Africa Enterprise fund gets new board of directors

The Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF), during its board meeting held in Nairobi, Kenya, announced the appointment of a new board of directors.

The AECF new board members include Ms. Hixonia Nyasulu, one of the influential businesswomen on the African continent. She joins as the new AECF Board Chair and brings global experience across multiple business sectors and boards, including AngloAmerican, Sasol, and Unilever PLC.

She is the founder and current Executive Chairman of Ayavuna Women’s Investments (Pty) Ltd, a women-controlled investment vehicle focused on promoting the economic empowerment of women.

Others are Mr. Teklewold Atnafu, who brings a deep understanding of African economies, policy environments, and what it takes to mobilize new capital for emerging sectors and businesses. He currently serves as the Senior Macroeconomic Advisor to Ethiopian Prime Minister, and until 2018 he was Governor of the Central Bank of Ethiopia.

Also on the board is Mr. Frank Braeken, a seasoned investor across the African continent, experienced in advising a variety of agro and food enterprises. He has held various management functions in Unilever in over nearly 20 years, and currently serves on the board of several companies including Buhler, Feronia Inc, myAgro, and Zambeef.

Also, Mr. Enock Chikava, a foremost leader supporting Africa’s agricultural transformation, brings more than 25 years’ experience working in private agribusiness, food processing, farmer organizations, and philanthropy.

Chikava currently serves as the Deputy Director of Agricultural Development at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation where he leads a team focused on developing innovative tools, solutions and business models that can most cost-effectively deliver products, services, and practices to smallholder farmers across Africa and South Asia.

They join Mr. Duncan Onyango who has served on AECF’s board since 2017.

Mr. Onyango is a visionary leader who has successfully developed and directed complex corporate and enterprise growth initiatives over more than 20 years.

He has served on the boards of major organisations in East Africa and the UK, including Rift Valley Railways Ltd, First Access LLC, SolarNow LLC, Sanergy Ltd, TradeMark EA, Town and Country Housing Association (UK), among others.