Rolake Akinkugbe-Filani is the Chief Commercial Officer of Mixta Africa, helping the group craft and execute the commercial and market development strategy for its real estate, infrastructure and housing projects across Mixta’s 5 African subsidiaries and its key hospitality asset, Lakowe Lakes Golf and Country Estate. In addition, she leads in the identification of new commercial, partnership, and market opportunities, to deepen market penetration, develop demand-side acquisition financing strategies, drive revenue growth, brand visibility and profitability. She is also the overseeing HQ executive for Mixta’s operating subsidiaries in Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire.
She is a strategic leader with more than 15 years’ experience and track record of helping to finance, invest in and successfully scale businesses in Africa. Prior to joining Mixta Africa, She was Senior Africa Advisor to the IFU Danish Investment Fund, helping to build strong partnerships with the private and public sector and originate portfolio opportunities. She was also Head of Energy at FBN Capital and FBNQuest Merchant Bank from 2014 – 2019, leading origination and client coverage efforts with energy and infrastructure clients across investment banking and corporate banking products, to successfully raise both debt and equity capital. She also covered a portfolio of 33 African countries for Ecobank Group in London as Head of Energy Research and Project Lead on the Group’s Local Knowledge Africa corporate market-entry strategy. From 2017-19 she served in an advisory capacity with the Economic Advisory Board in the Office of the VP, working with the Chief Economic Adviser to the President, on a range of policy matters. She has previously worked as a Senior Africa Analyst with Control Risks Group and Eurasia Group, and also worked in international development with the European Commission in Brussels and the International Crisis Group in Senegal.
Through a diverse career that has spanned risk consulting, commodities & market research, finance and international development, she is well-versed in leveraging partnerships and market insights, to support corporate-decision makers in fundraising and entering new markets. Rolake is a Fluent French speaker, and holds a BSc and MSc degree from the London School of Economics and a joint MBA from TRIUM; NYU Leonard Stern School of Business, HEC School of Management Paris & the London School of Economics. A passionate advocate of infrastructure solutions for underserved markets, she sits on several energy industry, climate, venture capital and non-profit boards.