Highlighted in the context of her team’s work in the GC Powerlist: Africa Teams in 2016, the individual career of Hélène N’Garnim-Ganga is equally as worthy of recognition. Noted for her excellent managerial skills that combine with enduring legal expertise to create positive outcomes, N’Garnim-Ganga is the current general counsel at the African Development Bank, a multilateral development finance institution.

Appointed to this position in September 2016, N’Garnim-Ganga was concurrently named as a member of the senior management team of the Bank, having worked on a number of important projects including the supervision and implementation of various reforms. Amongst several achievements whilst at the Bank, N’Garnim-Ganga was instrumental in the setting up of the Zimbabwe Multi-Donor Trust Fund (ZIMFUND) to support Zimbabwe’s development, and played a central role in the formation of the anti-corruption department.

Amongst her other notable achievements within the bank, she lead the set-up of a guarantee facility in the Seychelles, enabling the country to renegotiate its private debt with multiple private creditors. With more than 25 years of leadership experience in legal corporate governance as well as managing strategic projects and operational programs, N’Garnim-Ganga has amassed a wide range of experience in international private practice and passed Bar examinations in New York and Paris, all of which laid the foundations for her in-house work that has led her to being recognised as one of Africa’s best in-house lawyers.