This archive report was first published on 5 July 2020.
On July 5, 2020, Wambui Gichuri, a Kenyan, was appointed acting Vice President of the African Development Bank Group (AFDB). She will lead the bank's agriculture, human and social development portfolio, which includes some of the bank's largest programmes and flagship initiatives.
With over 20 years of experience in water resources management, including 17 years at the World Bank, Gichuri brings extensive leadership and people management skills to her new role. She has been serving as the bank's director for water development and sanitation since joining AFDB in 2018.
AFDB President Akinwumi Adesina welcomed Gichuri's appointment, citing her strong execution capacity and ability to accelerate the execution of critical programmes and initiatives. 'With her extensive experience, leadership, people management skills and strong execution capacity, I am confident that she will help strengthen the team and accelerate execution of critical programmes and initiatives,' he said.
Gichuri is currently overseeing the bank's water sector programme of over $4.5 billion (Sh479.7 billion) covering 44 countries and multinational projects. Her leadership role includes water sector policy dialogue, strategy and business development, as well as spearheading innovations.
