine has B.Com and B.Com (Hons) degrees from the University of the Witwatersrand and an LLB from the University of South Africa (UNISA). Her B.Com (Hons) was awarded first class with majors in Insurance and Risk Management.
She looks forward to participating at this year’s conference and encourages delegates to engage with her.
Mr. David Mueller
Regional Lead, Africa - UNDP
Mr. David Mueller
Regional Lead, Africa - UNDP
David Mueller is an economic development specialist with programme management and technical experience with the UN, NGOs, the private sector and government. As a long-standing member of UNDP’s Sustainable Finance Hub, he joined IRFF as the Regional Lead for Sub-Saharan Africa where works with country teams to deliver the Facility’s programming, and coordinates regional insurance and risk financing initiatives with public and private stakeholders. David is based at the UNDP Africa Sustainable Finance Hub in Pretoria, South Africa.
Mrs. Prechhya Mathema
Actuarial Program Strategist , UNDP-Milliman
Mrs. Prechhya Mathema
Actuarial Program Strategist , UNDP-Milliman
Prechhya Mathema works as an actuarial program strategist for the UNDP-Milliman Global Actuarial Initiative program (GAIN). She is a UK qualified actuary with 25 years of expertise in actuarial, reinsurance, risk management and regulatory supervision. She has 20 years of experience working in the UK for major institutions such as Prudential UK, Friends Life, Munich Re, Ernst & Young and UK Government Actuary’s Department.
In her last role, she worked for Nepal Insurance Authority (NIA) for 4 years conducting supervision of insurance companies and advising senior leadership on the development of insurance directives and policies. She was also NIA’s technical lead for the development and implementation of Risk-Based Capital and Solvency Regime and Risk-Based Supervision Framework in the Nepalese insurance industry.
She is the founding and current President of the Actuarial Society of Nepal.
Mrs. Susan Melmed
Consulting Actuary, Milliman
Mrs. Susan Melmed
Consulting Actuary, Milliman
Susan Melmed is a consulting actuary with Milliman in South Africa. She is a fellow of the Actuarial Society of Africa and holds a life practicing certificate. She has over 15 years of experience including working for a large South African insurance group and in consulting with both KPMG and Milliman. Her areas of expertise include regulatory capital and risk management.
She has a wide range of experience in first line and second line roles having been involved in both first line valuations as well as audit support and Head of Actuarial Function or Appointed Actuary support in South Africa, Namibia and Kenya.
Mr. Pranav Prashad
Technical Lead, ILO’s Impact Insurance Facility
Mr. Pranav Prashad
Technical Lead, ILO’s Impact Insurance Facility
Pranav is the technical lead at the ILO’s Impact Insurance Facility’s initiatives related to climate change, Disaster risk and climate risk and agriculture insurance, distribution and building scale and efficiency through use of technology in insurance. He is also the focal point for market development in Asia and Africa.
Pranav has more than three decades of experience in insurance and business management. He has initiated and taken to scale agriculture and health insurance projects amongst low-income households, utilizing a diverse set of distribution channels and enabling the projects with technology.
At the Facility, among various projects, Pranav has aided in successful introduction of weather index insurance products in Sri Lanka and index related product for livestock in Kenya. He is also the lead author of the Facility’s paper looking as various ways mobile phone technology can help in building scale and efficiency in insurance operations
He holds an MBA from the Faculty of Management Studies and a bachelor's honours degree in Economics, both from Delhi University, India.
Indian national - Speaks: English, Hindi
Mr. Matthew Genazzini
Executive Director, Microinsurance Network
Mr. Matthew Genazzini
Executive Director, Microinsurance Network
Matthew Genazzini has 15 years of experience in development finance and inclusive insurance and is the Executive Director of the Microinsurance Network. He has a BA in Contemporary History from the University of Sussex and an MA in Latin American Studies from the University of London.
He has significant experience in the inclusive finance sector with ADA – Appui au Développement Autonome, managing capacity building and product diversification projects for financial institutions, with a particular focus on microinsurance. In 2017, Matthew managed the Technical Support for MFI’s unit in ADA, which aimed to strengthen financial institutions through the provision of financial and technical assistance services, and in 2020, he changed position and launched the Smallholder Safety Net Up-scaling Programme (SSNUP), a public private development partnership aiming to strengthen the resilience of smallholder farmers by promoting investments in the agricultural sector.
