AFRICA IRELAND ECONOMIC FORUM 2016 – SPEAKER PROFILES

1. OPENING SPEAKERS

Ms. Mary Mitchell O'Connor T.D., Minister of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

Mary Mitchell O'Connor TD was appointed Minister of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation on 6 May 2016.

Mary was elected to Dáil Éireann in the 2011 General Election. She had previously served on Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council after being elected in June 2004 and re-elected in June 2009.

Mr. Charles Boamah, Vice President (Finance), African Development Bank

His previous role at the AfDB Group was as Director and Controller. Since joining the AfDB in 1996, Mr. Boamah has assumed a variety of responsibilities and also initiated, participated in or served as an executive sponsor to a number of Bank-wide initiatives. These include management of the budgeting and financial policy function, annual discussions with major international rating agencies, the Euro-readiness of the ADB Group, the senior management steering committee for the reorganization of the African Development Bank Group in 2001,

and the development of a business continuity plan for the ADB, which was successfully implemented when the AfDB had to temporarily relocate from Abidjan to Tunis in 2003.

In addition to his controllership responsibilities at that time, Mr. Boamah also successfully directed a multimillion dollar multi-year Bank-wide ERP-enabled business innovation and change initiative. In July 2004, Mr. Boamah was appointed to the Board of Directors of the African Export Import Bank (Afreximbank), a continental trade financing institution built on a model of public/private partnership. Prior to joining the AfDB, Mr Boamah worked for 11 years with First Interstate Bank (merged with Wells Fargo Bank), for over 5 years with PricewaterhouseCoopers (then Coopers & Lybrand) in Accra and Los Angeles.

Mr. Ronan MacNioclais Senior Partner, PwC Ronan MacNioclais is a senior partner with PwC and has worked extensively with Irish SMEs and Irish MNCs in setting up operations in Africa. Ronan has had hands on involvement in the implementation of structures and tax models into a number of Africa countries including South Africa, Kenya, Uganda the DRC, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Angola, Algeria, Botswana and Nigeria. Ronan joined the firm in 1998 and is an international tax partner, heading up the Irish Energy, Renewables and Utilities Tax Group. He also leads the M&A Group of the Irish firm.

2. PARTICIPANTS IN THE OPENING PANEL DISCUSSION

Joe McHugh T.D. Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Joe McHugh TD was appointed Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on 12th May 2016. He previously served as Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs and the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources with Special Responsibility for Gaeltacht Affairs and Natural Resources in July 2014.

Mr. Adolf F. Mkenda Permanent Secretary for Trade and Investment, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment of the United Republic of Tanzania Prof Mkenda joined the ministry on 1st January 2016 after serving for two years as Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Treasury responsible for policy. Mkenda is on leave of absence from the University of Dar es Salaam where he is an associate professor of economics.

He also serves as a member of the academic board of the Macroeconomic and Financial Management of Eastern and Southern Africa, MEFMI that is based in Harare, Zimbabwe and also as a member of the Technical Advisory Committee of the Economic and Social Research Foundation, ESRF, a think tank based in Dar es Salaam. Mkenda is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences-Next Einstein Initiative- Tanzanian Centre.

Senator Hadi Sirika, Nigerian Minister for Aviation Senator Hadi is the current Nigerian Minister of State Aviation, an airplane Pilot, a helicopter Pilot and an aircraft engineer. He is a prolific entrepreneur and he has established a couple of successful construction and consulting companies in aviation, civil, water, environment, and education while served also on the board of few other businesses. Senator Hadi was elected Member of the House of Representatives representing Dutsi – Mashi Federal Constituency in April 2003 under the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). He served under the House Committees of Police, Water Resources, Marine Transport, Works as well as the House Committee on Aviation where he served as Deputy Chairman.

Hadi was further elected a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing Katsina North Senatorial District in April 2011 on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). He served in various capacities under several committees of the Senate, including committees on Aviation, Police, Water Resources, Transport and Millennium Development Goals where he was the Vice Chairman. He has sponsored four bills in the seventh Senate.

