Nigerian international legal and finance expert, Dr Adesegun Akin-Olugbade has been appointed as a member of the World Trade Board. Nairametrics understands that Akin-Olugbade is the first African member of the organisation.
Announcing Akin-Olugbade’s appointment, the Chairman of the World Trade Board, Simon Paris expressed confidence in Akin-Olugbade, saying the appointment of the first African into the body came at a most auspicious time, with the formal inauguration of the operational phase of the Africa 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.
“In this unchartered environment, the board’s common vision of collaborative, connected, and inclusive trade enabled by the latest business technologies has never been more important.”
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Akin-Olugbade’s profile: Akin-Olugbade is the Founder and Principal Partner of Luwaji Nominees.
He is a graduate of King’s College London and Harvard Law School. He was the Overall Best Student at the Nigerian Law School in 1984.
Akin-Olugbade has served for over 30 years in the legal profession and the financial services sector, having worked at both the technical and executive management level, in the public and private sectors, for leading commercial law firms and multilateral financial institutions.
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 recently retired as the Executive Director (Chief Operating Officer), General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Africa Finance Corporation (AFC).
He was a non-Executive Director and former Chairman of the Governance Committee of Ecobank Transnational Inc (ETI).
Akin-Olugbade is a founding shareholder and former non-Executive Director of Asset & Resources Management Company Limited (ARM), Nigeria. He served as the Director and Managing Partner of AFC Equity Investments Limited, Mauritius. He is the Chairman of Southern Marine Petroleum Limited, Axion Realty & Development Company Limited and the Dr Adesegun Akin-Olugbade Foundation.
He is an Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).
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What you should know: The World Trade Board initiated by Finastra is made up of global leaders, innovative thinkers, industry influencers and subject matter experts from different fields which include trade, finance, and commerce.