In parallel, Matthew joined the board of the Microinsurance Network in 2019 and later, in October 2024, become the Director
Mr. Elias Omondi
Principal, Innovation for Resilience - FSD Africa
Mr. Elias Omondi
Principal, Innovation for Resilience - FSD Africa
Elias has over 12 years of experience in developing policies and regulations in the financial sector. He leads the development and implementation of programmes that work to improve the enabling environment for risk markets in Africa to drive systemic change in the market for insurance and other risk management instruments at FSD Africa.
Previously, Elias worked as an Actuary at the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) of Kenya where he was instrumental in the development and implementation of risk-based regulations and automation of supervisory processes and tools in the insurance sector. He also supported market innovation, designing, and testing innovative mechanisms of risk management through the formulation of the Regulatory Sandbox (BimaBox) and Insurtech Accelerator Platform (BimaLab)
Elias worked on various international technical assistance projects for the World Bank, IMF and GIZ assisting over 15 regulatory bodies in the insurance, pensions and capital markets sector in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean to strengthen their regulatory and supervisory frameworks.
Elias holds a Master of Science (MSc) in Actuarial Management from Bayes Business School, City University United Kingdom, and a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Actuarial Science, with IT from Maseno University. He is a Certified Expert in ESG and Impact Investing from Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, Germany and Associate Actuary of The Actuarial Society of Kenya (TASK) and Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFOA), United Kingdom
Mrs. Karimi Nthiga
Regional Coordinator for Africa, Microinsurance Network
Mrs. Karimi Nthiga
Regional Coordinator for Africa, Microinsurance Network
Karimi Nthiga is the Regional Coordinator for Africa at the Microinsurance Network, a member-based non-profit dedicated to advancing inclusive insurance. In her role, she leads member engagement and fosters institutional partnerships in Africa and supports the implementation of the Network’s annual Landscape of Inclusive Insurance study.
Karimi brings extensive experience in the financial inclusion sector, where she has worked with a range of organizations to understand consumer behavior, co-design tailored products, and test interventions that drive the uptake, usage, and retention of financial and insurance services.
Her work is driven by a passion for leveraging research and innovation to address the barriers vulnerable populations face in accessing digital and financial services—including insurance. With a solid background in Economics and behavioral science, Karimi has led cross-sectoral research initiatives across Africa. Her projects span digital health, risk and resilience, gender dynamics in digital financial services, agriculture, and more.
Within the Microinsurance Network, she also co-chairs the global Making Insurance Work for Smallholder Farmers (SHF) Best Practice Group and coordinates the gender and insurance working group. In both roles, she facilitates knowledge sharing and learning sessions among members and the broader inclusive insurance ecosystem.
Mr. Duncan Khalai
Regional Advisor on Agricultural Insurance and Disaster Risk Financing, UN-WFP
Mr. Duncan Khalai
Regional Advisor on Agricultural Insurance and Disaster Risk Financing, UN-WFP
Duncan is the Regional Advisor on Agricultural Insurance and Disaster Risk Financing at the UN-WFP Global HQ. He currently covers the Eastern Africa region, where he leads the program design and implementation of Inclusive Risk Financing (IRF) solutions targeting smallholder farmers and pastoralists as well as WFP’s macro insurance program known as the African Risk Capacity (ARC - Replica), which is implemented in collaboration with African Risk Capacity (ARC). Prior to joining WFP, Duncan worked as the Market and Capacity Development Specialist at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), where he spearheaded commercialization of the Index Based Livestock Insurance (IBLI) and provided capacity support towards launch of the Kenya Livestock Insurance Program (KLIP).
Mr. Tassius Chigariro
Group Chief Executive Officer of Old Mutual Namibia
Mr. Tassius Chigariro
Group Chief Executive Officer of Old Mutual Namibia
Tassius is a distinguished leader in the financial services industry. He is currently the Group Chief Executive Officer of Old Mutual Namibia. Tassius has held various leadership roles in different economies, including MD for Old Mutual Zimbabwe, Portfolio Manager at Old Mutual Investment Group South Africa, Head of Actuarial at Alexander Forbes in England and Head of Asset Liability Matching at Resolution Asset in Scotland. Professionally, Tassius is a qualified Actuary and also a qualified Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) from USA CFA Institute. Tassius is a Harvard alumna having successfully completed the Advanced Management Program (AMP).
Mr. Tassius Chigariro
Group Chief Executive Officer of Old Mutual Namibia
Mr. Tassius Chigariro
Group Chief Executive Officer of Old Mutual Namibia
Tassius is a distinguished leader in the financial services industry. He is currently the Group Chief Executive Officer of Old Mutual Namibia. Tassius has held various leadership roles in different economies, including MD for Old Mutual Zimbabwe, Portfolio Manager at Old Mutual Investment Group South Africa, Head of Actuarial at Alexander Forbes in England and Head of Asset Liability Matching at Resolution Asset in Scotland. Professionally, Tassius is a qualified Actuary and also a qualified Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) from USA CFA Institute. Tassius is a Harvard alumna having successfully completed the Advanced Management Program (AMP).
