About Me: Ed Olowo-Okere is World Bank Group’s Governance Global Practice Director for Africa, Middle East and North Africa, and Europe and Central Asia regions, overseeing governance strategies, programs and staff. He also oversees Public Financial Management, State-Owned Enterprises Reform, Digital Governance, Financial Governance Standards and related thematic areas. He is the Head of World Bank’s Financial Management Family, comprising staff working on the fiduciary aspects of Bank operations as well as technical assistance on financial management in public and private sectors. He leads the Bank’s engagement with global partners on the aforementioned themes. Currently, he chairs/co-chairs INTOSAI Donors Group, INTOSAI-Donors Steering Committee, and IFAC-Donors Steering Committee (MOSAIC).
Before his current position, Ed was Director of Operations Services and Regional Manager for Financial Management in the World Bank’s Africa Region, amongst other positions. His experience in development work includes preparation of sectoral and regional strategy, operational policy reforms, operations quality and portfolio management, project preparation and implementation support in all sectors, and policy dialogues with and technical assistance to clients on a wide range of themes, including public financial management, private sector accounting & auditing, public procurement, environmental and social safeguards, and monitoring and evaluation. Prior to joining the Bank in 1998, Ed worked in Nigeria, Britain and New Zealand.
Ed holds a Bachelor of Science (First Class Honors) Degree in Accountancy from the University of Maiduguri and a Masters Degree in Accounting (with Distinctions) from the University of Lagos, Nigeria, and a Ph.D. in Management (with specialization in Change Management and Public Financial Management) from the University of Bath, United Kingdom. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). He has researched, published in reputable international journals and lectured at undergraduate and graduate levels in Nigeria and New Zealand on accounting and finance. Also, he has won several academic and merit awards.