AfDB appoints Dr. Alex Mubiru as Director General in Cabinet Office

Dr. Mubiru, a Ugandan national, brings close to 25 years of experience to the position, with a proven track record in the various positions he has held at the African Development Bank, and elsewhere.

The African Development Bank has appointed Dr. Alex Mubiru as Director General in the Cabinet Office of the Bank Group’s President, with effect from 16 August 2022.

Dr. Mubiru, a Ugandan national, brings close to 25 years of experience to the position, with a proven track record in the various positions he has held at the African Development Bank, and elsewhere.

Mubiru has been Acting Director General in the Cabinet Office of the President since December 2021 and Director of Strategy and Delivery, in the same office.

Mubiru joined the Bank as Principal Research Economist in 2009 and has since served in various other roles. Between 2010 and 2012, he was Principal Country Economist in the Tanzania Country Office. In 2012, he was appointed Lead Strategy Advisor in the Strategy and Operations Policy Department and was part of the core group that coordinated the development of the Bank’s 2013-2022 Ten-Year Strategy. During the same period, he also served as Task Manager for the preparation of the Bank’s 2013-2017 Private Sector Strategy. In 2014, he was appointed Manager in the Resource Mobilization Department, where he was part of the core team that led, organized and coordinated the 14th replenishment of the African Development Fund. In 2018, he was appointed as Country Manager in the Tanzania Country Office, where he managed a portfolio of over $2.3 billion.

Prior to joining the African Development Bank, Mubiru worked as Assistant Professor of Social Science at the Singapore Management University (2008-2009), Assistant Professor of Public Policy at the Lee Kuan Yew School of the National University of Singapore (2001-2008), Project Economist at the World Bank in Thailand (1999-2001) and Research Associate at the Thailand Development Research Institute (1994-1995).

“I am deeply touched and inspired by President Adesina for the confidence he has, once again, placed in me with this appointment,” Mubiru said. “I greatly look forward to working with the rest of the Cabinet as well as Senior Management to support the President as he steers the Bank towards the successful implementation of the stated goals of his second mandate. The Bank has given so much to me ever since I joined, and I shall endeavor to work to the best of my abilities, and use my potential to the utmost, to give back as much to it, while serving in this role.”

Mubiru holds a PhD and a master’s degree in Public Affairs, both from Princeton University, and a Bachelor of Arts (cum laude) in Philosophy, Political Science and Economics from Macalester College, USA.

Commenting on the appointment, the President of the African Development Bank Group, Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, said: “Alex’s well-rounded experience as part of the senior leadership team in my cabinet office as well as elsewhere in the institution will allow him to support me effectively at a crucial time in the institution’s history. He brings deep institutional knowledge, a solid track record and a quiet maturity to the role. I am confident that he will have an immediate impact in streamlining strategic initiatives, overseeing program management, and communicating objectives across the institution.”