IFC Appoints Ethiopis Tafara as New Vice President for Africa
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group and the world’s largest development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets, has named Ethiopis Tafara as its Vice President for Africa.
In this new leadership role, Ethiopis will guide IFC’s investment and advisory activities across the African continent. He will lead a team of nearly 800 professionals and manage a growing portfolio worth $17 billion USD, supporting job creation and private sector growth in key sectors such as infrastructure, agriculture, manufacturing, finance, and telecommunications.
A U.S. citizen of Ethiopian origin, Ethiopis brings rich experience from various high-level positions within the World Bank Group. Most recently, he served as Vice President, Chief Risk, Legal & Sustainability Officer at the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). He also held the position of Vice President and General Counsel at IFC in the past.
Speaking on his appointment, Ethiopis said:
“Africa is becoming a stronger voice globally. While there are challenges, the opportunities are even greater. The private sector and entrepreneurs across the continent are more vibrant than ever.”
Born in Ethiopia and raised in both Ethiopia and Italy, Ethiopis is fluent in Amharic, French, Italian, Spanish, and English. He holds a Juris Doctor (JD) from Georgetown University Law Center and an AB degree from Princeton University. His background covers capital markets, corporate law, governance, compliance, and risk management.
Makhtar Diop, Managing Director of IFC, welcomed the appointment by saying:
“I am excited to welcome Ethiopis to this role. His strong commitment to Africa and deep expertise will help drive sustainable development across the continent.”
Ethiopis will be based in Nairobi, Kenya, and takes over from Sérgio Pimenta, who recently retired after almost 30 years with IFC.
In fiscal year 2024, IFC achieved record investments across 45 African countries, including 30 classified as low-income or affected by fragility and conflict (FCS).
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