Tony Killick is a distinguished British economist and policy advisor renowned for his extensive work on development economics, particularly in Africa. Killick served as Director of ODI and later as a Senior Research Associate. Beyond his institutional roles, Killick acted as a consultant on development policy issues for various organizations. He authored several influential works that have shaped the understanding of development economics. His research focused on the interplay between international aid, policy conditionality, and economic reforms in Africa. He was a long-serving member of the AERC Board of Directors and served also as Chair.  He also actively participated in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and Biannual Research Workshops.

Caroline Pestieau is a senior Fellow at the University of Ottawa and a research associate at the North-South Institute, Ottawa.  She served as the Vice President, Programs and Partnerships at the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) from 1992 to 2002. Before her tenure at IDRC, she was Deputy Chair of the Economic Council of Canada, Freedom of Information and Privacy Commissioner in Quebec, and a member of the C.D. Howe Institute. She was an AERC board member and Chair of the Board of Directors from 2000-2007. She actively participated in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and Biannual Research Workshops.

Arne Bigsten is a Senior Professor of Development Economics at the University of Gothenburg. He is also visiting Professor at University of Oxford, University of Nairobi, Keio University, University of New South Wales, and Université d’Auvergne. He has done projects for the World Bank, IMF, UN, ILO, SIDA, IFPRI, OECD, WIDER, African Development Bank, UNIDO, and the European Commission. He was Vice-Chair of the European Union Development Network and Vice-Chair of the Economic Council of Sweden. His research areas are development and international economics. He was Chair of the AERC Board and Director at Large and participated in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and Biannual Research Workshops among other activities.

Professor Mthuli Ncube is Minister of Finance, Zimbabwe. Previously, he served as Vice President and Chief Economist at the African Development Bank. He also held academic positions at the University of Oxford, Wits Business School, and the London School of Economics. He was chairman of the Global Agenda Council on “Poverty and Economic Development” (World Economic Forum), and a governor of the African Capacity Building Foundation. Mthuli was a member of the AERC Board of Directors and chaired the Board from 2010-2017, being the first African to hold the position. He also participated actively in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and as a panelist in the Biannual Research Workshop policy roundtables.

Dr. John Page is a Senior Fellow in the Global Economy and Development programme, Brookings Institution, and a non-resident senior fellow of UNU-WIDER. He is the Country Director for Tanzania in the International Growth Centre, London, and adjunct professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Tokyo, Japan. He is also a research associate of the Center for the Study of African Economies at University of Oxford and the Oxford Centre for the Study of Resource-Rich Economies. He was a former Chief Economist for the African Region, World Bank. He was a member of the AERC Board from 2004-2008. He also participated actively as a resource person in the thematic Group E (Agriculture, Climate Change and Natural Resource Management), in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and as a panelist in the Biannual Research Workshop policy roundtables.

Shanta is a Professor of the Practice of International Development and Chair of International Development Concentration at Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. Before this, he served at the World Bank for 28 years, holding several positions including Senior Director for Development Economics, Acting Chief Economist of the World Bank Group, and Chief Economist for the Middle East and North Africa, Africa, and South Asia regions. He has been a member of the AERC Board of Directors and a Director at Large since 2021. He has also participated in the AERC as a resource person in the thematic Group B (Macroeconomic Policy and Growth), in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and as a panelist in the Biannual Research Workshop policy roundtables.

Dr. Caleb Fundanga serves as the Chancellor of the University of Lusaka in Zambia. He is the Chair of the Zambia Revenue Authority Board and the Current President of the Institute for Finance and Economics. He is the former Executive Director, Macroeconomic and Financial Management Institute for Eastern and Southern Africa (MEFMI), Zimbabwe. He was the Governor of the Central Bank of Zambia from 2002 to 2011. He served both as a member and a Chair of the AERC Programme Committee (between 2002 and 2020) and as Director at Large of the AERC Board of Directors from 2006-2008. He participated in the review of the AERC Strategic Plan 2010-2015. He also contributed actively in the annual AERC Seniors Policy Seminar and as a panelist in the Biannual Research Workshop policy roundtables.

