PUBLIC SECTOR GLOBAL UNVEILS AFRICA TOP 50 WOMEN CEOS IN PUBLIC SECTOR

Leading Public Sector Publisher, ‘Public Sector Global’ has unveiled the Africa Top 50 Women CEOS in Public Sector. These are African women Changing the narrative in Public Service.

These are women that have shattered glass ceilings, risen above stereotypes and changed the narrative of women occupying high decision-making offices in government

Research shows a significant broadening out of the role’s women hold in government across the continent. There are big increases in the percentage of women occupying the chief executive officer (CEO)/ managing director (MD) positions

The list comprises mainly of women at the helm of affairs for State Owned Enterprises across the continent. The list features accomplished women from 10 African countries namely; Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Rwanda, Morocco, Uganda, South Africa, Tanzania.

The criteria for this selection is based on significant years of experience, exemplary service, proven track record of company transformation, result oriented projects, distinctive leadership and innovation.

Contributions of these women span a variety of fields; from the economy to social welfare in their various states

Some of which have set records by becoming the first to occupy their positions.

Nezha Hayat was appointed Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of Morocco’s Capital Market Authority in 2016.

An ESSEC Business School Paris graduate, she until her nomination worked at Société Générale Morocco group where she became in 2007, the first woman on a management board of a bank in the country.

Clare Akamanzi has about 2 decades of experience in government. She has a keen interest in the integration of all government agencies responsible for the attraction, retention and facilitation of investments in the national economy.

She is very keen on coordinating Capacity Development across the country (Public, Private and CSOs).

Mrs. Rispah Simiyu is the Acting Commissioner for Domestic Taxes at Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA). She is a seasoned and grounded tax professional with about 2 decades of experience.

Before joining KRA in April 2018, Mrs. Simiyu served as the Standard Chartered Bank Kenya Limited, Regional Tax Manager East Africa, with her role covering assignments in the wider Africa and Middle East Regions.

Appointed in 2020 as Director General of the Nigerian Pension Commission Mrs Aishat Dahir is a phenomenal woman who has over the years brought to light and growth of the pension industry.

Dalia El Baz is a seasoned Banker appointed as the Deputy Chairperson of NBE in September 2017.

El Baz started her banking career in 1995 at Barclays Bank Egypt, she joined the NBE In 2008.

Frehiwot Tamiru is the CEO of Ethiopia’s state-owned telecoms operator, Ethio Telecom serving in the telecom sector for over 17 years.

She was appointed as the CEO in July 2018. At the age of 26, demonstrating her leadership skills at an early age, she was made the Chief Information Officer of Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation.

Poppy Khoza is an aviation professional with close to 20 years of experience in senior management positions in the aviation industry.

She served for two consecutive years as the Chairperson of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO’s) Aviation Security Panel, a historical milestone for a woman.

Juliet Kabera is the Director General of the Rwanda Environment Management Authority. She has about 2 decades of experience in the sector to which she was appointed in May 2020.

Prior to her appointment, she held the position of Director General of Environment and Climate Change at the Ministry of Environment.

Ms. Proscovia Nabbanja has over 2 decades worth of experience in the oil and gas industry. She formerly served as a Principal Geologist in the Petroleum Exploration & Production Department under the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development.

She has a Master of Science in Petroleum Geoscience, from the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, in London, United Kingdom.

Professor Adeyeye is a Professor Emeritus of Pharmaceutics and Drug Product Evaluation, which she achieved at the College of Pharmacy, Roosevelt University in Schaumburg, Illinois, USA.

She was also the founding Chair of Biopharmaceutical Sciences at that same university. Following that, she was a Professor of Pharmaceutics and Manufacturing for 21 years at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA, USA.

Kampeta Pitchette Sayinzoga is the Chief executive Officer of the Rwanda Development Bank. She was appointed in December 2019. Before this office, she served as the Director General for the National Industrial Research and Development Agency (NIRDA) from 2017.

She has over about 2 decades of extensive experience in the Finance industry, where she was the Director of the Cabinet in the Prime Minister’s Office.

