To ensure our mission is delivered with accountability and integrity, AVPA is guided by a multi-tiered governance model, comprising a Pan-African Board and Regional Boards, that ensure strong oversight, continental alignment, and local relevance across regions.
Chair, Pan-African Board
Dotun Sulaiman, MFR, is the Chair of the Pan-African Board and a distinguished leader with over 4 decades of cross-sectoral experience. A former Country Managing Director and Chairman of Accenture Nigeria, he has shaped strategicdirection across FMCG, finance, IT, insurance and oil and gas sectors.
He currently chairs several organisations including Parthian Partners, Advantage Health Africa, and SecureID, and sits on the Investment Committee of AruwaCapital. He is the Executive Chairman of Arian Capital and a Non-ExecutiveDirector at Cadbury Nigeria. Mr Sulaiman has also held public sector roles, including Chairman of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria and private sector representative on Nigeria’s Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).
A founding member of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, he was awarded thenational honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) in 1999.
He holds degrees from the University of Lagos and Harvard Business School.Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) in 1999. He holds degrees from the University of Lagos and Harvard Business School.
Deputy Chairman, East African Board
Arif Neky is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of leadership experience across the corporate, non-profit, and multilateral sectors. He currently serves as Honorary Chair of the UN Strategic Advisory Group and previously held the role of Senior Advisor for UN Strategic Partnerships and Founding Coordinator of the SDG Partnership Platform in Kenya. In these roles, Arif has spearheaded cross-sectoral collaborations to mobilise philanthropic and private capital for SDG-aligned impact.
His earlier career spans roles as Regional CEO of the Aga Khan Foundationin East Africa and Regional Director at Société Générale, bringing expertise in corporate finance, development, and systems transformation. Arif also led a consulting and training firm in Canada before returning to East Africa.
With a long-standing focus on inclusive development and ecosystem-building, he brings deep insight into public-private partnerships and strategic advancement.
Member, West African Board
Aysha Abba is an accomplished business leader and engineer with over adecade of experience spanning energy, finance, and international business. She is the Co-Founder and Group CEO of Cainergy Group, an integrated energy services company, and Managing Director of Subdrill E&P Ltd, where she leads the development of the Asasa West Marginal Field. Her career journey includes roles at the Central Bank of Nigeria and Emirates NBD Bank, where she built strong expertise in financial markets and credit analysis.
Recognised as a rising star in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, Aysha has grown Cainergy into a multi-million-dollar enterprise and was named Nigerian Oil & Gas Rising Star in 2022. She is known for her passion and enthusiasm for developing Nigeria’s energy industry and contributing to Africa’s broader growth.
She holds an engineering degree from the University of Warwick, an MSc in International Business, Trade & Finance from Hult International Business School, and has completed executive education at Harvard Business School.
Member, Southern Africa Board
Chitemwa Kapaya is a seasoned finance and investment professional with over 15 years of international banking experience across Europe and Africa. She has held senior roles at Stanbic Bank Zambia, Standard Bank South Africa and Goldman Sachs, where she led major corporate financing, debt structuring, and investment banking transactions. At Stanbic Zambia, she nearly tripled its corporate loan book from circa ZMW1.3bn in 2019 to ZMW3.4bn in 2023.
Renowned for driving sustainable finance and private sector growth, Chitemwa has delivered award-winning deals across multiple sectors, including a USD120million syndicated facility for Zambia Sugar.
A Rhodes Scholarship alumnus, he holds MSc degrees in Financial Economics and Management Research from the University of Oxford, and a Bachelor’s inAccountancy from the University of Namibia.
Board Member
Doug is an American but lived in the UK from 1979 to 2010. He spent his career in financial services, mostly in private equity. His business work took him into over 40 countries in Europe, Asia.
The idea of a global venture philanthropy network incorporating different actors from the private equity, foundation, corporate, family office world started on a charity trip he led to Vietnam in 2002. The trip was very successful in raising substantial money but the participants were dissatisfied with the lack of transparency, lack of information about specific social impact.