Mr. Daniel Clarke
Executive Director of the Centre for Disaster Protection
Mr. Daniel Clarke
Executive Director of the Centre for Disaster Protection
Daniel is the Executive Director of the Centre for Disaster Protection. He brings to the role a broad combination of leadership, expertise, and practical experience working with people, countries, and organisations to change how they plan and pay for disasters.
Daniel’s professional background is as an actuary and economist. He has worked with more than 40 developing country governments to develop improved risk finance schemes in close collaboration with bilateral and multilateral development institutions and the private insurance and reinsurance industry. His work has had a major influence on policy and practice at a global, country and organisational level, and his book, Dull Disasters? How Planning Ahead Will Make A Difference is a seminal work on disaster risk financing.
He has a first-class degree from Cambridge University in Mathematics and Computer Science and a D.Phil. in Economics from the University of Oxford. He is a Chartered Actuary (Fellow).
Mr. Deribie Asfaw
Chief Executive Officer Cooperative Bank of Oromia S.C
Mr. Deribie Asfaw
Chief Executive Officer Cooperative Bank of Oromia S.C
A visionary leader with 25+ years of transformative impact in Ethiopian banking, Deribie Asfaw has propelled Coopbank from a back-tier institution into a top-four financial powerhouse in Ethiopia. Under his stewardship since 2015, the bank has achieved exponential growth, pioneered digital innovation, and redefined financial inclusion, aligning with its Vision 2030.
Work experience
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December 14, 2015-Present Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Coop Bank of Oromia S.C
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Vice President, Customer Accounts & Transaction Services (2011–2015) at Commercial Bank of Ethiopia
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District Manager, Jimma District (2008–2011) at Commercial Bank of Ethiopia
He led critical projects such as Core banking system implementation, BPR pilot programs, and operational policy reforms.
He hold the following qualifications
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MBA in International Business (University of Greenwich).
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BA in Economics (Addis Ababa University).
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Advanced Certifications:
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Corporate Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance.
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Strategic HR Management, Leadership, and Change Management.
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IFRS, Sharia Governance, and Competitive Strategy in Banking.
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Mr. Getachew Mekonnin
With over 15 years’ experience in access to finance, Getachew specializes in designing and implementing innovative high-impact programs funded by major donors, including the World Bank, USAID, Mastercard Foundation, FCDO, SIDA, and ILO. His expertise spans agricultural finance, agricultural insurance, MSME lending, and blended finance instruments such as credit guarantees—benefiting smallholder farmers, agri-SMEs, and vulnerable populations. Having held leadership roles as Access to Finance Team Lead, Program Director, Country Program Lead, Senior Advisor, and Specialist, he possesses deep insight into Ethiopia’s financial ecosystem, driving sustainable development through innovative solutions.
Academically, Getachew holds a BA in Economics from Addis Ababa University and an MA in Economics from Indira Gandhi University, further enhanced by specialized training in agricultural finance, SME banking, and inclusive insurance from renowned institutions such as the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management (Germany), Boulder Institute of Microfinance (Netherlands), and Coady International Institute (India).
Mr. Gizachew Sisay Asnake
Team Leader, Inclusive Economic Transformation Unit UNDP Ethiopia
Mr. Gizachew Sisay Asnake
Team Leader, Inclusive Economic Transformation Unit UNDP Ethiopia
Gizachew is a team leader at UNDP Ethiopia responsible for the Inclusive Economic Transformation Unit. He has MA in development studies from Addis Ababa University as well as attended various trainings such as development finance in India and rural development in Israel. He has 20 years of diverse experience in development planning and project management in Ethiopia. His major responsibility in UNDP is to support government to create an enabling environment for businesses including MSMEs and start-ups to grow and create jobs and become contributor for the economy. In addition to interventions on policy and regulation, facilitating access to finance for SMEs and promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship for youth and women are among the major responsibilities of his unit. As part of this program, UNDP has co-created the innovative finance lab to address the access to finance gaps for MSMEs through developing innovative and alternative financial instruments. Prior to UNDP, he used to work for various organizations such as Oxfam GB, MEDA, SNV and Agriculture Transformation Agency. In ATA, he has set up about 20 farm service centers to address the agricultural inputs supply problem through a public-private partnership model. The business model has been successful and now replicated widely in Ethiopia.
