AVCA strengthens Board with new Chair and Vice Chair
April 17, 2018, 9:36 p.m.
The African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (AVCA) has strengthened its leadership by appointing Tokunboh Ishmael as Chair of the Board of Directors and Ziad Oueslati as Vice Chair. Ishmael is Co-Founder and Managing Director at Alitheia Capital.
The African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (AVCA) has strengthened its leadership by appointing Tokunboh Ishmael as Chair of the Board of Directors and Ziad Oueslati as Vice Chair.
Ishmael is Co-Founder and Managing Director at Alitheia Capital.
Ishmael brings a wealth of experience from having co-founded Alitheia Capital, an investment management and advisory firm focused on channeling private equity investments into businesses and real estate assets to enhance access to finance, energy and housing for the excluded at the base of the economic pyramid.
Oueslati is Co-Founding partner at AfricInvest Group, the first private equity fund management company in the Maghreb and one of the leading players in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Oueslati participated in the structuring and raising of several investment funds targeting the Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa totalling about $1bn.
Both the new Board Chair and Vice Chair are key influencers within the African private equity industry and will deepen AVCA's reach and impact as it continues to enable private investment in Africa.
Commenting on the appointment, Ishmael, said: "I'm thrilled to take on this responsibility at a time when the African private equity industry is going from strength to strength. I congratulate Hurley Doddy and Papa Ndiaye for their significant contributions to the development of the industry through their roles as Chair and Vice-Chair, and look forward to their continued support on the Board and participation in AVCA's work over the coming years."
Oueslati added: "AVCA has been at the nexus of private capital in Africa since AfricInvest co-founded the association nearly 20 years ago and I feel privileged to step into the role as we continue to drive sustainable investment and economic development on the continent."
Michelle Kathryn Essomé, CEO of AVCA, said: "We welcome 'Tokunboh and Ziad at a critical and exciting time for AVCA. Not only do they step into the role in advance of our 15th anniversary of AVCA's Annual Conference in Marrakech, but they will help to strengthen and diversify our membership, leadership and reinforce the extent of AVCA's ambitions to facilitate greater private investment in Africa."