Doug and the other 4 founders decided to promote the rollout of venture philanthropy principles to increase effectiveness, information sharing and collaboration, so more capital would come into the sector and be used more effectively. This resulted in EVPA being created in 2004 and launched in 2005. It was incubated at Doug’s home in a London suburb. After retiring as EVPA Chair in 2009 he went on to establish and Chair a sister organization, Asian Venture Philanthropy Network in 2011. The International Venture Philanthropy Center was then formed in 2015 and this unit has catalyzed a new effort in Latin America – Latimpacto – which will be launched pandemic-permitting in late 2021 and also AVPA Africa which is still in its developmental phase. In addition to this network creation, Doug is active as a catalyst, facilitator and anchor investor in VP funds established in UK, Japan, Hong Kong, Estonia, Poland.
While significant success has been achieved thanks to the very committed teams spread around the world Doug feels we’re only scratching the surface with so much more potential to create significant impact. He is Gratified to see the ambitious plans for new programs and services and the commitment of those who have followed the Founders efforts.
Member, West African Board
Dr. Ola Brown is the Founder and Managing Partner of HealthCap Africa, a female-led venture capital firm investing in early-stage fintech and healthtech startups, alongside healthcare, clean energy, and social infrastructure projects across Africa. With over 15 years of experience spanning healthcare and investment, she combines clinical expertise with deep financial acumen to drive impact-focused innovation.
Previously, Dr. Brown co-managed the GreenTree Fund, achieving successful exits including Paystack, and founded Flying Doctors Nigeria, a tech-enabled urgent care marketplace that responded to more than 15,000 emergency requests across 45 countries. Trained as a medical doctor at Hull York Medical School, she also holds a Master’s in Finance and Economic Policy from the University of London.
Recognised among Africa’s women making an impact, and awarded Nigeria’snational honour of Member of the Federal Republic (MFR) in 2022, Dr. Brown ispassionate about advancing healthcare access, financial inclusion, and women’s leadership in innovation.
She holds a Bachelor of Medicine degree from Hull York Medical School and a Masters in Finance and Economic Policy as well as PhD in Finance from the University of London.
Member, Governance Committee (Pan-African Board)
Florença A. Dengo is a seasoned Development Finance professional with over 25 years of experience spanning development finance, financial sector development, private equity, corporate and institutional banking, and non-profits. She hasheld senior roles at the International Finance Corporation, African Development Bank, Development Bank of Southern Africa, and HSBC, successfully originating, structuring, and managing transactions across Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.
Florença is fluent in English and Portuguese with working knowledge of French, Florença has built strong relationships with Tier 1–3 financial institutions, central banks, and government agencies, driving impactful investments that support SMEs, trade finance, and broader private sector growth.
She holds an MBA in International Business from the Thunderbird School of Global Management, a Business Economics qualification from the University of Colorado Boulder, and a Licenciatura in Chemical Engineering from the Universidade Eduardo Mondlane.
Member, East African Board
Grace Maingi is a human rights lawyer and Advocate of the High Court of Kenya with over 23 years of experience in governance, civil society, and social justice. She currently serves as Executive Director of the Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF), where she leads initiatives to reduce inequality and strengthen community development.
Grace has previously held leadership roles at Uraia Trust and FIDA Kenya, where she focused on advancing human rights, gender equality, civic engagement, and access to justice. Her career spans national, regional, and international spheres, reflecting a deep commitment to societal transformation across Africa.
She holds a Law degree from the University of Leicester and a Master’s in Human Rights from the University of London. Driven by purpose, Grace continues to advocate for environmental conservation, democracy, and inclusive governance across the continent.