Delese Mimi Darko is the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Food and Drugs Authority in Ghana. Madam Mimi Darko was appointed in 2017 by His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo.

Darko joined the Food and Drugs Board in the early 1990s.

Before she was appointed the Chief Executive Officer, she was the head of the Safety, Monitoring, and Clinical Trial Division.

Mrs. Joyeuse Uwingeneye is the Director General of Rwanda Public Procurement Authority.

She has an experience of about two decades in the finance industry, seeing her occupy several positions including the Rwanda development board since 2008 and also a board member for 2 public institutions.

She is a holder of a Master’s Degree in Banking and Finance (Financial sector Policy) and a Bachelor of Economics.

Mukesha Josephine is the Director General of the National Identification Agency, Rwanda. She was appointed to head the Agency in the year 2017.

Ms MUKESHA has a strong database management background based on intensive academic training and over a decade’s worth of experience in database management, mobile software applications, networking and project management.

Ms. Portia Derby is the current Group Chief Executive of Transnet SOC Ltd, appointed in February 2020.

She has occupied senior positions in the South African government during a period of major economic reform. Portia is the former Director-General of Public Enterprises (2005 – 2009) responsible for Corporate Strategy and Structure of the Investment Portfolio (2004 – 2005) and former Chief Operating Officer of the Department of Trade and Industry (2002).

Dr. Diane Karusisi is the Chief Executive Officer of the Bank. She has about 2 decades worth of experience in the finance industry. Upon the assumption of office in 2016, she steered the bank through a digital transformation journey.

Prior to joining the Bank of Kigali, Diane served as the Head of Strategy and Policy and Chief Economist at the Office of the President.

She has a Master’s in Econometrics and a PhD in Quantitative Economics.

Eng. Ziria Tibalwa Waako has worked in Uganda’s electrical sector for over 23 years.

She worked with the now-defunct Uganda Electricity Board (UEB), transferring to the Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL) in 2001.

In 2012 she was appointed as Director of technical regulation at the Electricity Regulatory Authority until she was promoted to CEO at the regulatory agency.

A professional in the banking sector, Ms Zaipuna began her career in 2002, initially working as an auditor at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC).

Rising through the ranks she attained the position of Executive Director of Finance and Chief Financial Officer at Standard Chartered Bank after leaving (PWC) in 2011.

In 2019, she was appointed the CEO of NMB, and under her leadership, the bank won numerous awards in 2022.

Mrs. Allen Catherine Kagina began her career in 1985 as a teaching assistant at Makerere University before later working her way up to the Office of the President.

In 1992, she joined the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) as a senior principal revenue officer until 1998, In 2000, she was promoted to the rank of deputy commissioner for customs at URA and she was promoted to the rank of commissioner general of URA in 2004.

Throughout her expansive career, Rosemary Beryl Archer has acquired over 20 years of experience in the media, telecom and banking sectors, with the latter making up 16 years of her experience.

Her banking career has had her take roles including corporate and institutional banking, retail, SME, business development and treasury, among others within several local banks including the universal merchant bank (UMB), Access Bank and Fidelity bank.

Ms Mary Uduk is a Capital Market Specialist and Investment Advisor, with over 30 years of experience as a regulator and currently serves as the Acting Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Nigeria.

She joined the commission in 1986 as an assistant financial analyst and rose through the ranks to the topmost position.

She joined the Kilimanjaro Airport Development Company (KADC) in 2011, in her bid to help propel KIA and Tanzanian aviation towards a more prosperous future.

Her diligence led to her becoming the interim CEO of KADC in 2020. She was appointed as KIA’s first female CEO in 2022.

Ms Benonita Bismarck is the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA), she was appointed in 2017.

She served as CEO of Global Marine Services Limited before her appointment; she previously served as Commercial Manager at the Mediterranean Shipping Company, once she was Head of Operations at Ghana Red Cross Society.

