Dr. Vera Songwe Joins Concordia’s Leadership Council

Concordia is pleased to welcome Dr. Vera Songwe to its Leadership Council, bringing extensive expertise in global finance, economic development, and climate policy.

Dr. Songwe is the Chair and Founder of the Liquidity and Sustainability Facility. She is also a Senior Non-Resident Fellow at the Brookings Institution with Global Development.

A renowned economist and climate finance expert, Dr. Songwe co-chaired the Independent High-Level Expert Panel on Climate Finance, supporting the UK and Egypt for COP27 and Egypt and the UAE for COP28 alongside Lord Nick Stern. She co-authored the Songwe-Stern Report on Climate Finance and continues to advise on global climate finance through the Brazil G20 Task Force Clima Independent Group of Experts. She is a member of South Africa’s 5th Presidential Economic Advisory Committee.

She was a Senior Advisor to the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), where she worked with the Financial Stability Institute and continues to collaborate with the BIS on African Central Bank cooperation. Dr. Songwe also served as the United Nations Undersecretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), where she led efforts on macroeconomic stability, private sector development, the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, and Africa’s response to COVID-19. She worked closely with African heads of state, finance ministers, and central banks to drive economic integration, financial innovation, and sustainable development.

Her prior roles include Regional Director for the International Finance Corporation (IFC), where she oversaw multi-billion-dollar investments in infrastructure and finance across West and Central Africa, and leadership positions at the World Bank, where she advised on economic policy across Africa, Europe, and Asia.

A globally recognized leader, Dr. Songwe has received numerous accolades, including being named one of Global Landscapes Forum’s ‘8 Women with a New Vision for Earth’ (2023), the International Economic Association Fellow Award (2023), and the African Icon of the Year (2022) by the African Bankers Association. She has been recognized among the 100 Most Influential Africans and 50 Most Influential African Women by Forbes and Jeune Afrique.

“We are honored to welcome Dr. Songwe to Concordia’s Leadership Council,” said Nicholas Logothetis, “Advancing Concordia’s work will greatly benefit from her tremendous experience.”

Dr. Songwe holds a Ph.D. in Mathematical Economics and multiple degrees in economics, law, and political science from the Université Catholique de Louvain and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.