AfDB appoints Senegalese Amadou Hott as Vice-President energy, climate

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has announced the appointment of Amadou Hott as Vice-President, Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth with effect from 1st November 2016. He will join the Senior Management Team of the Bank.

Amadou Hott, Senegalese, is a top-notch management executive who brings along twenty years of experience in the private sector that span structured finance, investment banking, infrastructure investments and development of integrated energy solutions. He was the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Sovereign Wealth Fund of Senegal, where he is spearheading major infrastructure investments, including energy projects and renewable energy.

He brings extensive experience on power and energy from his work as Assistant Director, Energy and Resources Group, United Kingdom, where he led and provided integrated energy solutions for clients, ranging from structured financing for power and utilities, oil and gas, metals and mining sectors. As the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Afribridge Capital, an Africa-focused advisory and Investment Company, he advised on power, energy, information, communications and technologies, mining and banking sectors.

Hott is experienced in structuring finance for power and energy projects and passionate about solving Africa’s power and energy needs, especially in renewable energy and balanced energy mix. He has led several projects in power including the first solar project in Senegal (30 MW) under construction and to be commissioned in three months and Scaling Solar for 200 MW with the first phase of 100 MW and development of 400-600 MW in negotiation with the National Power Utility of Senegal. As an Investment Banker, he advised on various oil and gas and power projects at the ABN Amro Bank in London and at the Millennium Finance Corporation in Dubai.

Hott served as the Chief Executive Officer of the investment-banking subsidiary of United Bank for Africa (UBA) PLC, with presence in 20 African countries. He served as Chairman of AIBD SA, Senegal’s new international airport project. He had worked as Director for Africa for the Millennium Finance Corporation, where he was responsible for project finance transactions covering energy, mining, ICT and banking, etc. in Africa and the Middle East.

Hott schooled in France, where he obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and a Master’s Degree in Financial Markets and Banking Management from Sorbonne University, Paris. In 2012, the World Economic Forum nominated him as a Young Global Leader.

Hott said of his appointment, “I am delighted to join the African Development Bank under the visionary and dynamic leadership of President Adesina. Nothing could be more exciting than helping to light up and power Africa. I look forward to working with the Bank and all partners to deliver on this critical agenda of universal access to electricity for Africa, through a balanced approach to assure the right energy mix, accelerate renewable energy investments, energy sector reforms and private sector investments”.

The President of the African Development Bank, Akinwumi Adesina, said “Amadou Hott is a dynamic and well-tested executive known for delivering results. I am delighted Amadou will be joining our team. His diverse experience covering energy, infrastructure, finance, banking and investments will be very helpful as the Bank accelerates its investments in the power and energy sector to light up and power Africa”.