Member, East African Board
Imran Rattansi is a Kenyan business executive and philanthropist with extensive experience in investment, property development, and education. He currently serves as Regional Head – Africa for the Global Property Team at the Diwan of the Ismaili Imamat, Managing Director of Seacliffe Enterprises, and Director ofthe Rattansi Educational Trust – a prominent Kenyan foundation supporting low-income students with bursaries and scholarships.
His previous roles span both London and Nairobi, including senior positions at PDM Holdings, Educate GlobalFund, UNDP, and UK-based firms Narrow Street, Northacre, and Goldschmidt and Goldstein.
Imran holds a Master of Science in Analytical Finance (with distinction) fromthe University of St Andrews, UK.
As part of the Rattansi family’s long-standing philanthropic legacy, he brings a unique blend of private sector experience and social impact commitment to AVPA’s regional board.
Chair, Resource Mobilisation Committee; Member, Pan-African Board
Joseph Ogutu is a seasoned business executive and change leader with over 30 years of experience in the telecommunications sector across Africa. Until his recent retirement, he served for 17 years at Safaricom, where he held several leadership roles, including Chief of Special Projects and Director of Strategy, Corporate Affairs and Human Resources. He was instrumental in shaping regional telecommunications frameworks, including the Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System (EASSy), and is known for his ability to build impactful stakeholder partnerships.
As Chair of the Safaricom Foundation Board since 2012, Joseph champions community-led development, helping to grow sustainable models of self-sufficiency. He brings a deep passion for talent development, strategic collaboration, and purpose-driven leadership to his role as Chair of AVPA’s Resource Mobilisation Committee.
Joseph holds a degree in Economics from the University of Nairobi and acertificate in Public Policy Management from Aston University.
Chair, West African Board
Kyari Bukar is a seasoned executive with more than three decades of experience spanning financial services, insurance, private equity, and technology. He currently serves as a Non-Executive Director at Inlaks, alongside board leadership roles at ARCA Payments Company and SUNU Assurances Nigeria. Previously, Kyari was MD/CEO of Inlaks Africa Operations and has also ledorganisations such as Central Securities Clearing System Plc and ValuCard Nigeria, where he facilitated Visa International’s entry into Nigeria.
Before returning to Nigeria, Kyari spent 17 years in the United States working with Hewlett-Packard in engineering, project management, and business operations. He is co-founder of Trans-Sahara Investment Corporation and has advised on fiscal policy reform at national level.
A strong advocate of accountability and resilience, Kyari is passionate about mentoring the next generation of African leaders and helping businesses harness technology to deliver sustainable growth.
Kyari holds degrees from Ahmadu Bello University and Oregon State Universityas well as an MBA from Portland State University.
Member, East African Board
Lenin Sembo Oyuga is a business leader with over 15 years of cross-sector experience spanning financial services, telecommunications, government, and private industry. He currently serves as Head of Telco Commercial and Partnerships for the Middle East and Africa at Mastercard, where he manages over 30 markets and leads the commercialisation of strategic telco investments across the region.
Renowned for delivering double-digit revenue growth and closing high-valuedeals, Lenin brings deep expertise in complex sales orchestration, client engagement, and commercial leadership. He has held senior roles at Oracle and serves on several boards, including Cherehani Africa and Tip Point Capital.
A two-time recipient of Business Daily’s Top 40 Under 40 award(2017, 2018), Lenin is passionate about inclusive innovation and purpose-driven leadership. Lenin holds degrees from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and the University of Liverpool.
Member, East African Board
Lillian Mwai-Ndegwa is the Country Director for TradeMark Africa’s Kenya Programme, where she leads a transformative strategy to boost Kenya’s trade competitiveness in global and regional markets. With over 15 years of experience in international development, she has deep expertise in market systems, trade facilitation, and private sector engagement.
Her leadership spans major initiatives including the EU-funded Business Environment and Export Enhancement Programme focused on shifting Kenya’s exports toward greener, more resilienttrade pathways. Previously, Lillian served as Country Director at Swisscontact and worked at KPMG’s International Development Advisory Services.
