The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group has on 9th December, 2021, officially announced the appointment of Dr. Patricia N. Laverley as Country Manager, designated for Tanzania Country Office.

Dr. Patricia N. Laverley is an American national who joined the African Development Bank in 2007, as a Country Program Officer.

Prior to her appointment, she served as Principal Governance Officer, in the Governance and Public Financial Management Coordination Office. As a Country Program Officer between 2007 and 2009, Dr. Laverley managed an active portfolio of ninety projects and initiatives aimed at improving the technical quality and impact of the African Development Bank’s operations in twelve countries in the East African region.

She developed a robust pipeline of bankable public and non-sovereign operations, as well as economic and sector work and ensured engagement of country and regional teams to achieve development impact in East Africa.

She designed the Bank’s “Monthly Outliers and Exceptions Report”, an innovation which has become the “Executive Dashboard and Portfolio Flashlight Report” issued on a monthly basis to monitor the Bank’s overall portfolio performance.

Dr. Laverley served as a Principal Results Specialist between 2009 and 2011, and during that period, she co-authored the document on Results Reporting for African Development Fund (ADF) 10th replenishment and Results Measurement Framework for ADF 11th replenishment.

As a Macro-Economist in the Governance and Public Financial Coordination Office, she served as the Task Team Leader for “The Bank Group’s Governance Strategic Framework and Action Plan (2014-2018), a cross-cutting action plan designed to guide the Bank’s future orientation in public financial and economic management, sector governance, and improvement of the business enabling environment across Africa.

She took leave of absence from the African Development Bank from May 2018 to May 2021, to serve as Deputy Minister of Finance in the Government of Sierra Leone.

Her role included, among others, the implementation of Sierra Leone’s Public Financial Management Reform Strategy (2019-2023), aimed at improving the effectiveness and efficiency of Sierra Leone’s public financial management systems.

Before joining the African Development Bank, Dr. Laverley held various positions, including Global Program Coordinator at the World Bank Group (1998 – 2005); Consultant for the International Monetary Fund (1997–1998); and Regional Manager, Kaiser Permanente (1994 –1997).

She was also a Regional Area Network Coordinator, Amnesty International (1992 – 1994); and Software Programmer, EU Services (1991–1992).

Commenting on her appointment, Dr. Laverley said, “I would like to thank President Adesina for the confidence placed in me to lead the Bank’s work in Tanzania. I look forward to working closely with the Director-General, Deputy Director-General, and with all staff at the Tanzania Country Office in delivering President’ Adesina’s High-5 vision for the great people of Tanzania”.

Dr. Laverley holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Development (Financial Economics) from American University, Washington, D.C., United States of America (1993), Master’s degree in Public Administration (Financial Economics) from American University, Washington, D.C., United States of America (2003) and a Doctorate in Business Administration (Financial Economics) from the American University, London, United Kingdom (2009).

The President of the African Development Bank Group, Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina said: “I am delighted to appoint Dr. Laverley as Country Manager for Tanzania. She is a seasoned professional with an in-depth knowledge of the Bank’s operations in the East Africa Region.

Her solid track record in high level dialogue, including as a former Deputy Minister of Finance, will help to drive the Bank’s transformation agenda for Tanzania.”