Melissa Basque-Roux
Ag. Coordinator, Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA), African Development Bank Group
Melissa is a highly experienced professional with a diverse background in finance, strategy consulting, and development work. With a total of 16 years of experience, Melissa has made significant contributions in various organizations. She has spent 2 years at the African Development Bank, where she is currently leading as Acting Coordinator, the Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) initiative, working to promote financial inclusion for women entrepreneurs across Africa. Prior to this, Melissa worked for 7 years at the World Bank Group, primarily involved in gender-focused projects within the renewable energy sector. During her time at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), she led the gender program for over two years, collaborating with renewable energy companies to address gender disparities in leadership, employment, and entrepreneurship. Additionally, Melissa held leadership roles in the World Bank’s Lighting Africa activities in West Africa and gained valuable experience in strategy consulting, particularly in the mining sector, during her tenure with Accenture Finance and Performance Management team in Canada.
Melissa holds a BA in Finance from HEC Montreal and a Master in International Relations and International Economics from the Johns Hopkins School of International Studies (SAIS).
