African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (AVCA) has appointed Kofo Sanusi as Chief Operating Officer (COO).

Sanusi joins AVCA from Founders Factory Africa (FFA), a venture development company investing in start-ups in sub-Saharan Africa.

As COO and Accelerator Director, she was responsible for overseeing the company's financial and operational activities, and leading investments and support to early-stage start-ups to scale across Africa.

Prior to joining FFA, Sanusi was COO at SPRING Accelerator, a 5-year programme that supported over 75 growth-oriented businesses across East Africa and South Asia.

Commenting on her appointment, Sanusi said: “Having spent many years supporting African businesses to grow and scale their operations, it is a privilege to continue serving the continent through my role as Chief Operating Officer at AVCA. There is no better time than now to invest in Africa, and I look forward to working with the AVCA Board, supporting the CEO, and leading the great team of people working hard to deliver on our strategic vision.”

Sanusi brings over a decade of experience in strategic business and operational planning, and financial management.

She has worked across Africa, the Middle East and Asia, supporting businesses across a broad range of sectors.

Abi Mustapha-Maduakor, AVCA CEO, said: “Kofo is the right person to support the Association as we implement the strategic vision and continue to deliver value for our members. She brings an exceptional track record of providing strategic, operational, and financial management for various businesses across Africa. Her in-depth knowledge and experience in the early-stage ecosystem in Africa will be an asset as we look to broaden the Association’s reach across the private investment industry in Africa.”