She holds an MBA in International Business and a degree in Actuarial Sciencefrom the University of Nairobi. Passionate about systems change, she also serves on the boards of AVPA and Filamu Juani, contributing her expertise to solving complex African challenges.
Member, West African Board
Nike Olakunri is a business development, strategy, and communications expert with more than 17 years of experience advising entrepreneurs, family businesses, family offices, and private clients. She currently serves as Senior Manager, Markets & Channels, Global Private Enterprise Tax & Legal at KPMG International, where she drives global strategic initiatives and thought leadership across the Family Office and Private Client practice.
Her career spans senior roles at KPMG Nigeria, Standard Chartered Bank, and her own consultancy, 1932 Communications, where she worked with ultra-high-net-worth families to advance legacy, governance, and impact goals.
STEP-certified in Family Business Advisory, Nike also holds an MA in Philanthropy & Development and a Certificate in Global Strategic Communications from Columbia University.
She is passionate about helping families achieve their goals, preserve theirlegacy, and channel wealth toward positive societal impact.
Member, Southern Africa Board
Nongcali Rubushe is an accomplished executive and strategic leader with over 15 years of experience driving successful strategic financial services initiatives across Africa. Specialising in strategy design, planning, and execution, she has consistently delivered impactful outcomes in complex environments.
As a key contributor to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange’s (JSE) 5-year group strategy, Nongcali provided thought leadership and oversight. She pioneered the JSE’s value realization capability, enhancing visibility of strategic initiative value, and successfully expanded retail investor channels and tools, including ‘verify-a-broker,’ to improve financial literacy reach and combat investment scams.
Nongcali’s expertise extends to digital transformation, where she designed the Digital Data Record Strategy for Standard Bank (Retail Banking), initiating agroup-wide consent capability for POPI compliance and the bank’s transition to a paperless environment.
Nongcali is currently pursuing a Senior Executive Leadership Programme at the University of Oxford, and holds a Master’s in Commerce from the University of Johannesburg.
Member, Governance & Resource Mobilisation Committees (Pan-African Board)
Patrick Parring is the Founder and CEO of ParEquity and a seasoned entrepreneur with over four decades of experience in private equity, business development, and investment. Starting his career as a labourer and later rising to Contracts Director at Nedsteel, he went on to acquire the company in 1994. Since then, he has built and managed a diverse investment portfolio spanning transport infrastructure, property development, and professional services, with a growing footprint across Africa.
Patrick has served on numerous corporate boards including Business Partners,Cape of Good Hope Bank, Gray Security, Cape Lime and Terrasan, and currently serves on the boards of the Tolcon Group, ParEquity, and ParVest. In addition to serving as the chair of AVPA’s South African Board, he has contributed extensively to civil society through organisations such as Synergos, CommunityChest, and the Western Cape Business Opportunities Forum.
Having been deprived a good education, left school at grade 8, decided to do his grade 12 through distance learning and completed it in two years. He went onto study at The Cape Peninsula University of Technology, hence why one of the sectors he supports are early learning institutions, and by name Ravensmead and Stepping Stones Cheche’s.
Member, Finance & Resource Mobilisation Committees (Pan-African Board)
Paul Carttar is an experienced executive, strategist, and social investment leader with over four decades of experience across the public, private, andnonprofit sectors. He co-founded AVPA and currently serves as a partner with the International Venture Philanthropy Center (IVPC) and as Senior Advisor to TheBridgespan Group.
From 2010 to 2012, Paul served as the founding Director of President Obama’s Social Innovation Fund (SIF), which mobilised over $1 billion in public and private capital for evidence-based non-profits addressing challenges in low-incomecommunities. His previous roles include COO of the Ewing Marion KauffmanFoundation, executive partner at New Profit Inc., and leadership roles at Bain & Company and early-stage health ventures.
