TEAM

Ifeoma Mba | Manager | Washington, DC

Ifeoma has over 20 years of experience in principal investing, banking, and consulting across several sectors and emerging markets globally.

Ifeoma’s experience spans Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe and covers a broad range of financial products and solutions including M&A, equity, debt, quasi equity, mezzanine financing.

Outside IFC, Ifeoma had worked with Emerging Capital Partners, KPMG, and Zenith Bank, among others. She holds an MBA from The Wharton School and a Bachelor’s in Economics from the Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria.

Michael Ayoub | Principal Investment Officer | Washington, DC

Michael has 30 years of investment and advisory experience globally. At IFC, Michael executed equity and syndicated debt investments globally spanning multiple sectors. In addition to M&A Advisory, he is leading the corporate Equity Mobilization Program (EMP) to identify approved financial investors for IFC’s equity investments globally.

Outside IFC, Michael’s career spanned being a Managing Director, Head of Capital Markets & Corporate Finance Advisory of the largest regional investment bank in Dubai, and a Financial Analyst at Merrill Lynch in New York.

Michael holds two B.Sc. degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Management Science from MIT and an MBA from Northwestern University.

Georgi Petrov | Principal Investment Officer | Vienna

Georgi has over 20 years of both investment and advisory experience with IFC.

At IFC, he was the Head of the PPP Transaction Advisory Department in Europe and Central Asia before joining the CFS team and provided infrastructure advisory services to governments on structuring and bidding out PPPs in power and renewables, water, waste management, roads, agribusiness, municipal services, and health.

Outside IFC, Georgi was a Manager at Barents Group, LLC in Washington, DC where he was responsible for the merchant banking business in Eastern Europe.

Georgi holds an MBA from Harvard University.

Bola Bamidele | Senior Investment Officer | Lagos

Bola has 27 years of finance, industry, and management consulting experience that spans 6 continents. At IFC, Bola executed project and corporate finance transactions across multiple sectors, acted as a country representative, and provided bespoke transaction and advisory services to help attract strategic investments to new markets and projects.

Outside IFC, Bola was a Cluster Director for AP Moller-Maersk Group and a Management Consultant for AT Kearney and Lloyd’s Register.

Bola holds an MBA from IMD in Switzerland, Master’s in Engineering and Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering from the University of Sheffield in the UK.

Joaquin Tebar Soto | Senior Investment Officer | Beijing

Joaquin joined IFC in 2012 to provide infrastructure advice covering Latin America.

In 2014, Joaquin relocated to Moscow to support CFS development in Europe and Asia. He has developed his career in the infrastructure sector with a focus on emerging markets as an advisor and principal investor. Joaquin also participated in IPOs, private placements, project finance and DCM transactions.

Outside IFC, Joaquin worked as a Director for MRIF, an infrastructure private equity fund in Moscow.

Bill Hong Zhao | Senior Advisor | Beijing

Bill has 24 years of experience in business management in the United States, Hong Kong and China, and as chairman, president, and CEO in finance, banking, real estate, telecom, transportation, energy, and consulting services. He had worked on multiple deals on the client side with IFC.

Outside IFC, he had worked for 12 years with the Ministry of Finance of China and the Chinese Executive Director’s office of the World Bank.

Bill holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Northeast University of Finance & Economics of China. He also took non-degree graduate courses at George Washington University.

Diederik Advocaat | Corporate Finance and Restructuring Expert | Washington, DC

Diederik has over 30 years of experience working with ABN AMRO Bank, as Director with KPMG US/UK and as a Principal with Central Europe Trust, a London based investment firm.

He has worked out of London in the emerging markets of CEE, Russia and CIS, and Africa in privatization, corporate finance advisory, M&A, PE and fundraising.

Diederik has experience in a wide range of sectors, including hospitality, building materials, confectionary/FMCG, breweries, pharmaceuticals, fertilizer, poultry, diaries, shipping, chemicals, retail/food distribution, and water and wastewater infrastructure.

Kazem Adnan Khandker | Investment Officer | Washington, DC

Adnan has over 9 years of experience in M&A advisory, project finance, and PPPs, across sectors such as energy, transport, health, education, and agribusiness in Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.

At IFC, Adnan works both on origination and execution of CFS mandates is the lead for CFS work in South Asia (excluding India).

Adnan holds an MBA from Georgetown University.

Gbenga Odunowo | Investment Officer | Lagos

Gbenga has over 12 years of international experience in the origination and execution of debt, quasi-equity, and equity transactions.

At IFC, he has done investment deals worth $700 million across Sub-Saharan Africa. He is knowledgeable in deal negotiation, structuring, portfolio, and exit management.

Outside IFC, he worked in private equity for four years at FBN Capital Limited (now FBN Quest), the investment banking and asset management arm of First Bank of Nigeria Plc.

Gbenga is a member of the Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA) Institute and holds an MBA from Warwick Business School in the UK.

Keiko Sato Fukumori | Associate Investment Officer | Washington, DC

Keiko has around 8 years of experience in project finance, PPPs, and other sectors.

At CFS, she works on transaction advisory, supporting clients expanding into new markets, and bringing in new strategic investors and expertise.

Outside IFC, Keiko worked in development and private sector. Stationed in Indonesia for 3 years, she supervised a $6-billion investment portfolio.

Keiko holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the University of Tokyo (with a program completed at Swarthmore College), a Master’s in Public Policy from the National Graduate Research Institute for Policy Studies, and an MBA from the University of Cambridge.

Mohib I Priyo | Associate Operations Officer | Washington, DC

Mohib has over 8 years of experience in transaction advisory, strategy and consulting, supporting clients expanding into new markets, and bringing in new strategic investors and expertise.

At IFC, he works on projects in infrastructure, energy, healthcare, agribusiness and service sectors in South Asia, Latin America and Africa.  

Outside IFC, Mohib co-founded and managed a boutique management consulting firm in Bangladesh.

Mohib holds an MBA from George Washington University and a BBA from University of Dhaka.

Yawen Wu | Investment Analyst | Washington, DC

Yawen has over 5 years of experience in corporate and investment banking.

At IFC, Yawen works on a broad array of business development, transaction execution, and internal approval processing activities for CFS projects.

Outside IFC, Yawen worked as an Investment Banking Analyst at ICBC International in Hong Kong where she advised companies on IPO, M&A, and debt issuance.

Yawen holds a Master’s in Public Administration from Columbia University. She is also a member of ACCA.

Olohuntobi ‘Lysette’ Josee Bide | Investment Analyst | Lagos

Lysette has over 5 years of experience in private equity and structured finance.

At IFC, Lysette supports business development and corporate finance transaction executions across multiple sectors.

Outside IFC, Lysette worked at the West African Development Bank and Emerging Capital Partners where she focused on acquisition due diligence and portfolio management, and helping raise a $600-million fund with investors based in Africa, Europe, and North America.

Lysette holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Business from Regent’s University in London and a Master’s in Accounting and Finance from the London School of Economics.

Carole Xueying Bai | Investment Analyst | Beijing

At IFC, Carole supports transaction execution for CFS projects, with experience in multiple sectors and regions.

Outside IFC, she worked at BNP Paribas in Beijing and coordinated product support for debt capital markets, global markets, loan capital markets, and treasury management. She interned at LAZARD in Beijing and worked in overseas financing projects in capital goods industries at HSBC in Paris.

Carole holds a Master’s in Management from ESSEC Business School in France and a dual Bachelor’s degree in French and Finance from Beijing Foreign Studies University. She is a CFA Charter holder.

Serik Sharipov | Consultant | Madrid

Serik is a project and corporate finance professional with over 10 years of experience in healthcare and social infrastructure, transport, energy, agribusiness, municipal services, mining, and banking.

At IFC, Serik has been working on PPP and Corporate Finance deals, helping develop new business and implement mandates in Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and Africa.

Outside IFC, he advises European technology ventures on fundraisings and merger & acquisition transactions.

Serik holds an MBA degree from the ESADE Business School in Barcelona and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics & Politics from the American University in Bulgaria.

Pedro Fernandes | Consultant | São Paulo

Pedro has over 9 years of experience in M&A advisory and Corporate Finance projects.

At IFC, Pedro supports CFS projects execution across multiple sectors in Latin America.

Outside IFC, Pedro was a partner in Dikaios M&A boutique and worked in the Investment Banking department at Haitong Bank, supporting Chinese companies expanding into Brazilian market.

Pedro holds a Bachelor's degree in Business from INSPER and is a CFA Charterholder.

Dami Olubanwo | Consultant | Lagos

Dami has over 9 years of experience in investment banking. At IFC, Dami supports business development and transaction execution of buy-and-sell side and M&A advisory projects in Africa.

Outside IFC, Dami worked as a transaction advisory consultant with Arup in London and provided financial advisory and technical and commercial due diligence services to support investments, acquisitions, PPPs, and concession schemes in transportation related projects in the UK, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East.

Dami holds a Master’s degree in Transportation Infrastructure Planning from University of Southern California and a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance from North Carolina State University.

Francisca Pinto | Consultant | Washington, DC

Francisca has over 5 years of experience in financial and investment analysis.

At IFC, Francisca works on company and market analysis, transaction marketing materials, investor outreach and negotiations, and due diligence reports.

Outside IFC, Francisca worked at Netcapital, HAITONG, and Banco Económico.

Francisca holds a Master's degree in Finance from Hult International Business School and a Bachelor's degree in Business from Nova School of Business and Economics.

Sophana So | Program Assistant | Washington, DC

Sophana joined IFC in 1999 and has worked with multiple investment and advisory teams.

At IFC, Sophana worked on donor events and was a focal point for project teams seeking donor funding. Since 2016, she has been supporting the CFS Portfolio and the Front Office.

Outside IFC, Sophana worked as a Chemical Analyzer at a health clinic in Fairfax, Virginia. She analyzed blood chemistry and prostate specific and carcinogen antigens.

She holds a Bachelor's degree in Biology from George Mason University.