Speakers

H.E John Dramani Mahama

The President Republic of Ghana

A statesman whose public service spans every major level of national leadership—from Member of Parliament and Minister for Communications to Vice President and President. He previously served as President from January 2013 to January 2017 and, following victory in the December 2024 elections, returned to office for a non-consecutive second term. His profile combines a strong interest in history, communications, and social development with experience in large-scale infrastructure delivery and social equity initiatives, including efforts that advanced opportunities for girls and women. Internationally, he has played prominent roles in regional cooperation and trade, including leadership positions linked to ECOWAS and the foundations of the African Continental Free Trade Area. At GEXIM@10, he brings a high-level perspective on governance, integration, and inclusive growth

Hon. Sylvester Adinam Mensah

Chief Executive Officer Ghana Export-Import Bank

A senior banking and public-sector leader with 25 years’ experience spanning development finance, economic policy, and institutional governance. He currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Export-Import Bank, where he focuses on using targeted financing to accelerate industrial growth and expand regional trade. Previously, he led public-sector banking portfolios at Intercontinental Bank (Ghana) Ltd and headed major national reforms as Chief Executive of the National Health Insurance Authority, translating complex policy mandates into measurable institutional outcomes. His experience as a former Member of Parliament of Ghana adds strong stakeholder-management and governance depth. He holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Leicester and complements his academic training with strategy credentials and consulting fellowship. He also contributes to leadership and oversight through board and council roles and prior university lecturing, reflecting a balanced profile of execution, policy insight, and strategic discipline.

Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson

Minister of Finance Republic of Ghana

A leading Ghanaian economist, chartered accountant, and tax practitioner with over 20 years of experience spanning public service and the private sector. A Member of Parliament since 2009, he has held senior parliamentary leadership roles and previously served as Deputy Minister for Finance (2013–2017), overseeing budget implementation, debt management, and tax policy. He is Oxford-trained in taxation and holds advanced degrees in economics and finance, alongside professional fellowships in Ghana’s tax and accounting bodies. Known for his work on fiscal reform—including contributions to Ghana’s Public Financial Management Act—and for supporting international financing discussions, he brings practical insight into economic governance and reform.

Matilda Asante Asiedu

2^nd Deputy Governor Bank of Ghana

A versatile corporate leader whose career bridges central and retail banking, strategic communications, reputation management, stakeholder relations, and journalism. In her current role as a deputy governor at the Bank of Ghana, she brings her extensive experience to bear on Ghana's macroeconomic management. She led a wide retail portfolio spanning individual customers, SMEs, high-net-worth clients, consumer finance, and bancassurance. She is especially recognized for driving women-focused financial inclusion strategy—the W Initiative—which earned international recognition, including The Banker Magazine’s Global Financial Inclusion Award (2020). Her earlier leadership in corporate communications helped strengthen stakeholder trust and community investment, contributing to multiple CSR and sustainability awards for the bank. With a background in journalism and consulting for organizations such as the World Bank and DFID, she offers a compelling mix of financial-sector expertise and clear public-facing communication—highly relevant to conversations on macroeconomic stability, inclusion, leadership, and impact.

Dr. Johnson Asiamah

Governor, Bank of Ghana Ghana

An accomplished economist with over 23 years of service at the Bank of Ghana, bringing deep institutional knowledge and a strong research foundation to his leadership. He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Southampton (UK) and is widely experienced in monetary policy design, financial sector regulation, and macroeconomic analysis. Having previously served as Second Deputy Governor (2016–2017), he offers a seasoned perspective on how central banks safeguard stability while supporting sustainable growth. At GEXIM@10, Dr. Asiamah’s contribution is especially relevant to discussions on financial resilience, policy credibility, and the macroeconomic conditions that enable trade and investment to thrive.

Dr. Joseph Nyakotei Dorh

Board Chair Ghana Export-Import Bank

A seasoned insurance and financial services leader with over two decades of industry experience and a strong track record in executive management and board governance. He serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Ghana Export-Import Bank and is the Managing Director of Prime Insurance Company Limited, where he provides strategic direction and oversees overall performance. His career spans a wide range of technical and leadership roles in non-life insurance, including prior responsibility for broker relations at Star Assurance Company Limited and earlier experience at Enterprise Insurance Company Limited. Before entering industry, he also taught Mathematics and General Science at Accra Academy. Academically, he holds a Doctorate in Business Administration (Leadership and Organizational Behaviour) from the Swiss Business School, a Master’s in Finance from Central University, and a BSc in Mathematics from the University of Cape Coast, alongside professional insurance training—underscoring a profile that blends technical expertise, leadership, and governance.

Francis Kojo Kwarteng Arthur

Chief Executive Officer Ghana Export Promotion Authority

A seasoned legal practitioner with over a decade of experience across constitutional, corporate, and family law, alongside a track record of public service and national policy engagement. Called to the Bar in 2011, he has held influential roles, including President’s Representative on the National Media Commission (2012–2017), Acting Director of the Information Services Department (2015–2016), and Presidential Staffer (2013–2017). He is also known for principled legal advocacy on key national issues, reflecting a strong commitment to regulatory transparency and citizens’ rights. As CEO of GEPA, he is focused on expanding Ghana’s export footprint—strengthening support for exporters, improving trade facilitation, and building partnerships that open new markets for Ghanaian products globally

Mr. Goosie Tanoh

Presidential Advisor on 24H+ Economy Policy The Presidency, Ghana

A public policy and governance practitioner focused on Ghana’s political economy, institutional reform, and private-sector development. Often known as “Goosie Tanoh,” he plays a leadership role within the 24 Hour Secretariat, contributing strategic thinking on how state capability, trade policy, and finance can strengthen export competitiveness and industrial growth. His work emphasizes value addition, domestic enterprise development, and the design of coherent trade and financing frameworks that enable inclusive growth. At the conference, he brings a practical perspective on building effective institutions, improving the trade finance ecosystem, and aligning public policy with private-sector innovation in an evolving global trade environment.

