The National Advisory Board for Impact Investment in Zambia has announced the appointment of Andrew Kazilimani as the New Chief Executive Officer. The group was created in 2018 in an initiative led by Prospero Zambia and Impact Capital with the assistance of strategic partners (E-Musika, Bongohive, WeCreate Zambia and the Zambia Chamber of Small to Medium Business Associations). The board is also a part of the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment Network. Mr Kazilimani is a seasoned executive with over 25 years experience in private, public and quasi-government structures.
Andrew Kazilimani Background
Mr Kazilimani was educated at the University of Zambia where he obtained a Bachelor in Arts (1995). He went on to obtain a Diploma in Project Management from the University of Cambridge (2002) and Masters in Project Management from the University of Bolton (2015). He is also accredited as a Practitioner in the Projects in Controlled Environments Qualification. He started his career as a Project Manager in the ‘Inter Africa Network for Human Rights and Development’. He then briefly joined Finance Bank (2000) before moving on to Barclays (2002 – 2006) and Stanbic (2006 – 2012).
Most recently he was a director in the Zambia National Revenue Authority (ZRA). Over the years Mr Kazilimani has built a reputation as a strong project manager. This includes large scale company restructures, behavioural change programs and integrating Non-Government Organisation programs while he was at Stanbic and at ZRA. He is also a fantastic singer having produced his own gospel music featuring fellow respected artists.
Testaments
In the press release following his appointment Mr Kazilimani received the following praise:
Charity Lumpa, the Chairperson of the Board of Zanaco and also the Vice Chairperson of the National Advisory Board for Impact Investment said:
“I’m delighted to welcome Andrew Kazilimani’s appointment as CEO of the NABII. His extensive experience and drive will enable NABII to become an influential cross-sector ecosystem facilitator dedicated to drive more capital for impact.”
Prospero Zambia
In 2018 the group announced a partnership with the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment Network. The group is being organised by the United Kingdom’s Department of Foreign Aid (DFID) through the investment vehicle Prospero Zambia. It was initially formed as a task force set up to consider the biggest barriers to investments in Zambia. The group identified 5 key pillars : Supply, Demand, Intermediaries, Market Enablement and Policy & Regulation.
According to this research Zambia needs an additional $5 billion in investment if we are to achieve our Sustainable Development Goals 2030 (based on the goal of $500 billion for Africa). This would mean at least 5000 more investments of at least $1 million annually. Adding to the extremely high interest rates (around 20-30%) and a low investor confidence in the Kwacha; the biggest issue most SME’s face in the country is a lack of funding. The UK government through their foreign aid division have developed numerous investment vehicles to ensure there is more access to adequate resources. Funds like Impact Capital, Zenga Ventures and Thirty Capital have recently been pushing for increased participation for investors in Zambia but do not cater towards the smaller ticket sizes the market currently requires.
The Board
Mr Kazilimani takes on the responsibility of achieving NABII’s core purpose and we wish him the best of luck in his new term. He also has the support of some of the finest minds in the country who sit on the NABII board. The list includes Mercy Zulu-Hume (Goodwell Investments), Charity Lumpa (Chairperson Zanaco) and Chance Kabaghe (Indaba Policy Research) just to name a few.