Paul has advised impact networks globally, including in Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East, and remains akey thought leader in advancing the practice of social innovation worldwide. He holds degrees from the University of Kansas and Stanford University Graduate School of Business.
Member, Southern Africa Board
Bhekinkosi Moyo is the Director of the Centre on African Philanthropy and SocialInvestment, Discipline Lead of Philanthropy and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Witwatersrand’s Wits Business School. He holds a PhD in Political Science and Government from the University of Witwatersrand. He is a leading writer on issues of African philanthropy, a prolific author, researcher and thought leader with a keen interest in questions of African resources, democracy and governance.
He has championed the African discourse on philanthropy, contributed to the growth of many African civil society formations and has taken part in most of the continental processes of development and governance.
Prior to joining the Wits Business School, he was CEO of the Southern Africa Trust, as well as being instrumental in establishing several institutions across Africa. He worked as Director of Programmes at Trust Africa and was also partof the formation of the African Union Foundation, becoming one of the founding council members.
He sits on the boards of the International Society for Third Sector Research, the African Union Foundation, and chairs the SIVIO Institute and Association for Research on Civil Society in Africa boards. Equally, he has gained considerable experience in management, leadership and strategic roles over a significant period.
Bheki has over 20 years of experience inknowledge generation, research and policy generation.
Member, West African Board
Professor Patrick Utomi is a renowned scholar, entrepreneur, and public intellectual with over four decades of leadership across business, academia, and civil society. He is the Founder and CEO of the Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL) and a Professor at the Lagos Business School, where he pioneered entrepreneurship teaching in Nigeria.
Utomi has served as Adviser to the President of Nigeria, Chief Operating Officer of Volkswagen Nigeria, and held leadership roles on numerous corporate and non-profit boards. A prolific author and columnist, he is Chairman of Business Day Media Limited and creator of Patito’s Gang, a widely acclaimed policy-focused television talkshow.
Internationally, he has collaborated with institutions such as Chatham House and CSIS, and is a frequent speaker on governance, leadership, and political economy. Twice a candidate for President of Nigeria, Utomi brings to AVPA a deep commitment to ethical leadership, governance reform, and nurturing the next generation of African leaders.
He studied Mass Communication at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1973 and further MA, MPA, and Ph.D degrees from Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA.
Member, Southern Africa Board
Theodore Josias is a Chartered Accountant and the Co-Founder of GrowthStone – an audit and advisory company. He has more than 25 years professional experience and was up to recently a senior director in one of the top 5 audit and accounting firms in South Africa. He was Head of Business Development (firm key strategic accounts), Marketing and Africa expansion for the firm. Theodore assisted in building an Africa practice for his previous employer and managed toestablish more than ten (10) offices within the first year of operation.
He has over the years serviced (and still services) a number of large-scale listed and unlisted clients both in the public and private sectors usually as the lead engagement director. He has developed a good understanding of the continent, having travelled extensively and focussing on understanding the business culture of each territory.
Theodore has a Honours Degree from University of Cape Town and is a South African Chartered Accountant.
Chair, Governance Committee; Member, Resource Mobilisation Committee (Pan-African Board)
Uwa Osa-Oboh is a corporate development and strategy leader with over 20 years of experience across law, banking, management consulting, and investment management. She currently serves as Head of Corporate Development at Capital Alliance Nigeria (ACA), where she drives the firm’sstrategy and institution-building agenda.
Before joining ACA in 2013, Uwa was CEO of ReStraL Limited, a management consulting firm focused on governance, leadership, and organisational development. Her early career included corporate finance at Crown Merchant Bank and legal practice with Dotun Akinkugbe & Co. and Steven Adzenge & Co.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Law and an MBA from the University of Benin,and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Economics from the University of London. Uwa is deeply committed to ensuring institutional effectiveness and broader societal impact, serving on multiple boards and as a Fellow of the African Leadership Initiative – West Africa (ALIWA).