Yvonne Manzi Makolo Andrew is a Rwandan IT specialist who serves as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Rwandair

She was appointed to that position on 6 April 2018, after serving as deputy CEO a year earlier.

Before her appointment, she served as the Deputy CEO responsible for corporate affairs at the same airline.

She joined the Office of the Attorney General in 1993, CPA Nancy Gathungu has 30 years of auditing experience. She was appointed Auditor General on July 17, 2020, and has held it ever since.

CPA Nancy Gathungu is also a Certified Public Accountant of Kenya (CPA-K), a holder of a Masters of Business Administration (Strategic Management) and Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting), and a Member of the Association of Women Accountants of Kenya (AWAK).

Ms. Oniha has a fulfilling career in the banking sector spanning over 22 years, Ms. Oniha made a career move to the public sector when she joined the DMO in 2008 as Director of, the Market Development Department. In this capacity,

She began her career at Icon Limited Merchant Bankers in 1986, where she rose to the position of a Manager, before joining First Securities Discount House Limited (now FSDH Merchant Bank Ltd.) in 1992.

Ms Philisiwe Mthethwa is serving as the Chief Executive Officer of South Africa’s National Empowerment Fund since 2017.

Before joining the NEF, Ms Mthethwa worked for a French investment bank in London.

Ms Mthethwa holds an MBA in Corporate Finance from the University of Sheffield and has studied towards the MSc in Economics at the University of Paris.

Mrs Sauda Kassim Msemo was on 1st June 2022 appointed the Deputy Governor, Financial Stability and (Financial) Deepening (FSD) for the Bank of Tanzania, She is the second woman in the country’s history to serve in the position.

Msemo previously served as Commissioner for External Finance, Ministry of Finance and Planning.

Thulisile is a multifaceted executive leader with more than 20 years of experience in public service, having held various roles in the South African government. In 2019 she was appointed Acting Chief Executive Officer of Brands South Africa.

Prior to her appointment at Brand SA, Thulisile was the deputy director-general for governance and administration at the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services (DTPS).

Nompumelelo Mpumi Z. Mpofu is the Chief Executive Officer, Executive Director, and member of the Social and Ethics Committee and the Board Investment Committee at Airports Company South Africa on February 1, 2020.

Ms Mpofu holds a bachelor’s Honours Degree in Urban and Regional Planning and a postgraduate degree in Town Planning from Coventry University in the United Kingdom.

Dr. Asabe Vilita Bashir is a Nigerian Social Advocate, Educationist and Politician; she is the Director General of Nigeria’s National Center for Women Development (NCWD).

Dr Asabe 1997 was elected into the Borno State House of Assembly and this feat was repeated in 2003 and 2015. Prior to that, she served as a lecturer at the Department of Education at the University of Maiduguri from 1988 to 2003.

Prof A.T Simbine (nee Okoosi) (PhD, Ibadan) is a Professor of Political Science & International Relations. She was appointed as NISER Director-General (DG) by President Muhammadu Buhari on May 20, 2022.

Prof Simbine is the first woman to be appointed DG of Nigeria’s 62-year-old premier Think Tank. Until her appointment as DG, she was Research Professor in the Political and Governance Policy Department (PGPD).

Irene Naa Torshie Addo is a Ghanaian politician and lawyer, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and a Member of Parliament for Tema West Constituency. She became a Member of the Ghana Parliament for Tema West in 2008.

Irene was appointed as the Administrator of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF). She holds an LLM (Gender and Development Studies) from the University of Warwick in 1999.

Tucci Oviwi, a Chartered Marketer is a founding member of the Ghana Commodity Exchange; she was the first female Executive Director of the Central & West Africa Region.

She holds a professional Chartered Marketer certificate from the Chartered Institute of Marketing in the United Kingdom.

Dr. Afua Asabea Asare is the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA).

She has 3 decades worth of management experience working in a variety of corporate environments.

Appointed in 2018, she has led the preparation and execution of several projects educating, promoting and placing Ghanaian products on the international market front.

