(COPRA)

Irene is a seasoned leader with over 24 years of experience driving transformative initiatives across multiple sectors, including finance, agriculture, telecommunications, digital services, and development. She has a proven track record in successfully leading organizational change management efforts at both organizational and sectoral levels. Irene has held key roles at prominent organizations, both within and outside of Tanzania, including Barclays Bank (now ABSA), Vodacom, Airtel, and the Financial Sector Deepening Trust (FSDT).

A trusted facilitator of multisector partnerships, Irene excels in building relationships with high-level decision-makers across the public, private, and development sectors. Her strategic negotiations have secured over US$100 million in funding for development initiatives. In her current role as Director General at the Cereals and Other Produce Regulatory Authority (COPRA), Irene is responsible for establishing and operationalizing a key regulatory body that drives Tanzania’s agricultural transformation, ensuring food security and enhancing the competitiveness of agricultural commodities.

Irene’s leadership has earned her numerous accolades, including recognition from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) as one of Tanzania’s leading women in finance, as well as the 2020 Women in Management Africa Award (WIMA). She also serves in several advisory and board roles, including Vice Chairperson of the Tanzania Cooperative Development Commission (TCDC), Board Member and Chair of the Credit Committee at Exim Bank Tanzania, Board Member of TTCL Pesa Limited, and Member of the National Steering Committee for the Credit Guarantee Scheme. Additionally, Irene is a Board Member at Tanzania Oxygen Gases Limited (TOL). She is a passionate advocate for women's financial inclusion and youth empowerment in Tanzania.

Irene holds a range of prestigious academic qualifications, including an Executive MBA from Maastricht School of Management and ESAMI, a Bachelor of Commerce from Dalhousie University, and a Harvard Business School certificate in Strategic Leadership in Inclusive Finance, among others.