Afua Kyei, the Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director at the Bank of England-UK, has been recognized as one of the UK’s most influential Black individuals in the Powerlist 2024. She joins fellow Ghanaians, such as Edward Enninful OBE, the editor-in-chief of British Vogue, and Joshua Siaw MBE, who has business connections with corporate entities, governments, banks, and financial institutions.
The annual Powerlist, curated by Powerful Media and now in its 18th year, celebrates individuals of African, African Caribbean, and African American heritage. The initiative aims to showcase black role models for young people.
Afua Kyei’s journey to her current position as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director at the Bank of England-UK was highlighted in a BBC report in April. At 40 years old, she has risen through the ranks at the UK Central Bank since joining in 2019, overseeing a balance sheet of approximately £1 trillion. She also manages the Bank of England’s Asset Purchase Facility Fund and its Alternative Liquidity Facility. Furthermore, she serves as a Co-Executive Sponsor, leading the Bank’s approach to climate change and focusing on Diversity and Inclusion.
Her professional ascent began in 2019 when she moved to the Bank of England from Barclays Bank, where she served as a Finance Director from 2012 to 2019. During her tenure at Barclays, she held roles in various divisions, including Group Operations and Technology, the Investment Bank, and later as Chief Financial Officer (mortgages) in the Retail Bank. Afua Kyei played a pivotal role in the Strategic Cost Transformation Programme and served as an Ambassador for Diversity and Inclusion for the Bank’s Group Finance Director functions. Before joining Barclays, she held a Strategic Advisory position at UBS during mergers and acquisitions and worked as an Investment Banker for UBS.
Afua Kyei, who holds a Master’s degree, studied Chemistry at Somerville College, Oxford University. She was awarded a Junior Research Fellowship honor by US-based Princeton University in Organic Chemistry. In her journey, she transitioned from research in the US to the fast-paced financial sector, driven by her problem-solving skills and a desire to contribute to the public sector’s purposeful work.
She emphasized the importance of work-life balance and expressed her enjoyment in spending time with her three children, family, and friends when not occupied with her professional responsibilities. Afua Kyei is a qualified Chartered Accountant with Ernst & Young.
Earlier in the year, she was also recognized in the list of the 2023 100 Most Reputable Africans by Reputation Poll International (RPI), a prominent global reputation firm.
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