Mr. Guy LAWSON-BODY
Managing Director, Wafa Assurance Vie Côte d'Ivoire.
Mr. Guy LAWSON-BODY
Managing Director, Wafa Assurance Vie Côte d'Ivoire.
With 34 years of experience in Life Insurance and Financial Markets, Guy LAWSON-BODY is the Managing Director of Wafa Assurance Vie Côte d'Ivoire.
A specialist in Wealth Engineering from the Ecole Supérieure d'Assurances of Paris and a Certified Wealth Management Advisor (CGPC), Guy also holds a Management Badge from Skema Business School of Sofia Antipolis (France).
He began his career in the Paris region at Assurances Générales de France in 1990, where he held various middle and senior management positions before and after AGF's acquisition by Allianz in 2003.
In Africa, he held positions including Responsable of Business Development at the West African Regional Stock Exchange (BRVM) in Abidjan, and Director of Life Business Development for West and Central Africa within the Sanlam Group in Abidjan.
Before joining the Wafa Group in 2021, he was Deputy Managing Director of Sanlam Life Insurance Cameroon.
Mr. Belay Tulu
Director of Insurance Supervision Directorate at the National Bank of Ethiopia
Mr. Belay Tulu
Director of Insurance Supervision Directorate at the National Bank of Ethiopia
Mr Belay Tulu is the Director of Insurance Supervision Directorate at the National Bank of Ethiopia. Prior to his current position he has worked as the Director of the Ethiopian Institute of Financial Studies and the Acting Director for Corporate Planning and Finance Directorate at the National Bank of Ethiopia.
Mr Belay Tulu holds MBA degree in Business Administration from the St. Mary’s University and BA degree in Accounting from the Addis Ababa University. He is a Chartered Insurer designated by the Chartered Insurance Institute of London, UK and a fellow of the Fletcher School Leadership Program for Financial Inclusion.
Ms Emma Ocansey
Chief Distribution Officer for Old Mutual, West Africa.
Ms Emma Ocansey
Chief Distribution Officer for Old Mutual, West Africa.
Emma is the Chief Distribution Officer for Old Mutual, West Africa.
She is a C-Level executive with more than 17 years of experience in developing and delivering organizational growth strategies in banking and insurance.
Emma is passionate about financial literacy and getting people to be effective with managing their finances.
She is a fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Ghana.
Mrs. Hayat Abdulmalik
Deputy CEO, Kifiya Financial Technology PLC
Mrs. Hayat Abdulmalik
Deputy CEO, Kifiya Financial Technology PLC
Hayat Abdulmalik is the Deputy CEO of Kifiya Financial Technology PLC, where she plays a key leadership role in driving strategic execution and cross-functional alignment across the organization. Prior to her appointment as Deputy CEO, she served as Chief Impact OJicer, where she was instrumental in embedding impact-focused strategy and delivery across Kifiya’s operations, with a focus on inclusive finance, market access, and technology-led solutions.
She has more than 15 years of experience spanning development finance, inclusive business, and enterprise growth across both the public and private sectors. Before joining Kifiya, Hayat held senior leadership roles at Enterprise Partners, Girl EJect, AusAID, and DFID.
She holds a Master’s degree in Industrial and Employment Relations from the International University College of Turin, as well as a BA in Economics and International Development from the University of Toronto. She brings deep experience in social impact, sustainable business, and systems-level change.
Mr. Solomon Zegeye Mengesha
Manager of General, Micro Agricultural, and Inclusive Insurance Business - Nyala Insurance S.C.
Mr. Solomon Zegeye Mengesha
Manager of General, Micro Agricultural, and Inclusive Insurance Business - Nyala Insurance S.C.
Solomon Zegeye Mengesha is a seasoned insurance and development expert based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with over 25 years of experience in agricultural and inclusive insurance.
He currently serves as Manager of General, Micro Agricultural, and Inclusive Insurance Business at Nyala Insurance S.C., where he has led multiple donor-funded climate resilience and microinsurance initiatives benefiting tens of thousands of smallholder farmers and pastoralists. Solomon holds an MSc in Agricultural Economics from Haramaya University and a BA in Economics from Addis Ababa University, along with a Diploma in Life Insurance from Office Management Inc., USA.
A certified management consultant and national financial education trainer, he brings deep expertise in product development, project management, and training across rural finance and microinsurance. He has consulted for organizations including UN-WFP, UNDP, GIZ, and Mercy Corps.
Mrs. Liz Booth
Editor, Africa Ahead
Mrs. Liz Booth
Editor, Africa Ahead
