Afriyie Oware is the co-founder and CEO of Axis Pension Trust, a prominent player in the pensions industry. He comes with over 18 years work experience in the field. His expertise spans various facets of investment management gained through hands-on roles in institutional funds management, scheme administration, private wealth management, business process engineering and business development. Beyond his professional endeavors, he is also passionate about promoting financial literacy and helping individuals and families achieve their best financial lives. He is a regular speaker at church financial evangelism and enjoys guiding individuals to develop simple strategies for achieving their financial goals. Afriyie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Ghana and an MBA from the Said Business School at the University of Oxford.

Alice is a Strategy and Transactions Partner at EY. She has over 22 years of experience practicing in Ghana and the United Kingdom. Her area of expertise cuts across Business Valuation, M&A Advisory, Due Diligence, Financial Modelling, Feasibility Studies and Corporate Finance Advisory. She provides these advisory services to both private and public clients across Private Equity, Banking and Capital Markets, Energy (Oil and Gas, Power and Utilities) Consumer, among others.  Alice is a Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA) and a member of NACVA USA, She is also a Chartered Global Management Account (GCMA) and a Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountant (CIMA, UK) and a holder of the Ghana Security Industry Certificate from the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE).  She holds an MBA in Corporate Finance from the University of Leicester, UK and a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) from the University of Cape Coast. She is a passionate capital connector and keen about delivering value to clients. She is also committed to advancing the Finance profession in Africa and beyond. She represents Africa on the Valuation Credential Board (VCB) of NACVA USA.

Amma Gyampo is an African Ecosystem Builder committed to mentoring on programmes with Ashesi University and Founder Institute Ghana as well as an Advisor to Pan-African Entrepreneurial development initiatives like https://www.africanscalecraft.com/team-advisors. Amma brings operational, strategic, programme management, business analysis, risk management and stakeholder management to her work with social enterprises and small-medium sized businesses – particularly in the Agriculture, Digital and Creative sectors.  As a Board / Advisory Board member to several organisations, she supports  the management of strategy – communications, stakeholder management, socio-environmental, gender and innovation in particular. She is co-founder of ScaleUp Africa which helps large, global organizations achieve stronger Impact, ESG, Sustainability, Economic Development and Innovation outcomes through the design and implementation of strategic initiatives. ScaleUp Africa designs and implements SME and Gender focused programmes for Access Bank, Mastercard Foundation, GIZ and the EU. One of the star judges on European Union funded, GHOne TV entrepreneurship show, “The Circular Economy Competition”, Amma’s career spans 20 years across EMEA Region with myriad consulting projects including Strategic Advisory, Board Member and Programme Management roles for:

• TROTRO Tractor – Contract Farming, Regenerative Agriculture and Mechanization Services
• Ghana’s National Taskforce on Impact Investing: (Impact Investing Ghana)
• Reach for Change (Global Advisory Board)
• Maanch UK (Impact Advisory Board)
• BlackBerry
• Vodafone
• Ghana’s Ministry of Youth and Sports: Ministerial Sub-Committees on Youth, Sports Tourism, Job Creation, Gender, Social Innovation, Entrepreneurship

Her work has been featured in BBC, Business Insider Africa, Quartz Africa, Forbes, Africa.com and Entrepreneur.com. 

Amma Lartey is CEO of Impact Investing Ghana (IIGh), the Ghana National Advisory Board for Impact Investing, and a member of the Global Steering Group for Impact Investing. IIGh is a platform representing all the stakeholder groups needed to redirect significant capital flows toward social and environmental impact in Ghana – bringing together leaders from the worlds of finance, business, government, social organizations, and philanthropy.  Amma has led organizations in the US, Ghana and across Africa. She led the Africa region of Reach for Change – a Venture Philanthropist that runs accelerators, incubators, and hubs for social enterprises in key growth markets including Ghana, Senegal, Ethiopia Rwanda, Tanzania, DRC and Chad, and currently serves on the board of Reach for Change, Ghana.  Amma is an accredited trainer for the SDG Impact Standards where she helps organizations integrate sustainability and the SDGs into their operations. She is an experienced executive coach and trainer with a mission to help leaders increase their impact and personal development. Over the past sixteen years, she has coached leaders and supported teams to help over 3000 entrepreneurs launch, grow or scale.  Amma graduated with a BA from the University of Ghana and an MBA from Babson College. She is a fellow of the Africa Leadership Initiative-West Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.

