AFR - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Chief Programs Officer at Access
Agnes is the Chief Programs Officer at Access to Finance Rwanda (AFR). She is responsible for shaping AFR's projects and spearheading their implementation to facilitate the development of an inclusive financial sector in Rwanda. She also provides expert technical advice on various de-risking initiatives.
Prior to her current role, Agnes served as Head of AFR's Inclusive Insurance Pillar, leading the implementation of insurance and pension inclusion programs including the Long-Term Savings Scheme (Ejo Heza - LTSS) and the National Agriculture Insurance Scheme (NAIS). Before joining AFR, she worked as an actuarial professional for 10 years.
She is a qualified Actuary (Fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries) and a Certified Microinsurance Expert. She holds a BA (Hons) degree in Economics from the University of Greenwich and an MSc in Economics and Finance from Warwick University, UK.
Allan Mugabi is the Chief Operations Officer at AFR, in this role he leads the company's operations with responsibility for financial management, human resources management, grants management, procurement, administration, and ICT. He also oversees the company's on-going drive for operational effectiveness and digital transformation. Prior to this role, Allan served as Head of Finance and Administration.
Before joining AFR, he served for 8 years as the Group Chief Financial Officer for Horizon Group, where he was instrumental in transforming financial management and facilitating revenue growth of more than 250% by 2018.
Allan previously worked at Ecobank Rwanda where he was responsible for overseeing the bank's financial, statutory, and regulatory reporting. During his tenure at Ecobank Rwanda, he also led the Management Information System (MIS) upgrade. In addition, Allan held different positions at GE Capital and BMI Healthcare, both based in the United Kingdom.
Allan holds a Master of Science degree in international accounting from Anglia Ruskin University, UK and a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Makerere University. He is a chartered accountant and a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and the Institute of Chartered Public Accountants of Rwanda (ICPAR).
Job Titles:
- Head of DFS and Market Infrastructure
- Head of Digital Financial Services and Market Infrastructure
Charles is serving AFR as the Head of Digital Financial Services (DFS) and Market Infrastructure. In this role he leads programmes development and implementation of AFR's Digital Financial Services (DFS) and Market Infrastructure Pillar; ensuring that a comprehensive portfolio of impactful projects is developed and implemented to high standards; providing thought leadership and utilising influencing strategies to support the achievement of AFR's strategic goals.
He has 10 years of working experience in FinTech and Digital Products Sales and pioneered the market rollout of various e-money wallets in Rwanda. Prior to joining AFR, Mr. Charles has worked with different institutions and held various positions including Head of Digital Experience, Digital Payments Manager, Chief Technology Officer, and Software Engineer.
He led different products implementation in digital Space: cards project implementation, merchant acquiring, and microloans projects. He is a strong information technology professional with a Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) in Computer Engineering and Information Technology. He is now pursuing a master's degree in Business administration at the Quantic School of Business and Technology.
David Ferrand is the former Director of Financial Sector Deepening (FSD) Kenya, a multi-donor programme established to support the development of inclusive financial markets in Kenya. He has been engaged in work on financial inclusion and small and medium enterprise (SME) development for over twenty years. Prior to his current role he was financial sector specialist for DFID in the Eastern Africa region. In his earlier career he trained and worked as a banker in the UK and Kenya. He now works as an independent consultant.
Prior to joining AFR in 2012, Didier was an accountant for the Rwanda Social Security Board for five years. He holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from the Kigali Institute of Science, Technology and Management, and is currently working towards an MBA at Mount Kenya University.
Edward TUSHABE serves AFR as the Procurement Manager overseeing the organization's procurement function. He is a Procurement, Logistics, and supply chain expert with over 13 years of experience and advanced knowledge in managing donor funded project procurement.
Prior to joining AFR, Edward worked for Chemonics International on a 5-year USAID funded project as Director of Procurement and Logistics and had worked for other organizations before including Global Communities, Alight Rwanda, Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), and the National University of Rwanda in different capacities.
Edward holds an MSc in Project Management and a bachelor's degree in accounting sciences.
Job Titles:
- Researcher
- Economist
- Intervention Manager, Data Analytics
Ephrem RUTAGARAMA is a researcher economist with more than 7 years of experience and has strong quantitative and data analysis skills underpinned by strong experience in macro and micro economic analysis, research and the ability to apply economics to policy and translate complex analytics into operational strategies and programmes. He also has strong experience in the design of performance assessment frameworks, monitoring and evaluation tools for an effective implementation of development programmes in the area of agriculture, trade, financial sector and Infrastructure development.
Ephrem has also proficient knowledge in research design and coordination, impact evaluation, database management, data visualization, poverty and financial inclusion analytics. Before joining the AFR , he has worked in the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda, Technoserve Rwanda, and Africa Improved Foods Ltd. Ephrem is always ready for random chats on the issue of economics, financial inclusion, statistics, and business analytics. He holds a Master's Degree in Economics from the University of Kigali.
