Denis Kadima
Chairperson

Mr Kadima is the Chief Referendum Officer in the United Nations’ Mission in Sudan (UNMIS). He is also the Executive Director of the Electoral Institute of Southern Africa (EISA). Originating from the Democratic Republic of Congo and having worked in the development sphere from South Africa, Namibia and Lesotho, Denis has extensive regional and continental experience in governance issues.

Joseph Komakoma
Trustee

Fr Komakoma has been appointed as the new Deputy Secretary General of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) with effect from 1 October 2010. He is a Catholic priest, currently serving as the Secretary General of the Zambia Bishops' Conference. Fr Komakoma worked for many years in the popular promotion of economic justice, peace, and development as a civil society leader in Zambia and the southern African region. He is a highly regarded public commentator in Zambia.

Perks Ligoya
Trustee

Dr Ligoya is the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Malawi. He previously served as economic advisor to the Minister of Finance in Malawi. Dr Ligoya is a macroeconomist who has worked for the Malawian Central Bank, the IMF and the budget and finance committee of the Malawian parliament. He championed the cause of poverty reduction in Malawi through the civil society organisations which he led and advised, and is a Past-President of the Economics Association of Malawi.

Reginald Matchaba-Hove
Trustee

Dr Matchaba-Hove previously chaired the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) and the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) and is a medical practitioner and teacher of public health at the University of Zimbabwe. He has been involved in the improvement of many human rights and development initiatives and is a prominent civil society leader in Zimbabwe and the southern African region.

Prakash Ratilal
Trustee

Dr Ratilal has played an active role in facilitating relations between the civil society, government, business, and banking communities and advises governments and civil society organisations on development strategies. He is a former Governor of Mozambique's Reserve Bank and was an acting Minister of Finance in the Mozambique government. He was also a member of the UN Panel of Eminent Persons for Relations with Civil Society.

Vusi Gumede
Trustee

Prof Vusi Gumede – an Associate Professor of Development Studies at the University of Johannesburg in South Africa, has post-graduate qualifications in economics and public policy, among others. He worked for the South African government for about 10 years, as an advisor, economist, policy analyst, etc. Prior to that, he was in the academic/research environment. He has remained in the academic/research environment, including having been a visiting scholar/fellow for various universities abroad and other international/overseas institutions, lecturing at the Graduate School of Public and Development Management at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa, publishing in international and South African journals, contributing chapters in books, authoring working papers and policy briefs, developing modules for the Public Administration Leadership and Management Academy of the South African government and researching for the United Nations Development Programme, and so on. He also contributes to some South African newspapers & journals and writes for his blog (www.thoughtleader.co.za/vusigumede).

Prof Gumede serves in a number of governance and advisory structures as well as editorial committees, including as an Editor for the Journal of Development and African Studies. He has been listed in numerous platforms, including the American Biographical Institute’s Great Minds of the 21st Century and in Who’s Who of Southern Africa and has been recognized by many institutions including by Cornell University as a Distinguished Africanist Scholar and by Yale University as a World Fellow.

Paula Monjane
Trustee

Ms Monjane is the director of knowledge management at the Foundation for Community Development (FDC) in Mozambique. She was previously the acting executive director of FDC for two years. Paula has extensive experience in poverty reduction strategies, particularly in relation to health, HIV/AIDS and civil society capacity building. She has published numerous reports and publications and holds a Master of Arts degree in Development Studies from the Institute of Social Studies in The Hague, Netherlands.

Lucy Muyoyeta
Trustee

Ms Muyoyeta is working as an independent consultant in the social development field. She was appointed to head the APRM process in Zambia designated as chairperson of the National Governing Council. Previously the executive director of the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA), she has over 20 years' experience in social development, particularly in women's rights, capacity building of civil society, and campaigning on issues affecting the poor. Lucy is also the coordinator of international relations for the Zambia Association of University Women, has served as a non-executive director of several influential civil society organisations in the region, and received a Life Membership award from the Law and Development Association of Zambia. She holds a Masters of Arts degree in Rural Social Development from the University of Reading in Britain.

Riah Phiyega
Trustee

Ms Phiyega is the Chair of the Presidential Review Committee for State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs). She was previously the Group Executive for Public Affairs of ABSA bank in South Africa. She is an established business woman with senior management experience and brings both grassroots and global dialogue experience to the Trust. She has a strong background in corporate governance and corporate social responsibility, particularly through her association with the ABSA Foundation.