The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) has appointed Mrs. Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, née Ndongo-Seh, as Acting Vice-President of its Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Complex, with effect from 1st August 2022.

Akin-Olugbade, a Cameroonian national, is currently the Director General of the Business Development and Delivery Office for the West Africa Region of the Bank Group, where she works with the largest team of Country Managers in the institution. Her work involves engaging in the full complexity of the Bank’s lending and non-lending operations in middle- and low-income countries, including transition states, as well as innovative and complex cross-border operations. In often challenging and high-pressure environments, including in the Sahel region, she oversees the accelerated delivery of results on the $9 billion West Africa portfolio.

Akin-Olugbade is a seasoned and results-oriented senior executive with close to 30 years of experience in delivering technical, strategic knowledge and leadership, in capital markets, treasury, asset management, product development, and debt management at the African Development Bank.

Notably, she led the team that originated and financed the landmark Accra-Pokuase Interchange, the first four-tier interchange in West Africa. In 2016, the President of the African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, appointed Akin-Olugbade as Deputy Director General for the West Africa Business Development and Service Delivery Office. She became the Director General in 2018.

Akin-Olugbade is a graduate of Université Paris-Dauphine and Université Panthéon-Sorbonne in France, where she respectively obtained a Master’s degree in Applied Economics and a Postgraduate Diploma in Management.

Commenting on her appointment, Akin-Olugbade said: “I am deeply humbled and honoured by the confidence that Dr. Adesina has shown in me to serve in this critical leadership role. I look forward to working with the amazing team of Director Generals, Directors in charge of Regional Integration and Transition States, Country Managers, the Bank’s Operational Complexes, and the Senior Leadership Team, to enhance the effectiveness, efficiency, and delivery of quality operations for all beneficiaries in our regional member countries. Simply put, we will focus on doing more, better, and faster.”

Commenting on the appointment, Adesina said: “I am pleased to appoint Mrs. Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade as Acting Vice-President for the Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Complex, where she will provide strong leadership and support for the Complex until a substantive Vice President is appointed. Marie-Laure, a respected professional and business leader, will ensure that the Bank operates successfully across its regional member countries and will oversee the full implementation of all aspects of the Bank’s regional directorates.”