Dr. Kerfella Yansane was Ambassador of the Republic of Guinea in the United States of America. He was also the Former Governor of the Central Bank of the Republic of Guinea. He served as Minister of Economy and Finance and as the State Minister of Mining and Geology. He was a development consultant with the World Bank, the IMF, the UNDP, the NEPAD Secretariat, the AfDB, and the UNECA, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He served on the AERC Board of Directors as the Vice Chair and Director at Large from 1999-2006. He also participated actively in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and as a panelist in the Biannual Research Workshop policy roundtables.

Akpan is a Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. He is the Chairman of the Foundation for Economic Research and Training (FERT) in Lagos, Nigeria. He is a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom. He was the Director General of the West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM) in Lagos, Nigeria, from May 2009 to December 2018. He is also a former Director at the Central Bank of Nigeria. He served as a member of the AERC Programme Committee from 2005-2010. He also participated actively in the AERC as a resource person in the thematic Group B (Macroeconomic Policy and Growth), annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and as a panelist in the Biannual Research Workshop policy roundtables.

T. Ademola Oyejide is Emeritus Professor of Economics at the Department of Economics, University of Ibadan. He is the founding Executive Director of its Trade Policy Research and Training Programme (TPRTP) at the University of Ibadan, a center dedicated to advancing research and capacity building in trade policy. He has consulted for various organizations like the WTO, IMF, UNECA, UNCTAD, UNDP and IFPRI, among others. He served as a founding member of the AERC, where he chaired the Trade and Regional Integration Thematic Group D and played a key role in launching the Collaborative Master’s and PhD Programs in Economics. He has also participated actively in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and as a panelist in the Biannual Research Workshop policy roundtables.

Esther Koimett is a public-servant experienced in investment promotion, banking, privatization, public enterprise and public policy. She served as the Principal Secretary of the State Department of Broadcasting and Telecommunication, Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs. Prior to her appointment in the ICT docket, Koimett served as the Principal Secretary, State Department for Transport, Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing, Urban Development & Public Works. She has also worked as the Director General Public Investment and Portfolio Management at the National Treasury. Esther also served as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Post Office Savings Bank. She was a member of the AERC Programme Committee and participated actively in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars.

Rob Davies is an economist and an independent consultant. He was associated with the University of Zimbabwe for more than 30 years. He has also taught at universities in South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States. He is currently an independent researcher and works closely with the South African National Treasury and with TIPS. His career spans several prestigious institutions, including SOAS University of London and the University of London, where he contributed to the understanding of economic dynamics and policy implications in developing countries. His contributions to the field of economics are marked by a commitment to addressing pressing socio-economic challenges, particularly in the African context. Prof. Davies was a Resource Person in the AERC Thematic Group B (Macroeconomic Policy and Growth) and participated in numerous AERC Biannual Research Workshops.

Jean-Louis Ekra is an accomplished banker and economist currently serving as an Independent Non-Executive Director at the Bank of China, Board Member of the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), and founder of Ayipling Morrison Capital. He also serves on the Advisory Board of the Africa Southeast Asia Chamber of Commerce (ASEACC). Previously, he was President and Chairman of Afreximbank (2005–2015), and held senior roles at Citibank, Meridien BIAO, and the Ivorian Post Office. He was Secretary to the AERC Board and Director-at-Large. He has also participated actively in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars.

Professor William Lyakurwa is an independent consultant. He previously served as Senior Trade Promotion Advisor at the Geneva-based International Trade Centre. He served as Executive Director of the AERC from 2003-2013. Before his appointment as Executive Director, he served as Director of Training and Deputy Executive Director at AERC. During his tenure as Director of Training, he was instrumental in launching the Collaborative Master’s Programme (CMAP) and the Collaborative PhD Programme (CPP), which have been crucial in developing skilled economists in Africa. He has also participated actively in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars.

