Our team of professionals is united in their aim to use our core principles to help entrepreneurs achieve their dreams. Brought together from the private and public sector in a range of industries, their wealth of experience demonstrates their ability to use integration to succeed in business.

The Fellowship is chaired by President John A Kufuor, former President of the Republic of Ghana and co-chaired by the sitting President of Mauritius, President Ameenah-Gurib, with a Governing Council made up of accomplished African private and public sector leaders.

John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor

Chair of Djondo Fellowship

John Agyekum Kufuor was President of the Republic of Ghana from 2001–2009 and Chairperson of the African Union from 2007 to 2008. A passionate advocate for the African private sector, President Kufuor declared a golden age of business during his presidency and championed one of the most successful private sector booms in Ghana’s history.

President Ameenah Gurib

President and Co-Chair of Djondo Fellowship

Ameenah Firdaus Gurib-Fakim is the President of Mauritius and a multi-award-winning biodiversity scientist. She works to raise awareness of global warming and to promote science and technology in Mauritius and Africa. She partners with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation piloting research grants in Mauritius, which she plans expand across Africa.

Paul-Harry Aithnard

Board Member

Paul-Harry Aithnard is Ecobank’s Group Head of Securities and Asset Management. Prior to that, he was Group Head of Research which was recognized as the Best Africa Research Team for three consecutive years. Over the years, he has helped institutional clients navigate Africa’s complex marketplaces, ensuring the highest level of independence and objectivity.

Didier Acouetey

Board Member

Didier Acouetey is the President and Founder of the AfricSearch Group, a recruitment and Human Resources consulting firm. As business advisor to several Managing Directors of Africa’s major companies and institutions, Didier Acouetey has built an extensive network of contacts in the African business and political community.

Terhas Asefaw Berhe

Board Member

Terhas Berhe is the founder of Brand Communications.
She has over 20 years’ experience in brand development and public relations management, working across Africa and the Commonwealth. With a pragmatic approach to creating and managing campaigns, her hands-on management style ensures diverse and collective thinking leads to a distinct customer experience.

Arnold Ekpe

Board Member

With nearly 30 years experience, Arnold has held several senior positions in African and international banking. As CEO at United Bank for Africa, he led a turnaround before its merger with Standard Trust Bank to create a major banking institution. And as CEO, he helped grow Ecobank to the important position it now plays in the continent’s financial system.

Donald Kaberuka

Board Member

After a distinguished career in banking, international trade and development and government service, Donald Kaberuka was elected President of the African Development Bank Group where he presided over strategy for development and poverty reduction in Africa. As Minister of Finance, his reforms are widely believed to have led to the revival of Rwanda’s post-war economy.

Gervais Koffi Gbondjidé Djondo

Founding Patron

Gervais Djondo co-founded the Ecobank Group, is founder and Honorary Chairman of Asky Airlines. A pioneer, Gervais was guided in all of his business experiences by the principles of integration and pan-Africanism, and this Fellowship is the living proof of his success.

Our team of professionals is united in their aim to use Gervais Djondo’s core principles to help entrepreneurs achieve their dreams. Brought together from a range of industries, their wealth of experience demonstrates their ability to use integration to succeed in business.

Michael Kottoh

Executive Director

Michael Kottoh is a management and policy consultant who has advised corporates, multinationals and international organizations including the World Bank, African Development Bank, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. He is managing partner at consulting firm Konfidants.

Michael Edinam Akpakli

Program Manager

Before joining the Djondo Fellowship, Edinam was a banker with Barclays, where he worked as Project Lead in investment banking. He served as a currency trader and analyst at Barclays in Ghana & in South Africa, covering Kenya, Nigeria & Zambia.

Key to any successful business growth is support.
The Fellowship has created a number of powerful partnerships and continues to form new and inspiring relationships.

The creation of a sustainable and effective support system for companies is an essential part of the Djondo Fellowship’s work. The Djondo Fellowship ecosystem includes industries and institutions that understand and have experience in the challenges that face businesses. They include: