Africa50 has announced today that it has appointed Djalal Khimdjee as Chief Executive Officer of its Africa50 Principal Investment Fund (formerly Africa50 Project Finance), effective August 1, 2026. According to Africa50, Khimdjee will lead the Fund through its next phase of growth, including accelerating infrastructure development and economic transformation across Africa. He joins Africa50 from Proparco, the private sector financing arm of the French Development Agency Group (AFD), where he served as Deputy Chief Executive Officer, and helped shape one of the leading development finance institutions. “During his 8-year tenure, he led strategy execution, investment delivery and portfolio management, contributing to the expansion of annual investments from €1.4 billion to €2.5 billion and assets under management from €5 billion to €7.5 billion,” Africa50 said in a press statement. Khimdjee previously held leadership and investment positions within the AFD Group and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), building more than two decades of experience financing infrastructure and private sector development across emerging markets throughout Africa, Middle East, Asia and Latin America. “Africa's infrastructure gap is one of the defining challenges - and one of the most compelling investment opportunities of the coming decades, particularly as the continent is projected to be home to nearly 40% of the world's population by the end of the century,” Khimdjee said. “I am delighted to join Africa50 at this important stage of its growth and look forward to working with the team, shareholders, partners, and investors to accelerate the delivery of transformative infrastructure projects that generate long-term impact across the continent, he added. Alain Ebobissé, Group Chief Executive Officer of Africa50, said that Khimdjee’s appointment reinforces Africa50’s ambition to scale its investment platform, deepen partnerships with institutional investors, and accelerate the delivery of transformative infrastructure that strengthens Africa’s growth, resilience, and competitiveness. The appointment comes as Africa50 continues to expand its role as a leading infrastructure investor, developing and investing in projects that address Africa's infrastructure deficit while attracting long-term institutional capital to the continent. Africa50 currently has 38 shareholders, comprising 33 African countries, the African Development Bank, the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), Bank Al-Maghrib, the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), and African Reinsurance Corporation.