Anita Solomon is the Head of Business Development Services at the  Development Bank of Ghana. Her role involves driving business growth  and establishing strategic partnerships for the bank’s development  finance initiatives. With a Bachelor’s degree in English and Sociology and  a Master’s degree in Development Administration and Planning, she  brings a deep understanding of human behavior and strategic planning.  Anita’s experience in investment management and human capital management equips her well for the complexities of development finance. Her  commitment to positive change and organizational development makes  her an asset to the bank’s objectives. She aspires to become a domain  expert and leader in development finance, driven by her passion for  socio-economic impact.  Beyond work, Anita enjoys exercise, travel, cooking, and baking. Family is  central to her life, with two children named Yaa and Kofi who inspire her.  Anita’s determination, expertise, and personal interests position her as a strong professional and nurturing mother, on her way to becoming a  respected leader in development finance while finding joy in her personal  pursuits. 

An Agricultural Finance, SME & Impact Investment Expert with extensive experience of over 25 years in West Africa, particularly Ghana. Barbara has experience and skills in SME investments and agricultural financing; grants structuring and management; project analysis and evaluation; feasibility studies and business planning; strategy development and implementation support, management and operations reviews; due diligence reviews and project appraisal; business valuation and financial analysis. She has worked extensively with agribusinesses and women-led SMEs in Ghana and other West African countries, notably Sierra Leone and Liberia, and across various value chains and industries. Barbara has successfully facilitated access to finance and provided business development services for several agribusinesses and SMEs including early-stage businesses. Over the years she has also developed and maintained extensive networks both formally and informally with several partners and stakeholders, among government, private sector and international development organisations.

Charles A. Adongo (PhD) is a social scientist and impact measurement and management specialist with over a decade of experience in multiple sectors and countries. With a background in data, economics, and development policy, Charles has worked on projects in Africa, Europe, and the MENA region for the private sector, governments, and donor agencies, including projects funded by the USAID, Global Affairs Canada, GSG, UNHCR, GIZ, and Solidaridad, in support of public policy and global development. He was the co-principal investigator for the current report.

Clara is a seasoned Development Practitioner and currently serves as the Program Manager for WUSC’s Volunteer Cooperation Program in Ghana. With over 15 years of professional experience, she possesses a broad spectrum of expertise spanning Sustainable Rural Livelihoods, Gender and Social Inclusion, Food Security, Financial Services and Financial Inclusion, Entrepreneurship/Business Development Services, Organizational Development, Cooperative Development, TVET, and Volunteer Management. Her approach is characterized by leveraging market systems and system-thinking approaches to uplift marginalized communities, placing a strong emphasis on effective stakeholder engagements and result-based management practices. Clara’s leadership style is marked by facilitating training sessions, process improvement workshops, and quality assurance assessments, thereby ensuring continuous staff capacity building and the attainment of impactful project outcomes. She is deeply passionate about driving positive behavior changes, promoting sustainability through process enhancements, and achieving tangible impacts in development initiatives. Clara is dedicated to advancing effective, efficient, and quality service delivery through the implementation of gender-sensitive, culturally appropriate, and responsive policies and programs.  

David is an accomplished Executive Manager with multifaceted experience and proven ability to re-energize and restructure organizations, develop strategic initiatives and capture emerging business opportunities. He is a results-oriented and decisive leader, adept at forging lucrative relationships with key partners, vendors and clients, and recognized for turning around struggling company operations to achieve sustained growth. He is also adept at identifying potential risks and suggesting recommendations for improvements to achieve business objectives. Until recently, David served as the Head of Operations at the Ghana Digital Centers Limited (GDCL); Ghana’s foremost Science and Technology Park, which has provided Entrepreneurship and Innovation support to over 200 technology start-ups and SMEs. During his tenure, he led the roll out of the “Digital Skills Development for Youth from disadvantaged backgrounds” initiative and oversaw the on-boarding of over 40 Technology Companies including anchor tenants like Docupro, World Vision, VFS Global, and MTN Ayo Intermediaries. David also served as the Executive Director of the Ghana Oracle Digital Enterprise Program (GODEP), an initiative focused on mentoring and nurturing startup companies in Technology and Innovation. He is currently the Director of Innovation of the National Entrepreneurship & Innovation Programme (NEIP) of the Government of Ghana. Here, David supervises the innovation directorate of the NEIP, and is accountable for the leadership, strategic direction and oversight of the operation, management, and delivery of the institution’s innovation function. David is passionate about technology, entrepreneurship, and innovation, and has facilitated, participated in, and supported the organization of several events and conferences in that space. Notable among them include:

