Rolake Akinkugbe-Filani – Chief Commercial Officer, Mixta Africa 

An award-winning infrastructure and energy executive, an engaging speaker, able to distil complex topics on global economy, markets contemporary society and business in a simple and concise manner to a wide and diverse audience, Rolake has more than 15 years track-record of helping to finance and scale businesses across Africa. She is currently the Chief Commercial Officer of leading infrastructure developer, Mixta Africa, helping the group craft and execute its commercialisation strategy for infrastructure and housing projects across Nigeria, Senegal, Morocco, Tunisia, Cote d’Ivoire & Ethiopia, as well as the commercialisation of its key hospitality asset, Lakowe Lakes Golf and Country Estate. She was also recently appointed as the overseeing headquarter executive for Mixta’s operations in Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal. 

Prior to Mixta Africa, she was Senior Advisor to IFU, the Danish Investment Fund and sat on the global advisory board of Canadian Private Equity firm, Stonechair Capital advising on its renewables and gas sector Energy Africa fund. From 2014 – 2019 she was head of energy for FBN Capital and FBNQuest Merchant Bank, raising debt and equity capital for local energy companies, and during which time she was also member from 2017-2019, of the private sector economic advisory group advising the Office of the Vice President on a range of national infrastructure development policy issues. Prior to FBNQuest Merchant Bank, she was head of the energy research team at pan-African Ecobank Group covering 33 African markets out of London. In her early career, she worked as a political risk analyst with Control Risks and Eurasia Group and worked in international development & affairs with the European Commission in Brussels and the International Crisis Group in Dakar, Senegal.

A highly sought-after industry expert on topics on global infrastructure, energy, economy, markets and business on global markets and energy, she is a regular feature on platforms like BBC, CNN, CNBC and others, noted globally for her astute analysis and ability to communicate business concepts to audiences comprising senior business leaders and decision makers. She was recognised as a top 275 Global Female Influencer Executives (2020) in Energy by the UK’s Energy Council, recognised as Young Economic leader in Africa, by the Choiseul Institute (2020) and was listed in the MIPAD 100 Under 40 in the 2018 Business and Entrepreneurship Category. She has a BSc & an MSc degree from the London School of Economics (LSE) and a joint MBA degree from the London School of Economics, HEC School of Management Paris and NYU’s Leonard Stern School of Business (TRIUM). 

Rolake sits on the global advisory board of Persistent Energy, Africa’s Climate Venture Builder, and the board of the African Energy Chamber working with the Energy Transition and Investment Committees. She was also member of the Executive Council of WIMBIZ, Nigeria’s leading networking for women, where led the development of the private sector gender equity scorecard. In her spare time, she is a pianist, coach, and mentor. She founded iArticl8, an executive coaching platform for public speaking and effective communication, delivering both impactful corporate and individual coaching sessions.