By Maxwell Awumah, GNA
Ho, Aug. 13,
GNA – Dr Adesegun Akin-Olugbade, an international legal and finance expert, has
been appointed as a member of the World Trade Board, coming in as
the first African member of the organisation.
The Nigerian
joins 20 other global trade and finance leaders on the board, said a release
copied to the Ghana News Agency.
Mr Simon Paris,
Chairman, World Trade Board, said his appointment comes at a perfect time,
considering the recent launch of the operational phase of the African
Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
“We welcome Dr
Adesegun Akin-Olugbade to our cohort as we continue to strive toward driving
open trade for the benefit of all,” Mr Paris said while expressing confidence
in the appointee. Akin-Olugbade is “combining the highest academic
qualifications and professional distinctions with excellent legal skills,
extensive transactional experience, and corporate governance expertise.”
The Board’s
chairman explained that with protectionism looming large around the world and
ever-increasing regulation throwing up new challenges, global trade is in a
state of flux; and in this “unchartered environment,” the board’s common vision
of “collaborative, connected, inclusive trade enabled by the latest business
technologies” has never been more important.
With over 30
years in the legal profession and the financial services sector, Akin-Olugbade
has worked at both the technical and executive management level, in the public
and private sectors, for leading commercial law firms and multilateral financial
institutions.
A graduate of
King’s College London, he went to Harvard Law School and also received the
award for the Overall Best Student at the Nigerian Law School in 1984.
Dr
Akin-Olugbade is the Founder and Principal Partner of Luwaji
Nominees (a partnership firm that provides stellar and cost-effective
support to help relieve the burden of our clients’ corporate administration)
and currently is an international counsel.
Earlier this
year, he joined one of the largest law firms in the world, Clifford
Chance, as a counsel, to strengthen its Africa Practice. Also, a Chairman
of Southern Marine Petroleum Limited, Axion Realty & Development Company
Limited.
Dr
Akin-Olugbade recently retired as the Executive Director (Chief Operating
Officer), General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Africa Finance Corporation
(AFC) and again held the position of a non-Executive Director and former
Chairman of the Governance Committee of Ecobank Transnational Inc (ETI).
He was
previously a General Counsel and Senior Director at the African Development
Bank (AfDB) as well as the first Chief Legal Officer and Head of the Legal
Services Department of the African Export-import Bank (Afreximbank).
Akin-Olugbade
is a founding shareholder and former non-Executive Director of Asset &
Resources Management Company Limited (ARM), Nigeria. And he served as the
Director and Managing Partner of AFC Equity Investments Limited,
Mauritius. In addition, he is also an Officer of the Order of the Niger
(OON).
The World
Trade Board was initiated by Finastra – the third largest
Fintech company in the world. The board is made up of global leaders,
innovative thinkers, industry influencers and subject matter experts from
different corners of trade, finance, and commerce.
GNA