Dr Deirdre Lewis PhD, P.Geo, EurGeol, SLR Consulting: Technical Director Deirdre Lewis is a Technical Director with SLR Consulting, with a career spanning 28 years as a professional geologist across Europe, Africa, Australasia and South America. She works mainly on minerals and renewable energy projects for public and private clients. Deirdre commenced her African career in Tanzania in 1997 exploring for gold in the Lake Victoria Goldfields and has been involved in a number of mineral resource assessments.

She has worked extensively on behalf of the EU and World Bank on training and institutional strengthening projects across Africa in the minerals, social and environmental regulatory fields in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Mozambique, Tanzania, Mali and Burkina Faso among others. She is currently managing the delivery of a development and management strategy for the Artisanal and Small Scale Mining (ASM) sector in Mozambique, on behalf of the Mozambican Ministry of Minerals and Energy (MIREME) and World Bank.

Brendan Flood, Divisional Manager - International Sales and Partnering, Enterprise Ireland As head of Enterprise Ireland's International Sales and Partnering Business Unit, Brendan has responsibility for managing Enterprise Ireland's international sales and partnering activities and a global network of 32 international offices. The primary role of the International Sales and Partnering Business Unit is to assist Irish based companies to access and win sales in global markets. Brendan has extensive experience in working in international markets, gained over a period of 11 years when based in the UK as Director Northern Europe for Enterprise Ireland.

He has considerable experience in a variety of industry sectors, most notably the consumer sector, where he had responsibility for a portfolio of companies for a period of 10 years. Brendan also has considerable private sector experience, having begun his career working in Irish and international consultancy companies. Brendan is a member of Enterprise Ireland’s Executive Committee. He is a native of Mohill, Co. Leitrim and is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin with a B.Sc. in Business Management.

Michael Gaffey, Director General, Development Cooperation Division, Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade The Development Cooperation Division is responsible for the Government of Ireland’s programme of overseas development assistance; and oversees the implementation of the Government of Ireland’s Africa Strategy, including the annual Africa Ireland Economic Forum. Michael previously worked in Political Division (2002 – 2008), where he served as Director for the Middle East. Between 1983 and 1987, Michael served at the Anglo-Irish Secretariat in Belfast, and has since represented Ireland at Embassies Baghdad, Cairo, London and Tokyo.

3. SECTORAL SESSION I – AGRI-BUSINESS

Mr. Akin Sawyerr Executive Secretary of Agricultural Fresh Produce Growers and Exporters Association of Nigeria (AFGEAN)

Akin Sawyerr is the Executive Secretary of Agricultural Fresh Produce Growers and Exporters Association of Nigeria (AFGEAN), and organisation which he helped co-found with former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo. He sits on the Executive Leadership Group of the Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG), Nigeria's foremost private sector Agribusiness umbrella body, led by Alhaji Sani Dangote. Akin previously advised the former Nigerian Minister for Agriculture DR Akinwunmi Adesina on Horticulture development. Akin is a committed and dedicated agro-logistics expert.

Mr. Andrew Doyle T.D., Minister of State for Food, Forestry and Horticulture Minister of State for Food, Forestry and Horticulture, Andrew Doyle TD is a member of Dáil Éireann (Irish Parliament) and represents the constituency of Wicklow on Ireland’s east coast, immediately south of Dublin. Minister Doyle graduated from Rockwell Agricultural College in County Tipperary in 1978, and as a young farmer in 1981, he won the Stephen Cullinane Scholarship to New Zealand. He was first elected to the Dáil in 2007 and in 2010, he was promoted to the opposition frontbench as the spokesperson for Agriculture.

As part of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2013, he hosted a conference in Dublin Castle with EU member states Parliamentary Agriculture Committee Chairs from all 27 countries, engaging parliamentarians with speakers such as the EU Commissioner for Agriculture, Dacian Ciolos and the EU Commissioner for Fisheries, Maria Damanaki.

