Ms. Vanessa Moungar is the African Development Bank’s Director for Gender, Women and Civil Society. She leads the Group’s strategy on gender and investments in women, aiming to accelerate progress on women’s economic development and thus Africa’s transformation through a more inclusive growth.
She is also in charge of the Bank’s engagement with the Civil Society, ensuring access in delivering programs to all members of society, as well as enhancing citizen participation, accountability and transparency in the Bank’s work.
Previously, she held the position of Senior Manager for Africa at the World Economic Forum between 2013 and 2017, where she led large-scale public-private collaboration efforts, including engaging leaders of African governments, the private sector and civil society and ensuring partnerships across multiple industries – from health and education to extractives, infrastructure, agriculture and energy.
She championed the Demographic Dividend agenda, leading a multi stakeholder group of global experts mandated to create thought leadership and shape public policy for investment in women and youth.
Between 2006 and 2013, she held various positions including Director of Sales and Marketing at Terrafina, an American company operating in the agri-business industry. She started her career at AV Consulting, France, which she co-founded in 2004 to support small and medium enterprises in Africa and the Middle East. She holds degrees from INSEEC Paris and Harvard University, and was a WEF Global Leadership Fellow (in partnerships with Columbia University, Wharton School of Business, China Europe International Business School, London Business School, and INSEAD).
Ms. Moungar is also a Youth Champion for Africa 2.0, and sits on President Emmanuel Macron’s Presidential Council for Africa.