Ms. Jeanette Chanda Makgolo – Commissioner General, Botswana Unified Revenue Service

Appointed as Commissioner General of Botswana’s Unified Revenue Service in August 2021, Ms. Makgolo is a seasoned public servant and a professional accountant who has served the office of the Accountant General for over 30 years.

She holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of Botswana and post-graduate.

Nnosang Mhutsiwa prior to her appointment was a Director, Human Resources & Administration at Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority based in Lobatse,

Nnosang Mhutsiwa has been working as a Director, Human Resources & Administration at Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority for 4 years. Botswana.

Elsie Addo Awadzi is a Ghanaian international economic and financial lawyer. She was appointed 2nd deputy governor of the Bank of Ghana in February 2018, making her the second female to hold that position.

She has over 2 decades worth of intensive experience, occupying various significant roles including being the Senior Counsel of the Financial and Fiscal Law Unit of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s Legal Department, based in Washington.

Ms Bamuturaki has over 30 years of experience as a marketing consultant in the airline, hospitality and travel industries.

Before she was appointed CEO of the Ugandan Airline she worked as the airline’s commercial director when it had just resumed operations in 2019.

The Managing Director of Kenya Wine Agency Limited (KWAL), Lina Githuka with a strong commercial background in the FMCG industry joined KWAL in February 2017 and has made significant establishments in the company.

Her administration has overseen significant brand improvements harnessing the purchasing rates of products ranging from Spirits, wines, and Non-Alcoholic drinks etc.

Mercy Kainobwisho is a lawyer, business administrator and corporate executive, she was appointed Registrar General of the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) in December 2020.

Prior to her current position, she served as the Director of Intellectual Property at URSB.

Dorothy Kisaka is a legal practitioner and Business Executive, she was appointed Executive Director of Kampala City Authority in 2020.

Before assuming her current position she was the Administrator of the Ugandan COVID-19 Response Fund and Senior Presidential Advisor at the Office of the Prime Minister.

Ms. Agnes Tsholofelo Khunwana – Air Botswana’s General Manager has been appointed as Deputy Chairman of the Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA).

Prior to her new appointment, she has overseen the Airline during its period of significant growth, leading cross-functional teams.

Nana Ama Poku is the Deputy Managing Director – Corporate Resources, at Consolidated Bank Ghana (CBG).

She most recently served as the Ghana Export-Import Bank’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Banking/Business).

Nana Ama mostly called has an extensive experience over 2 decades in Commercial and Development Banking.

Irene Kaggwa-Sewankambo is the Executive Director of the Uganda Communications Commission.

An engineer by profession, Mrs Sewankambo holds a Master of Science in Communications Systems and Signal Processing from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom and a Master of Science in Economic Management and Policy (Business Economic Pathway) from the University of Strathclyde in the United Kingdom.

Chelesile Malele is Chief Executive Officer Botswana Railway Corporation, prior to that she was Director, Finance & Corporate Services Botswana Railways.

Chelesile Malele’s professional experience began in 1998. Currently, Chelesile Malele works as Acting Chief Executive Officer at SARA Rail Conference an association of railways in the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Aishah Ahmad is a Banking and Finance expert with over two decades of experience.

Before joining CBN, she was in retail banking at Diamond Bank Plc. She was also the Head of Consumer and Privilege Banking.

She is a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) and she holds the prestigious Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.

Lelise Neme has been working as a Commissioner at Ethiopian Investment Commission since 2021.

She was appointed to the position at 27 years old, She was the Executive Director of the Industrial Parks Development Corporation.

Since 2018, Mrs. Heran Gerba is Director General of the Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority (EFDA), previously the Ethiopian Food, Medicine and Healthcare Administration and Control Authority (EFMHACA).

Heran has worked for the Authority since 2003, taking up different roles, including Chief Pharmacist for the Quality Control Laboratory and Acting Head of the Physicochemical Division.

June Chepkemei is currently the Managing Director, of Kenya Investment Authority (KENINVEST) after serving as an Acting Managing Director.

Before joining KENINVEST, she was the Head of Marketing & Corporate Communications at Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA).