Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade Appointed Senior Vice President of African Development Bank Group

The African Development Bank Group has announced the appointment of Mrs. Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, as Senior Vice President, with effect from 4th October 2024.

Mrs. Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, a Cameroonian national, was serving as Vice President for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery at the Bank.

She is a seasoned senior executive with 32 years of experience in capital markets, treasury, asset management, product development, policy and debt management. She has built a strong reputation as a results-driven leader combining deep technical knowledge with strategic leadership in various high-impact roles.

Mrs Akin-Olugbade was instrumental in driving regional economic integration initiatives, mobilizing resources, developing and promoting innovative financial solutions for both sovereign and non-sovereign clients.

She has extensive experience leading high performing teams, working with the largest team of Directors General and Country Managers on the full complexity of the Bank’s operations across Africa.

Her leadership was pivotal in overseeing a $9 billion portfolio for the West Africa region, where she engaged key stakeholders including governments, private sector partners and other non-state actors to achieve significant development impact, particularly in challenging environments such as the Sahel region.

Mrs. Akin-Olugbade’s career at the African Development Bank began in 1991 in the Treasury Department’s Trading Room. In 2008, she was appointed Manager, Financial Technical Services Division, overseeing the development of new financial products and risk management services.

After nearly 20 years in finance, she was appointed Country Manager for the Bank’s Ghana office where she oversaw a $1 billion portfolio of lending and non-lending operations.

Among her many achievements, she led the financing of the Accra Pokuase Interchange, West Africa’s first four-tier interchange, which has had a lasting impact on the region’s infrastructure.

In addition to other senior appointments, Mrs Akin-Olugbade was appointed Director General for West Africa region in 2018 and five years later, she was appointed as the Vice President Regional Integration, Business Development and Delivery.

Mrs. Akin-Olugbade holds a master’s degree in applied economics from Université ParisDauphine and a Postgraduate Degree in Management Université Panthéon- Sorbonne in France.

Upon her appointment as the Bank Group’s Senior Vice President, Mrs. Akin-Olugbade expressed her gratitude, saying: “I am deeply honored by the trust and confidence that President Adesina has placed in me. I look forward to working closely with the President, Senior Leadership Team, our Boards of Directors and staff to enhance the Bank’s impact and effectiveness in delivering programs that benefit our regional member countries.”

I am pleased to appoint Mrs. Marie Laure Akin-Olugbade as Senior Vice President for the African Development Bank Group. Marie Laure is a highly experienced, committed, and effective manager of teams, who brings extensive knowledge of the African Development Bank, its rules, processes and systems, and well-proven capacity to deliver on bank-wide operations, while ensuring team cohesion. I am confident that Marie Laure will inject refreshing leadership and dynamism to the senior leadership team and the Bank.

Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President, African Development Bank Group