Job Titles:
- Head of Finance for Growth and Jobs
Eric Musizana has been active for over a decade in the development of the agriculture sector in Rwanda and has particular interest in rural economic development programs design and implementation. He has contributed to the design and implementation of a diverse range of financial inclusion projects targeting smallholder farmers and other value chain actors including the digitization of agricultural value chains (coffee, irish potato and dairy) to enable them access appropriate financial services, Institutional Support to Strengthen Capacities of Financial service providers to improve the quality and delivery of financial products and services to the agricultural sector and Leasing. Eric has experience in the investment promotion working with Rwanda Development Board where he supported in identifying investment opportunities within greenfield projects in Beekeeping, Macadamia and other horticulture crops targeted for the private sector. He holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Sciences in Rural Development and Agribusiness from the University of Rwanda.
Job Titles:
- Transport and Logistics Officer
Job Titles:
- Office Assistant
- Receptionist
Gloria is the Office Assistant and Receptionist at AFR. She has a four-year experience working with mid and senior-level managers by providing consistent clerical and administrative support. In her role at AFR, Gloria oversees the day-to-day office management, manages the front desk, ensures health and safety in the workplace, handles communication with stakeholders, and promotes compliance with the organisation's policies and procedures. She also supports operational risk management, organising and coordinating meetings, visits, and workshops.
Prior to Joining AFR, Gloria worked as an Administrative and Academic assistant at the Rwanda International Institute of Ophthalmology (RIIO) and as Sales Assistant at Flemingo International Limited.
She is qualified in business management and economics with a focus on finance.
Job Titles:
- Head of Finance and Grants Management
He is a chartered accountant ACCA and MBA holder from Edinburgh Business School with over 9 years' experience in various industries: development finance, construction, manufacturing, telecommunications, and energy. As the Finance Manager at AFR, he is responsible for supporting AFR's financial sustainability by ensuring good financial planning and management as well as overall compliance with AFR, donor, and government rules and regulations.
Previously, Innocent worked as Financial Controller for Milbridge, a group of 7 companies of which business is centered around construction-related materials and services, Chief Accountant for HQ Power, an 80MW Peat Fired Power Project, and as a Senior Accountant at IHS Rwanda, a telecommunication infrastructure company.
Job Titles:
- Grants and Contracts Manager
James Kabera has fifteen (15) years of progressive responsible leadership in financial operations, Grants management, Human Resources and Administration on complex multi-donor funded programs in East Africa. In his career, he has played a key role in the establishment and improvement of organizational strategies, policies and grants management systems to ensure compliance with both organizational and donor rules and regulations.
Prior to joining AFR, James worked with the International Gorilla Conservation Program serving as the Regional Finance and Administration Manager covering Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo. His portfolio included finance, grants management and administration departments. He has also served as the Finance and Administration Director for Land O'Lakes International, a USAID funded project focusing on the dairy sector value chain for 5 years until the project was successfully phased out in January 2017.
James holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration majoring in accounting, and he is currently pursuing an MBA at UNICAF university.
Job Titles:
- Manager
- Digital Financial Solutions Intervention Manager
Job Titles:
- Human Resources and Administration Manager
Job Titles:
- Head of Research, and Information
Job Titles:
- Tourism and Hospitality Manager
Mr. Jean Bosco Iyacu is the Chief Executive Officer since February 2021, prior to becoming AFR's CEO, Iyacu served the organization as the Director of Programs for 7 years and has been instrumental in the design and implementation of a diverse range of financial inclusion and financial sector development programs in Rwanda. Before joining AFR, He was the Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Business Development Center (RBDC), an entrepreneurship and business incubation facility. He also served in various leadership capacities in some of Africa's leading Financial Institutions such as KCB Bank Rwanda Ltd where he was the Regional Business Manager and Head of Retail and SME Banking. He holds a Master's Degree in Economics from the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa. Iyacu is a Certified Expert in Microfinance, SME Financing, and Inclusive Insurance from the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management and a Certified Expert in Digital Money from the Digital Frontiers Institute. He has also completed the Harvard Kennedy School's Executive Course on Rethinking Financial Inclusion.
Job Titles:
- MEMBER of the BOARD
- Strategic Advisor at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, Kigali / Rwanda
Mr Tony Nsanganira has been since May 2021 a Strategic Advisor at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI). His main role is to support and advise the Government of Rwanda on strengthening the competitiveness of key economic sectors, with a particular focus on priority industries under the "Made in Rwanda" Policy.
Mr Nsanganira is a former Minister of State in charge of Agriculture in the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources of the Republic of Rwanda. He has also served as Permanent Secretary in the same Ministry and has prior to joining the Ministry served at the Rwanda Development Board as Chief Operating Officer and Head of Agribusiness, among other responsibilities. Mr Nsanganira also served on Boards of Directors in several key public Institutions. He is currently serving as Board member at the Access to Finance Rwanda (AFR).
Nelson is a communications professional with 8+ years of experience in media and communication. He supports AFR in the development and implementation of its strategic and operational plans by contributing expertise in communications and coordinates the roll-out of the communications strategy and plan to ensure knowledge and information are managed and communicated effectively.
Nelson holds a Master of Science in Communication for Development from the University of Reading, UK, and a bachelor's degree in Journalism and Communications from the University of Rwanda. He specialises in communications, digital media, international development, social policy, and social marketing.
Prior to joining AFR, he worked as a communications professional for the Office of the Government Spokesperson and the Ministry of Infrastructure, a journalist at City Radio, and a trainee consultant for What's in it for Africa, a London Based Communications agency.
Job Titles:
- Communications and Graphic Design Specialist
Job Titles:
- Program Manager - MSME Finance