Mr. Assefa is an attorney and international development expert with over 20 years of experience in the United States and Africa (Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, and Mali). Mr. Assefa specializes in trade facilitation, trade policy (WTO), regional integration, business enabling environmental reform, structured trade/finance, investment/finance facilitation and market system development. Mr. Assefa served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the Addis Ababa University Faculty of Law (2011), and Adjunct Professor of International Business at The George Washington University (2013–2015).

Thelma Ekiyor-Solanke is the pioneer Chairperson of the Nigeria Office for Philanthropy & Impact investing (NPO) – A private sector led Office to unlock catalytic capital to support MSMEs and job creation. She is an award-winning serial entrepreneur, philanthropy expert and impact investor. She currently serves as the Chairperson/co-Founder of Proof Accelerator United Kingdom. She is the co-Chair/co-Founder of Women in Philanthropy & Impact Africa (WIPIA) – a Diaspora platform for women in philanthropy.

Founder, CEO of Homestrings.com, a Diaspora investment engagement platform. CEO of GRAVITAS Capital, LLC, a central bank asset management advisory firm. Graduated Cheikh Anta Diop University, Duquesne University and Harvard Business School (World Bank Scholar and Harvard Fellowship.) Boards: Chairman, advisory board of IOM idiaspora.org, Treasurer, Evermore.org, Robert H Smith Business School Advisory board.