Robert Zegers 2018 Speaker

Chief Investment Officer/Venture Capital Coordinator

African Development Bank, All Africa

Biography

Robert Zegers is chief investment officer and coordinator of Venture Capital activities at the AfDB’s financial sector development department. He leads the AfDB’s Africa SME Program and related activities to support SMEs and is currently in charge of the Bank’s activities to promote early stage high growth SME entrepreneurs through Venture Capital and the strengthening of the related entrepreneurship ecosystem. In general, he engages in initiatives and projects focusing on enhancing access to finance and promoting inclusive growth. He holds a Masters in economics and MBA from the University of Maastricht, the Netherlands. Prior to joining the Bank in 2005, he worked as Chief Technical Adviser with the ILO operating regional entrepreneurship development programmes in Africa and the Pacific, and worked with Deloitte & Touche where he managed a department of consultants providing advisory services to mid- and small-cap businesses. He started his career with the World Health Organisation in health care privatization and as associate researcher and lecturer with the university.