Dr. Frannie Léautier is a civil engineer and development finance expert renowned for her leadership in global infrastructure, finance, and capacity building. She currently serves as the CEO of SouthBridge Investments. Previously, she held senior roles at the World Bank, African Development Bank, and Trade and Development Bank. Dr. Léautier has been actively involved with the AERC, serving as Treasurer of the Board and Director-at-Large from 2014-2017. She has also participated actively in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and as a panelist in the Biannual Research Workshop policy roundtables.

Joseph Kinyua is a veteran Kenyan economist and public servant with over four decades of experience and currently Board Chair of KCB Group Plc.  He taught at the University of Nairobi, worked at the Central Bank of Kenya and the IMF as an economist, and served as an Alternate Governor on the Board of Governors of the World Bank. He was Permanent Secretary in Finance, Planning, and Agriculture before becoming Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet from 2013 to 2022. He served as an AERC Programme Committee member from 1998-2006 and as a member of the Board of Directors from 2006-2014. He also participated actively in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and as a panelist in the Biannual Research Workshop policy roundtables.

Willis Oluoch-Kosura is a Professor of Agricultural Economics at the University of Nairobi. He has played a pivotal role in advancing agricultural policy and education in Africa. He is the founding president of the African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE) and a member of the Executive Committee of the International Association of Agricultural Economists (IAAE). He has consulted for FAO, the World Bank, UNCRD, and Kenya’s Ministry of Agriculture. He is the founder of the AERC-supported Collaborative Master’s in Agricultural and Applied Economics (CMAAE). He has also participated actively in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and in the Biannual Research Workshops.

Dr. Louis A. Kasekende is the Executive Director of the Macroeconomic and Financial Management Institute of Eastern and Southern Africa (MEFMI). He previously served as Deputy Governor of the Bank of Uganda and Chief Economist at the African Development Bank. He was also an Executive Director at the World Bank, representing 22 African countries. He has extensive experience in macroeconomic policy and financial management. He served as a member of the Board of Directors of the AERC from 2014-2016 and as Chair of the Board from 2017-2021.  He has also participated actively in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and as a panelist in the Biannual Research Workshop policy roundtables.

Professor Charles Soludo is the current Governor of Anambra State, Nigeria. He previously served as the Governor and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Central Bank of Nigeria (2004–2009) and as Chief Economic Adviser to the President. He has completed post-doctoral fellowships at Cambridge, Oxford, and Brookings, and has been a visiting professor at Swarthmore College, USA. He has consulted for international organizations like the World Bank, UNECA, and UNDP. He has contributed to AERC as a researcher, resource person, and author of key policy papers. He has also participated actively in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and as a panelist in the Biannual Research Workshop policy roundtables.

Ann Veiderpass is an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. She served as a Senior Programme Advisor at the Swedish National Energy Administration and was a Member of the Board of Directors at the Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate. She worked with the African Development Bank on Ethiopia’s energy infrastructure. She was Chair of the AERC Programme Committee and a member of the AERC Board of Directors (2020-2022). She served as a Resource Person in the thematic Group E (Agriculture, Climate Change, and Resource Management) and as Chair of Sub-Committees on Research and Training at AERC. She has also participated actively in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and as a panelist in the Biannual Research Workshop policy roundtables.

Germano Mwabu is Emeritus Professor of Economics at the University of Nairobi. He was a Senior Research Fellow, Director, Public Goods Project of the World Institute for Development Economics Research at the United Nations University, Helsinki (1996-98) and Associate Professor of Economics at Kenyatta University (1994-96). He served at AERC as a lecturer at the Joint Facility for Electives (JFE), a resource person in the thematic Group A (Poverty, Labour Markets and Distribution) and a member of the academic board. He was the co-director of the AERC project on Poverty Income Distribution and Labour Markets in sub-Saharan Africa (2003-2005). He has also participated actively in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and as a panelist in the Biannual Research Workshop policy roundtables.

Ibi Ajayi is Emeritus Professor of Economics and Distinguished Service Fellow at the Department of Economics, University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and a Fellow of the Nigerian Economics Society. He has served as a consultant to various international organizations, including the AfDB, UNECA, IMF, WORLD BANK, WHO, and AERC. He has published several books and articles in reputable national and international journals in Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics. He was a member of the AERC Programme Committee from 2011-2017 and chaired AERC Thematic Research Group B (Macroeconomic Policy and Growth). He also participated actively in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and as a panelist in the Biannual Research Workshop policy roundtables.