He also produced the first ever parliamentary report on the Offshore Oil and Gas sector in 2012 which called for a new fiscal licencing regime in Offshore Oil and Gas exploration off the coast of Ireland. He was previously a member of Wicklow County Council from 1999 – 2007 and was Cathaoirleach (Chairman/Mayor) of Wicklow from 2005 to 2006

Ms. Lucy Muchoki, CEO of the Kenyan Agribusiness and Agroindustry Alliance, KAAA

Lucy Muchoki is the Chief Executive Officer of the Kenyan Agribusiness and Agroindustry Alliance (KAAA), an organisation created to support the Kenyan Agribusiness through enhanced productivity and competitiveness in the regional and global market. KAAA is a member and partner of the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) and the Kenya National Chambers of Commerce. Ms. Muchoki is a social scientist with Master’s in strategy and business management. Her various high-level agribusiness forum commitments include being the Private Sector Representative to the Executive Boards of Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), Association for Strengthening Agricultural

Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA) and the Global Forum for Agriculture and Research (GFAR). She is a member of the African Union taskforce to support the organization of a regional agribusiness platform to mobilize and support the domestic private sector in Africa. She is the Vice Chair of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme’s (CAADP) Non State Actors’ Taskforce. She sits in the steering committees of the Global Forum for Agricultural Research (GFAR) and the African Union Commission led initiative on Aflatoxin control programme for Africa, (PACA). Ms. Muchoki is also an accomplished entrepreneur. She is the Chair of Great Lakes region private

sector forum and Vice Chair of the Agricultural sector Board, KEPSA.

Mr. Michael Maguire, Head of Development East Africa, Devenish Nutrition Michael is project director with Devenish Nutrition with responsibility for our development programme in Africa. Devenish are an Irish agri-technology company currently exporting custom made products to 26 countries from our 8 manufacturing facilities in Ireland, England, US and most recently Uganda. He has been in the feed industry for 23 years, 17 of these with Devenish Nutrition. Prior to this I worked in Uganda and Nigeria from 1986 to 1992. He is a former national chairman of the IFA pigs committee and his two pig farms that produce approximately 20,000 pork and bacon pigs per year for sale.

Mr. Seán Hoy Ambassador of Ireland to Nigeria Seán is currently serving as Ambassador of Ireland to Nigeria based in Abuja. He is also Ambassador to Ghana and Senegal and holds the position of Permanent Representative of Ireland to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Seán has served in Nigeria since September 2014, before this he worked in Africa Section with particular focus on the implementation of the Africa Strategy. Seán has also served in Mozambique, Uganda and Vietnam. Before joining the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1990, Seán worked with Concern Worldwide in Sudan.

4. SECTORAL SESSION II – ENERGY & CLEAN-TECH

Ms. Sarah Dimson Private Sector Team Lead, Power Africa Coordinator’s Office, USAID Power Africa’s Private Sector Team specializes in facilitating clean, catalytic power transactions to financial close, identifying new market-based opportunities, and creating and leveraging various tools and resources, particularly across Power Africa’s USG and global Development partners, to advance sustainable power sectors throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

In addition to managing Power Africa’s Private Sector Team, Ms. Dimson also facilitates Power Africa’s Southern Africa Region activities, and spearheads the effort the increase the stock of utility-scale solar PV in sub-Saharan Africa. Ms. Dimson joined the Power Africa Coordinator’s Office in 2014.

Ms. Dimson’s prior experience has included over ten years of work in management positions – including consulting for the World Bank Group’s Africa Energy Division, leading the development of energy efficient and climate responsible urban-infill real-estate projects in the U.S. and South Asia, and analysing operational strategies for companies through a career in management consulting.

She holds a Master’s Degree in City Planning-International Development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a Bachelors of Arts in Science, Technology and Society, with a concentration in Management Science and Engineering, from Stanford University. Ms. Dimson is a first-generation Ghanaian-American who grew up in the U.S.