• Member of the Expert Panel of Judges for innovation at the International Telecoms Union (ITU) based in Geneva, Switzerland,
• Permanent guest speaker at the bi-annual Tech-in-Ghana conference since its inception in 2017,
• Guest speaker at the United Nations conference on Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) in May 2020,
• Member of the Expert Panel of Judges for the North Africa Region, as part of the Annual Digital Innovation Competition for African Startups, facilitated by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce,
• Guest speaker (opening panel) at the Ghana Digital Innovation Week,
• Guest Speaker, RAIL (Responsible AI LAB) Inception Workshop, KNUST, Ghana.
• Permanent Speaker, TechGulf Annual Digital Forum,
• Participated in the “AI for Good Global Summit” in Geneva, Switzerland – 2018
• Participated in the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain – 2019
• Participated in the Transform Africa Summit in Kigali, Rwanda – 2019
• Spoke at ITU Telecoms World Conference in Budapest, Hungary – 2019
• Participated in the Oracle Open World Festival in San Francisco, California – 2019
• Spoke at the African Startups Summit in Tunis, Tunisia – 2019
• Led a delegation of Startups and Innovators to New York City at the invitation of the Mayor, New York – 2019,
• Participated in the Consumer Electronics Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada – 2020,
• Regular speaker at the Ghana Digital Innovation Week since its inception in 2021,
• Led a delegation of GIPC to meet with Silicon Valley Partners in San Francisco and San Ramon, California – 2022
• Attended the Oracle Cloud World Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada – 2022.

David holds an MBA in Entrepreneurship & Innovation, a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics, and a Certificate in Innovation for Development from the MASHAV Carmel Training Center, Israel.

David Ganesha Tetteh is a Senior Consultant to the Ghana Investment Support Program (GhISP) which is funded by British International Investments (BII).  He is a Financial Markets Consultant with expertise in investment banking, fund management, securities trading, fintech, private capital markets and market development. He is the CEO and founder of Bargane Holdings Limited, a company with holdings in Financial Services, Agribusiness, Energy and Technology.  Prior to founding the company, David worked in the West African Capital Markets – public and private securities for 20 years. He led several equity and debt capital raising transactions across the banking, insurance, agri-business and real estate sectors.  David holds an Executive Education Certificate from the Oxford University Said Business School and an MBA from the University of Ghana Business School. 

Derrydean Dadzie is a powerhouse in African technology, leading the charge in Science, Technology, Innovation, and Research (STIR). Renowned for his expertise in Fintech and Digital Transformation, his remarkable 15-year career positions him as an undisputed authority and visionary leader in these pivotal domains. In 2007, fresh from Ashesi University, Derrydean co-founded DreamOval Limited, an emblematic Ghanaian tech startup. As its CEO, he steered DreamOval’s remarkable growth, expanding its influence beyond Ghana’s borders. Transitioning from DreamOval, he assumed the CEO role at the Ghana Chamber of Technology. Here, his indomitable drive saw the development of robust tech markets and influential policy frameworks, setting the stage for Ghana’s tech resurgence. Derrydean’s expertise extends far beyond executive roles. He has relentlessly championed the cause of innovation, digital transformation, and fintech through consultancy and directorship roles in organisations dedicated to Africa’s advancement. In his latest endeavour, Derrydean founded The Heritors People (THP) LLC — an ethical consulting firm at the nexus of Ghana’s STIR Economy and Africa’s Digital transformation. He also set up Heritors Labs LLC, a hub dedicated to developing solutions and services that would drive innovation and research and shape the future of technology in Africa. Derrydean’s vision is clear and powerful: to make Science, Technology, Innovation, and Research (STIR) the bedrock of Africa’s economic renaissance. His profound impact on technology, fintech, and digital transformation is a testament to his staunch dedication to Africa’s rise as a global tech leader.

