DFRC ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT OF ITS CEO, MR STUART KUFENI

On behalf of the SADC Development Finance Resource Centre (DFRC) Board of Trustees, the institution announces the retirement of Mr. Stuart Kufeni its Chief Executive Officer on 30 ^th October 2024. Mr Kufeni led this institution for almost two decades, having joined in 2004 as Programmes Manager for Policy Research and Advisory Services, and ascending to the position of CEO in 2007.

During his tenure of office, Mr Kufeni has overseen the development and implementation of various SADC DFRC strategic plans directed at providing training and improving institutional capacity to address critical skills gaps in development finance institutions (DFIs), government departments, and State – Owned Enterprises (SOEs) as well as private sector entities in SADC countries in areas such as corporate governance, project finance, resource mobilization, risk management and project management.

His tenure has seen him acquire significant experience and deepen his skills in financial markets and development finance, which have empowered him to participate in various implementation committees of SADC regional initiatives, including the Review of the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP), the SADC Industrialisation and Infrastructure Strategies, the SADC Financial Inclusion Strategy and the SADC Regional Development Fund, among others.

Mr Kufeni has also been a strong pilar of support to governments in the SADC Member States and, through the SADC Secretariat, he significantly contributed to various achievements of development stakeholders in the region mandated to promote small micro and medium-scale enterprises (SMMEs), infrastructure, agriculture, housing, and industrial development for sustainable and inclusive economic development.

Over the years, Mr Kufeni has extended the global footprint of the SADC DFRC, and regionally, he leaves the SADC DFI Network with a membership of forty-one (41), an increase of 60% from the initial seventeen (17) at inception.  Other notable