Recently updated on October 24th, 2022 at 03:01 pm
Damilola Ogunbiyi has been approved as one of the first members of the United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) inaugural Development Advisory Council by Corporation’s Board of Directors.
Damilola Ogunbiyi will serve as Chief Executive Officer and Special Representative of the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All and Co-Chair of UN-Energy.
Prior to her appointment to these roles by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, she held various leadership positions in organizations focused on expanding energy access in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Damilola Ogunbiyi was the first woman to be appointed as Managing Director of the Nigerian Rural Electrification Agency. She is also responsible for implementing the Nigerian Off-Grid Electrification Programme and successfully negotiating the Nigerian Electrification Project, to rapidly construct solar mini-grids and deploy solar home systems across Nigeria.
She also developed the Energizing Economics Initiative and Energizing Education Programme, which provides sustainable and affordable off-grid power solutions.
Before joining the Federal Government of Nigeria, Damilola Ogunbiyi was the first woman to be appointed as the General Manager of the Lagos State Electricity Board, which is responsible for public lighting, independent power projects, and energy development serving millions of people across the State.
Announcing the names of the members, the Chief Executive Officer, Adam Boehler, said they will advise the agency on ways to increase development impact.
The Development Advisory Council was established by the Better Utilization of Investments Leading to Development (BUILD) Act of 2018, which created DFC. Members are appointed by DFC’s CEO in consultation with the agency’s Chief Development Officer and with the approval of its Board.
Other first members of the Development Advisory Council include:
Bashar Masri: As Founder and Chairman of the Board of Massar International, Masri spearheads investment in agriculture, technology, financial services, and other sectors that advance development across the Middle East and North Africa. He has dedicated his career to promoting economic prosperity and growth throughout this region.
Robert Mosbacher, Jr.: Mosbacher served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), DFC’s predecessor agency, from 2005 to 2009. He is Co-Chair of the Consensus for Development Reform and also sits on the boards of the Center for Global Development and the Initiative for Global Development. He is also Chairman of Mosbacher Energy Company.
Michelle Nunn: Nunn is President and Chief Executive Officer of CARE USA, a humanitarian organization that fights global poverty and provides lifesaving assistance in emergencies. In this role, she has led several ambitious initiatives and sharpened the organization’s focus on collaboration with the private sector.
Edward R. Royce is another member of the Development Advisory Council. Royce served more than 25 years in the House of Representatives, including as Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee from 2013 to 2019. In his current role as Policy Director at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP, Royce advises international companies doing business domestically and guides multinational corporations looking to expand overseas.
The US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is America’s development bank. DFC partners the private sector to finance solutions to the most critical challenges facing the developing world today. It invests across sectors including energy, healthcare, critical infrastructure, and technology. DFC also provides financing for small businesses and women entrepreneurs in order to create jobs in emerging markets.
