At its 101st meeting held on October 5, the Board of Directors of African Trade & Investment Development Insurance (ATIDI), announced the election of Kelly Mua Kingsly as the new Chair of the Board. He is deputised by Christina Westholm- Schröder. The election of the new Board leadership follows the appointment of new Board Members by ATIDI’s Annual General Meeting. ATIDI said in its new Board, which includes the company’s first independent director, will play a critical role in steering the organisation’s strategic direction and governance. Kingsley is the Director of Finance Operations at the Ministry of Finance's Directorate General of Treasury in Cameroon. In this capacity, he has been instrumental in designing and implementing strategies for monitoring public revenue and expenditure, preparing comprehensive financial reviews, and spearheading public finance reforms. In addition to his role at the Ministry of Finance, Kingsley serves as the Censor at the Central Bank of Central African States (BEAC) and represents Cameroon at the Regional Advisory Commission on Financial Markets (COSUMAF). His recent appointment as Cameroon's designated representative with the United Nations Development Programme and the European Investment Bank for GEF projects underscores his commitment to managing climate finance and enhancing regional debt resilience. “I aim to expand ATIDI’s outreach and visibility across Africa. I encourage all the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) countries to consider applying for membership in ATIDI, as this will further strengthen regional cooperation and open new avenues for economic collaboration,” Kingsley said upon his appointment. According to ATIDI, Kingsley’s election as the first Cameroonian Board Chair has a significant impact on fostering relationships and networks within the CEMAC and the broader West African region. His role is set to facilitate collaboration among member states, enhance trade relations and promote regional integration. Kingsley succeeds Dr. Yohannes Ayalew Birru who has served for two consecutive terms of three years. He was deputised by Hope Murera, the Managing Director of Zep-Re. During their leadership, ATIDI’s member states increased from 14 to 24 (current member states include Kenya, Cameroon, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, South Sudan, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Zambia, Rwanda, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Mali, Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad, Senegal, Togo, Madagascar, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Angola). Similarly, gross exposure increased from $4.8 million to $9.6 billion, profits from $12 million to $69.1 million and assets from $419 million to $837 million. “I take this opportunity to express my deep appreciation to the outgoing Board Chairman and his team for their outstanding leadership in bringing ATIDI to such a level of performance,” Kingsley said. The new Vice Chairperson, Westholm-Schröder is Sovereign’s Chief Underwriter and Senior Vice President, with more than 35 years of experience in the political risk insurance industry. She is responsible for all aspects of Sovereign's transactional underwriting and leads Sovereign’s successful cooperation with multilaterals and export credit agencies.