Professor Peter Kimuyu is currently serving as a Commissioner at Kenya’s Commission on Revenue Allocation. He is a trustee with the Africa International University and a Technical Advisor to Scott Christian University.  He is the founding director of the School of Economics at the University of Nairobi and a former Executive Director of the Institute of Policy Analysis and Research. He served in the Export Promotion Council, the Privatization Commission, and the KCB Group boards. He participated in the development of the AERC master’s and PhD programmes. He also participated actively in the AERC biannual Research Workshops.

Dr. Matthew Henry Martin serves as the Executive Director of Debt Relief International (DRI) and the founder and Executive Director of Development Finance International (DFI). Previously, he worked at the Overseas Development Institute in London, the International Development Centre in Oxford, and the World Bank, and as a consultant to many donors, African governments, international organizations, and NGOs. Martin has also been actively involved with the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC), contributing to research and policy discussions. He was also a consultant in the logistics of organizing AERC Senior Policy Seminars and participated actively in all the events.

Dr. Ibrahim Elbadawi is an economist and Managing Director of the Gulf Economic Policy & Research Center and the Managing Director of the Economic Research Forum (ERF). He is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Khartoum.  He was also Professor of Economics at the University of Gezira (1984–1989). He served as Sudan’s Minister of Finance (2019–2020). His past international roles include Director at the Dubai Economic Council and Lead Economist at the World Bank. He was Director of Research at AERC (1993-1998).  He has also participated actively in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and as a panelist in the Biannual Research Workshop policy roundtables.

Augustin Fosu is Professor, Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), University of Ghana.  He holds honorary appointments as Extraordinary Professor, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa; BWPI Research Associate, University of Manchester, UK; and CSAE Research Associate, University of Oxford, UK. Previously, he served as Deputy Director, UN University-WIDER, Finland (2006-2013); Senior Policy Advisor/Chief Economist, UN Economic Commission for Africa, Ethiopia (2004-2006). He was Director of Research at AERC (1998-2004). He has also participated actively in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and as a panelist in the Biannual Research Workshop policy roundtables.

Professor Olu Ajakaiye is currently Executive Chairman, African Centre for Shared Development Capacity Building (ACSDCB), Ibadan. He is also President, Nigeria Economic Society, and Honorary Special Adviser to the President on the Economy/Member National Economic Management Team.  He served as Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER), Ibadan (1999-2004). He consults for international organizations like the World Bank, UNDP, EU and IDRC. He was Director of Research at AERC (2004-2011). He has also participated actively in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and as a panelist in the Biannual Research Workshop policy roundtables.

Dr. Sarah was a Special Adviser on Finance and the Economy to President Muhammadu Buhari.  She previously served as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria from 2007 to 2017 and briefly as Acting Governor in 2014. She has represented Nigeria in international forums such as the IMF and World Bank, and chaired bodies including the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System. She served on the AERC Board as Director-at-Large and as the Chair of the Programme Committee (2018-2020). She also participated actively in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and as a panelist in the Biannual Research Workshop policy roundtables.

Dr. Anthony M. Maruping is a seasoned economist and Chairperson of the African Risk Capacity (ARC) Group Board. He is a former Commissioner for Economic Affairs at the African Union Commission. His career includes roles such as Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the National University of Lesotho (1982–86), Governor of the Central Bank of Lesotho (1988–98), Executive Director of MEFMI (1998–2005), and Ambassador to the UN and WTO (2006–2012). He has chaired numerous boards and councils across national, regional, and international institutions, contributing significantly to Africa’s economic policy and development. He was a member of the AERC Board Directors and a Director-at-Large. He also participated actively in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and as a panelist in the Biannual Research Workshop policy roundtables.

