Jean-Louis Ekra

Jean-Louis EKRA assumed his role as President and Chairman of the Board of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in Egypt in January 2005 after holding successively the positions of Executive Vice-President and Senior Executive Vice-President of the Bank. Under his leadership, the Bank was assigned an investment grade credit rating by 3 major international rating agencies (Fitch, Moody’s and S&P’s) and won many awards and Prizes for excellence given by various reputable organizations. He was reappointed by Shareholders as President and Chairman of the Board for a second term in July 2010. Before joining Afreximbank in 1996, he held senior positions in various institutions: Vice- President (International Financial Institutions), Citibank NA; Managing Director, Société Ivoirienne de la Poste et de l’Epargne (SIPE) Côte d’Ivoire; Country Manager, the West African Economic & Monetary Union (UEMOA) region at Meridien BIAO sa. (Côt e d’Ivoire) and Partner at DKS Investment, a financial advisory firm in Jersey. He was till recently Honorary President of the Global Network of Exim Banks and Development Finance Institutions (GNEXID). He holds a Master of Business Administration from Stern School of Business – New York University (NYU) and a Maîtrise en Sciences Economiques from University of Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. In 2011, Mr. EKRA was listed among the 100 most influential people of Africa by New African, a leading pan-African publication. In 2013, He received the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from “African Bankers”.