Dr. Fatima Farouk Elsheikh

Secretary General, BADEA Boards of Governors and Directors at Arab Bank for Economic Development, Africa

A Secretary General to the Boards of Governors and Directors at Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), bringing over 23 years of experience in international humanitarian and development work. Before joining BADEA, she served as Resident Representative for United Nations Development Programme in Djibouti, where she was awarded the National Medal of Honour by the President in recognition of her leadership in advancing inclusion and sustainable development. Her earlier roles include UNDP Chief Technical Advisor on sustainable development to the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste and Head of the Poverty Unit in Sudan. A recognized contributor to youth employment and sustainability, she holds a medical degree from Ahfad University for Women, a master’s in Genetic Epidemiology from Erasmus University Rotterdam, and professional training in development policy advisory through a UNDP–Columbia University programme.

Ms. Pearl Nkrumah

Managing Director Access Bank (Ghana) Plc

Pearl Nkrumah is a seasoned banking executive with over 25 years of experience across leading financial institutions in Africa, known for driving transformation in retail, digital, and commercial banking. She is the Managing Director of Access Bank (Ghana) Plc, having previously served as Executive Director for Retail & Digital Banking and as Head of Retail & Digital Banking for Access Bank’s African subsidiaries, where she helped shape multi-country strategies across 14 markets.

In Ghana, she has led major initiatives to strengthen the retail franchise, including refreshing the product suite, introducing robotic process automation, establishing a Retail Analytics Unit, and building fintech partnerships to expand digital reach—contributing to record growth in profitability, deposits, and digital adoption.

Pearl began her career at Standard Chartered Bank (1998–2012) and later held senior commercial and business banking roles at Stanbic Bank. She also serves as Chairperson of the Council of the Ghana Stock Exchange and advises several strategic platforms. Pearl holds an MBA and BSc from the University of Ghana, an LLB from GIMPA, and is a strong advocate for inclusive finance and women’s empowerment.

Derek Degbedzui

Senior Analytics Engineer Chainalysis, UK

Dereck is a Senior Analytics Engineer at Chainalysis, the global leader in blockchain data and analytics. With over eight years of experience building scalable data solutions across fintech, banking, and technology, he specialises in analytics engineering, AI-driven automation, and data infrastructure design

Previously the first analytics hire at Smarkets, one of Europe's fastest-growing betting exchanges, Derek built the analytics function from the ground up, grew the team to three engineers, and delivered over £4 million in measurable business value with 95% stakeholder adoption. His work has spanned architecting cloud data platforms on AWS, Snowflake, and Databricks, developing machine learning models for credit risk and customer analytics, and designing conversational AI tools for natural language data access

Derek holds a Master of Science in Data Science from the University of Aberdeen and a Bachelor's degree in Actuarial Science from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. He is a CFA Level II candidate and a core member of the Artificial Intelligence Association of Ghana, where he serves as a guest speaker and mentor. He has contributed to the African Union Development Agency's continental AI strategy and has coached over 15 junior engineers through structured mentorship programmes.
He is based in London, United Kingdom

Prof. Randolph Nsor-Ambala

Chief Executive Officer Development Bank Ghana

Prof. Randolph Nsor-Ambala is a seasoned development finance professional with extensive executive leadership experience across multiple industries, including FMCG, telecommunications, and development finance. He has held key leadership roles at Promasidor Ghana Limited, Coca-Cola, Diageo, and MTN, bringing a wealth of expertise in strategic growth, private sector development, and impact-driven financial solutions.

With over fifteen years of experience leading development initiatives across agriculture, manufacturing, education, ICT, governance, energy, and health, Prof. Nsor-Ambala has been instrumental in fostering economic transformation. His work, supported by international development partners, has focused on strengthening private sector participation, promoting gender equality, addressing climate change, and creating opportunities for marginalized and underserved communities.

As CEO of Development Bank Ghana (DBG), Prof. Nsor-Ambala is committed to driving innovation and catalytic impact investing to propel Ghana’s private sector. Under his leadership, DBG aims to enhance access to long-term finance, promote women’s economic empowerment, and champion sustainable ESG-aligned practices, ensuring inclusive economic growth and resilience.

Ms. Joyce Letswalo

Head of Market Access Division, Directorate of Trade in Goods and Competition AfCFTA Secretariat

Ms. Joyce Letswalo is a trade expert with over 20 years of experience spanning trade policy development, market access strategies, and private sector engagement. Since 2022, she has led the Market Access division at the AfCFTA Secretariat, overseeing the facilitation and implementation of the Trade in Goods Protocol and its annexes, which are critical to advancing intra-African trade.

Her expertise bridges both public and private sectors, having worked with the Government of South Africa on trade policy formulation and regulatory frameworks. She also played a key role in the agricultural industry, contributing to sectoral trade development and serving as a Ministerial Representative at the Wool Trust in South Africa. Beyond policy, Ms. Letswalo has actively engaged in the business landscape, founding and managing private enterprises, demonstrating her ability to navigate both trade governance and enterprise development.

She holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA-General) and a Master of International Law and Economics (MILE), equipping her with a solid foundation in trade negotiations, economic policy, business management, international relations, and law.

Passionate about Africa’s economic transformation, Ms. Letswalo is dedicated to fostering inclusive trade, mentoring emerging professionals, and advocating for policies that are aimed at the continent’s evolving trade landscape.