Dr. Victor Antwi is an accomplished agribusiness development and SME expert with 35 years of experience in Investments, Strategic and Financial analyses, Research, Subsector/value chain and Supply chain analyses and linkages, Institutional strengthening, Community and Enterprise development, Trade, Marketing, Rural and Business development in 16 countries. He has conducted various feasibility studies, built complex financial models as well as strategic and business plans, and implemented projects in agro input distribution, production, processing and export potential of wide spectrum of products as well as projects in financing agribusiness development. Dr. Antwi worked as Deputy Chief of Party for the USAID Financing Ghanaian Agriculture Project (USAID FinGAP) from 2013 to 2018 and headed the project’s Agribusiness Opportunities Development Unit. Before joining the MFA Activity, he worked as Head of Input Distribution and Agro-Dealer Development at the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) from 2018 to 2020. He also worked in various capacities with TechnoServe as well as the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research’s Food Research Institute (CSIR-FRI). He has implemented projects in the oil palm, cocoa, cashew, mango, rubber, shea, rice, sorghum, maize, tomato, cassava, chili, soybean, and fish value chains. Dr. Antwi holds an MBA from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, a Bachelor of Science degree, an MPhil and a PhD in Chemical Engineering obtained from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi. For further information contact: Dr. Victor Antwi, Chief of Party: victor.antwi@thepalladiumgroup.com  Caroline Tsikata, Communications Manager : caroline.tsikata@thepalladiumgroup.com    MFA Contact: GhanaMFA.Info@thepalladiumgroup.com ; +233 302 795 162

Edwin Zu-Cudjoe is the Executive Director of Social Enterprise Ghana, the national network of about 900 social enterprises operating in Ghana. He has 14 years’ work experience in business development, trade and investment promotion, training and business development having worked with various organisations including Voltic Ghana Ltd, Vodafone Ghana and Glo Mobile in various management positions. He has a first degree from University of Ghana, Legon and an MBA in Global Business and Sustainability-Social Entrepreneurship from Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Milan. He is also a graduate in Msc Development Finance (SME Finance and FDI) from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi Ghana. He is a strong advocate for policies and programmes that promote social and green businesses and inter-regional trade.

Elena Mylona is the Deputy Development Director in the British High Commission in Accra. She is an Economist by background and has particular interests in economic development, prosperity, social and human development.

With over 20 years’ experience in the economic development space in Europe and across Africa, working closely with intergovernmental and government institutions including London Development Agency, City of London Corporation, UN Women, the United Cities and Local Governments for Africa, to transform and improve the quality of life for its citizens through advocacy and lobbying, and strategic economic development. As the current West Africa Regional Head for Aspen Institute’s Network of Development Entrepreneurs my focus is on building entrepreneurial ecosystems and building bridges across the region that drives the growth and development of Small and Growing Businesses (SGBs). Also, a seasoned coach and mentor prioritizes women’s entrepreneurship and leadership where support has been provided to over 500 women in Ghana and Nigeria over the last 10 years. Other work includes supporting organizations from the public, private sector and civil society around the creation and delivery of innovative business development services, including co-creating women’s accelerator programs, entrepreneurship skills training and driving diaspora relations to improve the lives of some of the poorest communities in the world. 

Emmanuel Alex Asiedu is the Managing Director of STANLIB Ghana Limited. Prior to this, he held lead responsibility for Ecobank’s investment management portfolio where his team managed retail and institutional portfolios.  Alex holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Ghana, Legon and a Master’s degree in Economics from Queen’s University in Canada. He is a Private Investors for Africa (PIA) fellow, a Yale World fellow and a member of the CFA Institute, the global organization at the leading edge of investment management practice.      He is currently the president of the Ghana Securities Industry Association, the umbrella body for capital market operators in Ghana and President of the CFA Society, Ghana. He also chairs the national advisory board of Impact Investment Ghana.  Alex is passionate about bringing about change in Africa and is involved in a number of social impact programmes and activities that aim at creating positive health and educational outcomes. He has lectured as an adjunct at Ashesi University, a leading Ghanaian university and works with the Share Foundation, a local not-for-profit that supports the educational needs of Ghanaian children.  He is a Trustee of the Gaede Foundation supporting local communities with educational and health grants and providing start-up funding for micro-businesses.  He also serves on international advisory board of the West African Centre for Cell Biology and Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP) and is a member of the management committee of the School of Social Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon.