The African Development Bank Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Ismaila Dieng as Director of Communications and External Relations, effective 1st September 2016. He will join the Senior Management Team of the Bank.

Ismaila Dieng, a Senegalese national, joins the Bank from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), where he is currently working as Africa Team Leader in the Communications Department.

He holds a Master's Degree in Journalism from the Graduate School of Journalism of Columbia University, USA, and a Bachelor's degree from the University of Dakar, Senegal. He was a Knight-Bagehot Fellow in Business and Economics Journalism at Columbia University and a Reuters Fellow at Green Oxford.

Ismaila Dieng started his career as a business journalist, working for Sud Quotidien, Le Journal de l'Economie and Marchés Tropicaux. He also led Oxfam Great Britain's media work in West and Central Africa. In this position, he worked on high-profile global campaigns such as the humanitarian crisis in Darfur and Eastern Chad, the Food and Fuel Crisis, the adoption of the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms, as well as numerous development projects

He joined the International Monetary Fund in 2009 as Press Officer. Over the years, he has led several high-stakes communication campaigns on numerous country and policy issues, including the reform of IMF facilities for low-income countries, the 2014 Africa Rising Conference, and the Ebola crisis.

AfDB Brings On Talent to Help Deliver the 'High 5s'

During his dialogue with the African Development Bank (AfDB)'s Governors in June, AfDB president Akinwumi Adesina announced that the Bank was "retooling" itself. "We are hiring top notch staff... We are trying to get the sharpest minds that we can get to the bank so that we can deliver on the High 5s" Fulfilling that promise, AfDB recently announced a series of new appointments. More about the AfDB in this BRIEFING. 

Dieng has also worked with several other departments within the Fund, including the Research Department where he led media work on the World Economic Outlook, and the Asia-Pacific Department. Most recently, he served as the Senior Editor and Online Editor for Finance and Development, the Fund's flagship magazine.

Ismaila Dieng spoke on his appointment: "This is an exciting time at the African Development Bank with its new focus on the High Five areas to help transform Africa - especially to light up and power Africa, feed Africa, industrialize Africa, integrate Africa and improve the quality of life for the people of Africa. I look forward to being part of the team to help deliver on these top priorities for Africa".

Commenting on the appointment, the President of the African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, said: "It's great to have Ismaila Dieng join the African Development Bank. Ismaila's extensive experience in managing communications and public affairs and engaging networks of African and global media and multiple stakeholders will be highly valuable to the Bank".