Mr. Lourenço Sambo, Director General, Mozambique Investment Promotion Centre Mr. Lourenço Sambo has been Director General of the Investment Promotion Centre (CPI), since July 2010. Before that he was Economic Adviser to the Minister of Planning and Development of the Republic of Mozambique. He graduated from Eduardo Mondlane University in Economics and holds a Master’s Degree in Agriculture Business Management. Among many studies, he conducted a study sponsored by the Friederich Ebert Foundation on the social and macroeconomic impact of deeper SADC regional integration in Mozambique as well a survey on the perception of the

national business community and non-state actors as a complement to the study, published in South Africa by SAIA from WITS University.

He also participated in the study on the reengineering of CPI in 1996 which culminated in the drafting of CPI’s first Strategic (1997-2000) as well as in the formulation of several proposals of studies and interventions crucial for the development of business and of the entrepreneurial sector in Mozambique, requested by different public entities.

Dr. Chris Kiptoo, Principal Secretary (International Trade), Ministry for Industry, Trade and Co-operatives of Kenya

Dr Chris Kiptoo is the Principal Secretary for the State Department of Trade in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Co-operatives. Before his current appointment, Dr Kiptoo worked for three years at TradeMark East Africa’s (TMEA) as the Kenya Country Director. Dr Kiptoo is widely credited for having competently grown the Kenya Country Program at TMEA especially the Mombasa Port infrastructure capacity and efficiency improvement. Prior to joining TMEA, Dr. Kiptoo worked at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) where he was the Director, Economic Policy Coordination (EPC) Unit between 2010 and 2012.

Dr Kiptoo has over 15 years’ experience in economic policy analysis mainly gained at the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB). Dr Kiptoo holds several qualifications including a PhD - International Macroeconomics Finance Specialization - from the University of Nairobi. He is also an Accredited Fellow of the Macroeconomic & Financial Management Institute of Eastern & Southern Africa (MEFMI), in the field of macroeconomic management. He is also an Associate of Kenya Chartered Institute of Bankers (A.K.I.B). Dr. Kiptoo is a leading expert in macroeconomic and regional integration issues having represented Kenya in several regional assignments relating to COMESA, EAC, the Association of African Central Banks (AACB) and the African Union (AU).

Dr. Eddie O’Connor CEO, Mainstream Renewables

Eddie is a world renowned entrepreneur and leader in renewable energy. He founded Mainstream in 2008 following ten years as Chief Executive of global renewable energy company Airtricity which he founded in 1997. Airtricity was sold in 2008 to E.on and Scottish & Southern Energy (SSE) for €1.8 billion.

Eddie has been named World Energy Policy Leader by Scientific American magazine and Oilprice.com cited him as one of the five most influential figures in the US clean energy sector. He was presented with the Leadership award at the annual Ernst & Young Global Renewable Energy Awards and in 2013 he received wind energy’s most prestigious award, the Poul La Cour Prize from the European Wind Energy Association in recognition of his work in the sector.

In June 2016, Eddie was appointed as the Global Wind Energy Council’s (GWEC) new Global Ambassador.

He holds a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering and a Masters in Industrial Engineering and has a doctorate in Business Administration from the International Management Centres, Europe. He has received an honorary Doctorate of Science from University College Dublin (UCD), an honorary Doctorate from Dublin City University (DCU) and most recently he was awarded Doctor of Science, honoris causa, from the University of Hull in recognition of his major contributions to business.

Michel Davitt, Nicholas O’Dwyer Michel Davitt, Associate Director with “Nicholas O'Dwyer Ltd”, holds a Bachelor of Civil Engineering (1993) and a Master's in Engineering Science (1996) both from University College Dublin, Ireland. He has over 20 years’ experience in Projects in Europe, the Middle East and Sub Saharan Africa. Nicholas O'Dwyer's core business is the design and supervision water and transport infrastructure, in collaboration with local partners. The company employs over 160 engineering staff and has offices in Dublin (Ireland), Newry (UK) and Dar Es Salaam (Tanzania).

Typical projects include providing clean safe drinking water and ensuring that wastewater is disposed of in a safe and environmentally acceptable manner. In his current role, his main responsibility is business development of Nicholas O’Dwyer’s overseas markets, and working with Development Partners such as the World Bank, Europeaid, Millennium Challenge Corporation and European Investment Bank.

Dr. Vinnie O’Neill Ambassador of Ireland to Kenya Vincent O’Neill was appointed Ambassador to Kenya in 2014, following a Government decision to re-open the Embassy (which had been closed in 1988). Since that time the Embassy has focused on providing consular services to Irish citizens, strengthening Ireland’s political and development cooperation relationship with the Kenyan Government, and identifying opportunities for deepening trading relationships between Ireland and Kenya. In that context Dr O’Neill co-Chairs Business Ireland Kenya network; ensures coherence with Enterprise Ireland activities in Kenya and actively supports Irish businesses in identifying possible trading opportunities in Kenya and the Eastern African region.

A medical doctor by professional background, he has extensive experience in international development and has worked in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade since 1995. He has lived for over 8 years in Africa, in Sierra Leone, Uganda and as Head of Development Cooperation in Malawi (2007-11).

5. SECTORAL SESSION III – AVIATION / AEROSPACE

Ethiopian Airlines Michael Yohannes, Regional Manager for Ireland Michael Yohannes was appointed Regional Manager for Ireland (ROI & NI) in December 2014.As Regional Manager, Michael Yohannes has successfully set up the first ever African Airline operating to/from Ireland, availing over 52 cities to the Irish market in the process as well as until recently the only direct Dublin flight to Los Angeles. Michael has also overseen the move of all Ethiopian's Transatlantic technical stop operations from Rome to Dublin making Ireland Ethiopian's European hub with 16 flights weekly. Michael started his career with Ethiopian some 13 years ago in the UK and has amassed extensive experience in the aviation and tourism Industry. Michael has a higher National Diploma in Business Studies from Reading University and Bachelors Honours degree in Technology Management from South Bank University, UK.

Sir Joseph Akinola Arumemi-Ikhide, Chairman of Arik Air Limited Sir Joseph Akinola Arumemi-Ikhide is a leading investor in the agricultural and aviation sectors of the Nigerian economy, and has over the past nine years been actively redefining the air transportation standards in Nigeria, West and Central Africa. Sir Arumemi-Ikhide is the Chairman of Arik Air Limited, a dominant airline in Nigeria, West and Central Africa. Arik has about 28 new aircrafts that operate in Nigeria, 12 countries in West and Central Africa and Intercontinental flights to New York JFK, London Heathrow and Johannesburg South Africa. Sir Arumeni-Ikhide holds a Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.) Mechanical Engineering from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria which he obtained in 1973.

In 1999, he set up Rockson Engineering Company Limited that by 2010 had a work force of 50 expatriates, 300 Nigerian engineers and about 1500 technicians and other support staff with assets worth over $300 million. A recipient of several awards that span engineering, agriculture and philanthropy. Sir Arumemi-Ikhide is a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and of National Farmers Institute. He is a recipient of the National Entrepreneurial Award during the Nigeria @50 Golden Jubilee. He is a Patron of the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers' Foundation. Sir Arumemi-Ikhide holds the national honour of Commander of the Order of Niger (CON) awarded by the Federal Government of Nigeria. Sir Arumemi-Ikhide is a Papal Knight of the Catholic Church.

Mr. Basil Geoghegan, PJT Partners London and member of the Board of Directors of the Irish Aviation Authority Basil Geoghegan is a Partner at PJT Partners in London. Mr. Geoghegan joined PJT Partners in May 2015 with 20 years of investment banking experience at Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank and Citigroup. He qualified as a solicitor with Slaughter and May, London.

Mr. Geoghegan has broad mergers & acquisitions (M&A) corporate finance and strategic advisory experience in the US, UK, Ireland and internationally. Mr. Geoghegan also has an extensive record in complex M&A, public takeovers and anti-raid situations. Mr. Geoghegan has advised numerous clients on equity raising in both private and public markets. Clients include Avolon, Aer Lingus, Barclays, C&C, eircom, Mainstream and Ryanair. In the aviation sector, he advised the Irish Government on options for Aer Lingus and defended Aer Lingus from two unsolicited bids by Ryanair. He is currently advising Kenya Airways on its restructuring and refinancing plans. He is a non-executive director of the Irish Aviation Authority. Mr. Geoghegan received a LL.B. from, and is a scholar of, Trinity College, Dublin. He has an LL.M. in EU anti-trust law from European University Institute, Florence. He is a Patron of The Ireland Fund of Great Britain.

Mr. Ehab Ghazy Vice President (Planning), EGYPTAIR Holding Company Ehab Ghazy is the Vice President Planning of EGYPTAIR Holding Company responsible for the corporate strategy, fleet planning and corporate performance management since Jan 2016. Ehab is also a Member of the board of directors in EGYPTAIR EXPRESS, Air Cairo and SMART Aviation. Before that he was the Strategy Senior Advisor to the Chairman of the Holding Company & GM Network Planning since Jul 2015. He was also the Deputy VP Planning & GM Strategic Planning for EGYPTAIR Holding since Jul 2012.

Before that and for more than 6 years he was the General Manager Planning for EGYPTAIR EXPRESS taking the carrier from the launch phase to maturity. With more than 19 years of experience in number of key airline fields, Strategy, Business Planning, Network Planning, Fleet Planning, Environmental scanning, Leasing, and scheduling he participated and led number of key projects that transformed EGYPTAIR to the current model as the second major airline in Africa and member of the biggest alliance in the world. Ehab holds an MBA from the AAST in Cairo, High Diploma in Information Technology from Ain Shams University and BSc in Accounting from the Cairo University.

TBC – Dublin Aerospace

Mr. Aidan O’Hara Ambassador of Ireland to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Aidan O’Hara is the Ambassador of Ireland to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and is accredited on a non-resident basis to the Republic of South Sudan and the Republic of Djibouti. He is also Ireland’s Permanent Observer at the African Union and at the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). Before moving to Addis Ababa in 2012 he was Director of Economic Messaging at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Mr. O’Hara has served at the Embassies of Ireland in Paris, Prague and London. He holds a law degree from Trinity College, Dublin, and trained as a barrister at Kings Inns, Dublin.

6. CLOSING SPEAKERS

Dr Nelson O. Magbagbeola Secretary General of the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Dr Nelson O. Magbagbeola, a Nigerian, is the current Secretary General of the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). ECOWAS Parliament is a 115-Member Parliament of elected representatives from the National Parliaments of the 15 member countries of ECOWAS. His appointment took effect on 11 February 2016.

Dr Magbagbeola is an economist with interest in regional integration. Before his appointment, he was an Acting Director of Multilateral Surveillance in the Department of Macroeconomic Policy and Economic Research at the ECOWAS Commission in Nigeria. He worked on a number of regional integration issues including macroeconomic convergence, monetary and fiscal issues, and regional legislature. In addition, he was involved in the implementation of the ECOWAS single currency programme with a view to ensuring macroeconomic stability and convergence, macroeconomic policy harmonization, regional integration and development, and launch of a regional single currency in 2020. Dr Magbagbeola is both a teacher and researcher. He has facilitated meetings and workshops for national and international organizations and conducted research in the areas of macroeconomic

policy analysis and management, environment and sustainable development, regional integration, and parliamentary affairs. He has over twenty academic publications to his credit.

H.E. LelaAlem Gebreyohannes Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia LelaAlem Gebreyohannes is Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to Ireland and the current Dean of African Ambassadors Group in Ireland. Before she was appointed as Ambassador of Ethiopia in Ireland in January 2011, she had been working in a number of senior government positions in Ethiopia, including as a Member of the Ethiopian Parliament, Deputy Auditor General of Southern Ethiopia, Head of Finance and Economic development at the office of Arbaminch Woreda in Southern Ethiopia.

She was also involved as Member of the Central Committee of the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), Secretary of the Southern Ethiopia Women's Federation, member of the Central Committee of Women League of Southern Ethiopia, and Chairwoman of the Audit Committee of Arbaminch State Farm Development Enterprise.