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Gambian appointed first Global Fund CFO from Africa

Jun 29, 2020, 11:45 AM

GENEVA − The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has announced the appointment of a Gambian financial expert, Adda Faye as the new Chief Financial Officer, according to a press statement released on June 26.

While the Global Fund is working toward optimizing its financial resource management at this critical moment in global public health financing, the establishment believes that Ms. Faye is the right person, capable of managing the position, considering her years of experience in global financial operations.

“Effective financial management will play a central role in enabling the Global Fund to mount an effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic, to protect the gains we have fought to achieve against HIV, TB and malaria. Adda will lead this effort, bringing a wealth of experience and insight and a proven ability to deliver impact,” said Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund.

According to the press statement, the lady, with dual citizenship of The Gambia and France, has been a staff of the Global Fund for some years with excellent financial management skills and track records.

"Faye began her career at the Global Fund as a Finance Specialist in Country Teams, before moving up to more senior leadership roles. Throughout her impressive journey at the Global Fund, she has made huge contributions and played an influential role in the organization’s transformation agenda.

"(She) brings over 15 years of experience in strategic financial management and a deep understanding of the Global Fund’s financial and administrative functions. Before her selection through a competitive search process, Faye had served as the Global Fund’s interim Chief Financial Officer since February 2020.

"Her expertise includes strategic financial performance, financial reporting, change management, and business process improvement. She has an extensive track record of leading finance teams and harnessing team strengths to improve organizational performance," the statement reads.

While reacting to the new development, Faye promised to use her expertise to create more financial opportunities and support rescue businesses lashed by Covid-19 pandemic. 

“I want to be a CFO that enables business opportunities, drives result-based resource allocation and has a positive impact on business operations,” said Faye. “We face a huge collective challenge and I am passionate about the opportunity to use finance as an enabler to drive programmatic performance in the countries we serve, and in our role in mitigating the effects of COVID-19 on the programs we support.”

As CFO, according to the statement, "Faye will oversee the financial management and administration functions of the Global Fund, playing a key role in ensuring adequacy and effectiveness of internal controls, while protecting and optimizing the financial resources to accelerate the Global Fund’s work toward ending epidemics".

Amadou Scattred Janneh, a Gambian technocrat, said in his reation to this appointment, "She is the first woman and African to hold this prestigious role."

Before joining the Global Fund, Adda had worked with Gambian Ministry of Finance in Banjul and UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, both in the areas of finance. She earned her bachelor's degree in Finance and Economics at New Jersey City University in the US and got a Master’s degree in Financial Aspects of Decision Management at the University of Bedfordshire in the UK. She then capped her professional studies with Advanced Management and Leadership Programme at Said Business School, Oxford University in the UK.

Source: Parkchester Times