It is with deep honour and great optimism that we formally present the newly appointed Board of ARC, now under the esteemed leadership of Dr. Nimrod O. Mbele.
This development marks a defining moment in ARC’s institutional evolution and reflects the renewed confidence, unity, and purpose shared across our entire organization.
The reconstituted Board brings together an exceptional assembly of leaders whose collective expertise spans governance, academia, public service, international development, and the private sector.
Their appointment represents not only a strengthening of our governance capacity but also a clear affirmation of ARC’s commitment to bold, forward-looking stewardship as we move toward 2026 and beyond.
ARC remains an organization founded by Africans and dedicated to the advancement, dignity, and well-being of African populations.
The arrival of this distinguished Board symbolizes our shared aspiration to embody a governance model that is transparent, resilient, principled, and visionary. It reinforces our belief that effective leadership, anchored in integrity and excellence, is essential for the transformative impact we seek to deliver across the continent.
As ARC continues its journey of growth and renewal, we embrace this new chapter with unwavering enthusiasm. We are confident that under this leadership, ARC will not only strengthen its institutional foundations but will also amplify its continental influence as a trusted strategic partner to governments and stakeholders.
We extend our warmest welcome to each Board member and reaffirm our full commitment to supporting their mandate.
Together, we stand resolute in advancing ARC’s mission and in shaping a future defined by accountability, innovation, and enduring impact for the people of Africa.
Dr. Ibnou K. Diaw
CO-CEO Africa Resource Centre
Prof. Ravi Anupindi
Role: Independent Non-Executive Director
Interim Chair: Audit & Risk Committee (ARC)
Prof. Ravi Anupindi is a leading global authority on supply-chain strategy, market shaping, and health-system resilience. He holds the Colonel William G. and Ann L. Svetlich Professorship at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business and directs the Center for Value Chain Innovation.
With three decades of research and advisory work for BMGF, WHO, UNICEF, the World Bank, and multiple African and Asian Ministries of Health, he has shaped global approaches to essential-medicine access, supply-risk management, and public-sector value-chain reform.
As Interim Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee, he provides rigorous oversight of internal controls, audit remediation, risk management, and financial reporting integrity.
Adv. Nosisa Bomkazi Kekana
Role: Independent Non-Executive Director
Chair: Governance & Nominations Committee (Gov&NomCo)
Adv. Nosisa Kekana is a senior governance and corporate-law specialist with over 20 years of experience shaping governance systems for major South African corporates and SOEs.
A qualified Advocate of the High Court, she has served as Group Company Secretary at ACSA, MTN SA, Thebe Investment Corporation, Group Five, and Basil Read, where she led board advisory, regulatory compliance, ethics governance, and King IV implementation. Her expertise includes director recruitment, board composition, conflict-of-interest frameworks, ESG governance, and high-stakes governance investigations.
As Chair of the Governance & Nominations Committee, she ensures robust governance frameworks, transparent nomination processes, and strengthened board-effectiveness mechanisms aligned with global standards.
Dr. Mamessilé K. Assih
Role: Independent Non-Executive Director
Chair: HR & Remuneration Committee (HR&RemCo)
Dr. Mamessilé Assih is a respected public-health executive and pharmaceutical-systems leader with more than 20 years of experience driving essential-medicines availability and national health-sector reforms across West Africa.
As Director-General of CAMEG-Togo and former Minister Delegate for Universal Health Coverage, she has overseen national procurement, distribution, health-financing expansion, and workforce governance.
Her continental leadership includes serving as President of ACAME and contributing to Global Fund oversight mechanisms.
As a member of the HR & Remuneration Committee, she brings deep expertise in public-sector remuneration, talent systems, and organisational performance, supporting ARC’s executive oversight and HR governance.
Ms. Naina M. Desai
Role: Independent Non-Executive Director
Chair: Finance & Investment Committee (FIC)
Ms. Naina Desai is a global commercial strategy and revenue growth executive with more than two decades of leadership experience in the Coca-Cola system across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the United States.
Currently, Ms Desai leads Revenue Growth Management, Business Intelligence, and Data Governance at Arca Continental Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, one of the world’s largest Coca-Cola bottlers. Her expertise covers financial modelling, profitability optimisation, investment planning, strategic planning, advanced analytics, and digital transformation. Previously, Ms Desai directed commercial strategy across thirty-two African markets.
As Chair of the Finance & Investment Committee, she guides budgeting, reserves management, financial oversight, and the formulation of long-term investment strategy.
Prof. Jérémie Gallien
Role: Independent Non-Executive Director
Committee Role: Member — Audit & Risk and HR & Remuneration
Prof. Jérémie Gallien is a globally recognised expert in operations research, forecasting, and health-supply-chain optimisation.
A Professor at London Business School, his work focuses on improving public-sector delivery systems using advanced quantitative modelling and analytics. He has collaborated with UNICEF, USAID, The Global Fund, and several African Ministries of Health to reduce stock-outs, improve last-mile distribution, and design high-performing pharmaceutical systems.
His advisory and research contributions enhance ARC’s technical depth in data-driven decision-making, system design, and operational governance across committee structures.
