Clare Akamanzi

Chief Executice Officer | NBA Africa

Clare Akamanzi is an accomplished international trade and investment lawyer, currently serving as the CEO of NBA Africa. She is the former CEO of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and a former member of the Cabinet of Rwanda. Over the course of her career, she has held several high-profile roles, including Head of Strategy and Policy for President Paul Kagame and Chief Operating Officer of RDB for over seven years.

During her tenure at RDB, Clare was instrumental in driving Rwanda’s economic transformation. Under her leadership, foreign investment and tourism in Rwanda surged, and the country achieved a top 40 ranking in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business report. Her efforts have directly contributed to creating over 100,000 jobs for young Rwandans since 2017.

Clare’s career also includes serving as Rwanda’s commercial diplomat in London and a trade negotiator at the World Trade Organization in Geneva. She is a Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) alumna, earning a Master of Public Administration (MPA) and receiving prestigious honors such as the Lucius N. Littauer Fellows Award, the Raymond & Josephine Vernon Award, and the Robert F. Kennedy Award for Excellence in Public Service. Clare also holds an LLM in International Trade and Investment (with distinction) from the University of Pretoria and an LLM (Hons) from Makerere University.

Recognized for her exceptional contributions, Clare has been named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum (2012) and one of Africa’s Top 20 Leading Women in Economic Development by Forbes (2013).

Clare Akamanzi continues to be a trailblazer in global business and economic development, championing Africa’s growth and fostering opportunities for the next generation.