IFC Appoints Ethiopis Tafara as IFC Vice President for Africa

Nairobi, Kenya, May 2, 2025—IFC today announced Ethiopis Tafara as its Vice President for Africa. In this role, Mr. Tafara will lead IFC’s investment and advisory efforts supporting job creation and private sector development across Africa, where IFC is actively driving growth in infrastructure, agribusiness, manufacturing, finance, telecoms, and other vital sectors.

A US national of Ethiopian origin with significant experience in senior development roles, Mr. Tafara previously served as the Vice President, Chief Risk, Legal & Sustainability Officer and Partnerships for the World Bank Group’s Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and as Vice President and General Counsel for IFC.

As IFC’s new Vice President for Africa, Mr. Tafara will lead a team of nearly 800 staff and oversee a growing investment portfolio of $17 billion. He will work closely with other members of the World Bank Group, along with private sector, government, and development partners, to address urgent development challenges in Africa—and to help the continent’s economies capitalize on opportunities.

Makhtar Diop, IFC Managing Director, said, “I am thrilled to welcome Ethiopis to this role, knowing his deep and long-standing commitment to Africa’s development and his unique skillset are well-suited to support Africa’s development pathways. I have worked closely with Ethiopis over the years and look forward to the insights, acumen, and passion he will bring to his work supporting private sector-led growth and job creation on the continent.”

Ethiopis Tafara, IFC Vice President for Africa, said, “I am equally honored and excited to have been appointed to this position and am eager to expand upon the excellent work IFC and our partners have been achieving across the region,” said Tafara. “Africa’s is an increasingly important voice on the global stage, and though challenges persist, the opportunities are even greater, and the continent’s private sector and entrepreneurs are more dynamic than ever before.”

Mr. Tafara holds a JD from Georgetown University Law Center and an AB from Princeton University. He has held leadership positions on several international bodies and is skilled in capital markets, corporate law, corporate governance, compliance, and risk management, among other areas of expertise.

Mr. Tafara grew up in Ethiopia and Italy and speaks Amharic, French, Italian, and Spanish, in addition to English. He will be based in the World Bank Group’s Nairobi office. He succeeds Sérgio Pimenta in the role of IFC Vice President for Africa following Mr. Pimenta’s retirement from IFC after a career of almost 30 years at the organization.

In fiscal year 2024, IFC provided record investments along with advisory support across 45 countries in Africa, including in 30 classified as low-income and/or fragile and conflict affected situations (FCS). IFC — a member of the World Bank Group — is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets.