Speaker Profile

Hamdiya Ismaila is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Savannah Impact Advisory, where she focuses on strengthening the impact investing and venture capital ecosystem in Ghana and across Africa. She has more than 24 years of experience in finance and investment, with over 16 years dedicated to fund‑of‑funds investing. Her career began in mainstream finance, where she built expertise in investment management and financial structuring before moving into venture capital and private equity.

She rose to prominence as the General Manager of the Venture Capital Trust Fund (VCTF), Ghana’s pioneering fund‑of‑funds vehicle created to support emerging fund managers investing across West Africa. In this role, she managed investments into multiple funds, developed fund structures, and worked closely with entrepreneurs and investors to grow the private equity and venture capital industry. Her leadership at VCTF positioned her as one of the key architects of Ghana’s investment ecosystem, blending technical finance expertise with ecosystem development.

Beyond her work at VCTF, she became an angel investor and played a pivotal role in designing the Ghana Angel Investor Network (GAIN), which connects early‑stage entrepreneurs with investors. This initiative helped bridge the gap between entrepreneurs seeking growth capital and investors looking for viable opportunities, strengthening Ghana’s early‑stage financing landscape. Her contributions extend to policy advocacy and ecosystem building. 

She has worked to shape regulatory frameworks that enable private equity and venture capital to thrive in Ghana, while also championing education and awareness around impact investing. Through Savannah Impact Advisory, she continues to advise fund managers, investors, and policymakers on strategies to mobilize capital for inclusive growth.

Hamdiya studied at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, which gave her a global perspective on finance, development, and policy. She has become a respected voice in Africa’s investment community, frequently speaking at major forums such as the Africa Impact Summit, where she shares insights on mobilizing capital for sustainable development.

Her achievements as a woman leader in finance are significant. She has broken barriers in the venture capital and private equity space, amplifying the visibility of women in investment and inspiring a new generation of female professionals and entrepreneurs. She has championed inclusive finance, encouraged women’s participation in capital markets, and demonstrated that women can lead at the highest levels of financial ecosystem development. By blending strategic vision with practical execution, she has positioned herself as one of the most influential figures in Ghana’s impact investing and venture capital landscape, ensuring that women’s leadership is central to the future of finance in Africa.