The African Development Bank has appointed Dr. Frannie Leautier as the Senior Vice-President of the AfDB Group, effective May 9, 2016.

Leautier is currently Chairperson and Co-Founding Partner of Mkopa Private Equity Fund, which is focused on private equity investments in small and medium size enterprises in Sub-Saharan Africa.

With over 25 years of professional experience, Leautier is a former Vice President of the World Bank Group.

She brings extensive Africa and global experience from both public and private sectors, including strong operations’ management experience in complex multilateral institutions.

She joined the World Bank in 1992-1994 as Transport Economist in the Infrastructure Division, Latin American Region, where she received an award for excellence in the design of infrastructure projects in Peru.

She was Research Economist, Development Economics of the World Bank Group from 1994-1995.

She was promoted to senior economist, Infrastructure Division of the South Asia Division of the World Bank and from 1995-1997 worked extensively in six Asian countries where she helped to build a cohesive team to deliver on infrastructure projects for the World Bank.

She served as Senior Director, Infrastructure, for the Asia Division of the World Bank, from 1997-1999.

Leautier was appointed the Chief of Staff and Director of the Office of the President of the World Bank Group from 2000-2001.

She was later appointed as Vice President for the World Bank Group and Head of the World Bank Institute from 2001-2007.

From 2007-2013, she was appointed a Distinguished Professor of Leadership in a Globalized World, Sciences Po, Paris, where she taught Masters’ courses in international management and leadership.

Leautier comes with extensive experience in the private sector and has worked as Managing Partner of The Fezembat Group from 2007-2009, a company that provided risk management and support advisory services for top leadership of companies investing in mining, infrastructure and energy in developing and emerging markets.

She was appointed Executive Secretary of the African Capacity Building Foundation from 2009-2013, where she is credited with raising and revamping the profile, governance, accountability, efficiency and delivery of the institution.

Leautier has served as Board member of several organizations, including Women’s World Banking, Institute for Security Studies, African Economic Research Consortium, International Potato Institute, Nelson Mandela Institution for Science and Technology and the Global Agenda Council of the World Economic Forum co-Chair of the World Economic Forum Africa (2013-2014) and the African Institute of Governing with Integrity.

Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank, said: “I am delighted that Dr. Frannie Leautier will be joining the Bank as Senior Vice President. She is a globally respected development expert, with extensive and deep knowledge of Africa.”

“She brings strong experience in operations management, capacity building and the private sector. As one of Africa's top development experts, she will help lead our efforts on improving the overall operational effectiveness of the Bank to drive greater developmental impacts,” he said.