Machiko K. Nissanke is Emeritus Professor of Economics at SOAS, University of London, and a leading scholar in international and development economics.  She has advised organizations including the UN, the World Bank, and the African Development Bank. Professor Nissanke has published extensively, including books on global inequality and development finance. Her research focuses on globalization, international finance, development strategies, and poverty reduction, with particular attention to Africa and Asia. She was a member of the AERC Programme Committee from 2000-2006. She also participated actively in the AERC as a resource person in the thematic Group C (Finance and Resource Mobilization), annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and as a panelist in the Biannual Research Workshop policy         roundtables.

Professor Samuel Mwita Wangwe is currently the Chairman and Consultant at Daima Associates and serves as Principal Research Associate at both the Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF) and REPOA in Tanzania. Previously, he was the Executive Director of ESRF and served as Policy Advisor on Coordination of Reforms in the Office of the President. With over 40 years of experience, he has significantly contributed to economic policy research and analysis.  He served as a member of the AERC Programme Committee from 2002 to 2004. He also participated actively in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and as a panelist in the Biannual Research Workshop policy roundtables.

Stephen O’Connell is Gil and Frank Mustin Professor of Economics at Swarthmore College. He was Chief Economist of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in 2014 and 2015. He has published widely on macroeconomic policy and growth in sub-Saharan Africa and was co-editor of the African Economic Research Consortium’s two-volume study The Political Economy of Economic Growth in Africa, 1960-2000. He served as a member of the AERC Programme Committee from 2006-2012.  He participated in the review of the AERC Strategic Plan 2010-2015. Prof. O’Connell has participated actively in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and as a panelist in the Biannual Research Workshop policy roundtables.

Dr. Grace Amurle is a seasoned Financial Management Consultant with 20+ years of experience in the NGO and public sectors. She is a senior consultant at Tipping Point Management Consulting, Nairobi, Kenya. She also served as Chief Finance Officer and Economic Planning at West Pokot County (2021-2023), Finance and Administration Manager at Family Health Options of Kenya (1998-2002) and Accountant, Government of Kenya (1980-1988). She was the Finance and Administration Director at AERC from 2003 to 2020. She was instrumental in the restructuring of the AERC Finance and Administration Department. Dr. Amurle has participated in the AERC Biannual Research Workshops, and annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars.

Prof. Aryeetey the former Secretary-General of the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) and a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana. He was a Senior Fellow and Director of the Africa Growth Initiative at the Brookings Institution, Washington, D.C. He was also Director of the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) of the University of Ghana, Legon. He was the chairman of the Board of the UN-WIDER, Helsinki. He has been the Chair of the AERC Board of Directors since 2022. He has also participated actively in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and as a panelist in the Biannual Research Workshop policy roundtables.

Christopher Adam is Professor of Development Economics at the Department of International Development, University of Oxford and a Fellow of the European Development Network (EUDN). He is a regular visiting scholar at the research department of the IMF and is the Lead Academic for Tanzania at the International Growth Centre (IGC). He is the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee at Oxford Policy Management. He served as a member of the AERC Board from 2006-2009 and as Vice Chair and Treasurer to the Board from 2009-2016. He also participated actively in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and as a panelist in the Biannual Research Workshop policy roundtables.

Paul Collier is Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford and co-Director of the International Growth Centre. He is also Professeur invité at Sciences Po and a Professorial Fellow of St Antony’s College, Oxford. He was a senior advisor to the Blair Commission for Africa and was the director of the Development Research Group at the World Bank between 1998 and 2003. He was a member of the AERC Program committee from 2004-2010. He also participated actively in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and as a panelist in the Biannual Research Workshop policy roundtables.

Professor Lemma is a fellow of the Financial Management Association (FMA) and a member of the Financial Economists Roundtable (FER). He is the former William E. Mayer Chair Professor of Finance at the University of Maryland, College Park.  Dr. Senbet has advised global institutions such as the World Bank, the IMF, the UN, and the African Development Bank. He was elected twice as director of the American Finance Association and is a past president of the Western Finance Association (WFA). He served as AERC Executive Director from 2014-2018. He also participated actively in the annual AERC Senior Policy Seminars and as a panelist in the Biannual Research Workshop policy roundtables.