BII appoints new Africa head

British International Investment (BII), the UK’s development finance institution (DFI) and impact investor, has announced the appointment of Chris Chijiutomi as MD, Head of Africa. Moving on from his previous role at BII as MD and Head of Infrastructure Equity, Chijiutomi will now lead the DFI’s operations in Africa and work to further strengthen its longstanding presence across the continent.

Chijiutomi joined BII in 2017 as Investment Director in the Infrastructure Equity team before going on to head the business and was promoted in 2022 as an MD. He led some of BII’s landmark infrastructure investments, most notably overseeing BII’s joint venture with DP World; supporting the expansion and modernisation of ports and inland logistics in Africa, to accelerate the continent’s potential in becoming a global trading powerhouse. He also sits on the board of key BII investments including Globeleq, a key player in unlocking Africa’s renewable potential and Gridworks, a development company he helped set up, that invests in Africa’s electricity transmission and distribution networks.

Prior to joining BII, Chijiutomi was a founding partner of a West Africa-focused Infra Fund based in Nigeria, where he oversaw investments in projects across the energy, water, wastewater, and transport sectors.

Commenting on his new role, Chris Chijiutomi said, “I am delighted to take on this new opportunity as BII’s MD, Head of Africa, during this critical time as the continent is facing serious economic challenges exacerbated by global economic shocks, climate change, and rising inflation. I am keen to collaborate and work closely with our private sector partners and financial institutions to navigate the current challenges and increase investment to back the growth of African economies and industries.”