Audrey Abakah
Board of Director
Professional Profile Summary
Audrey Abakah has rich experience in the financial services industry with over 17 years working relationship with Barclays Bank now Absa and currently the Head of SME, Agency banking and Partnership. She has over the years developed the expertise to transform non-performing and functional units within a shorter period of time.
Her leadership in recent times has transformed and expanded Absa’s SME banking Unit into a thriving and award-winning business, delivering outstanding business performance. Prior to her current role, she served as the Head of Service Excellence and was a member of the country management team for 4 years. She has led at senior level for over 14 years.
She has pioneered various initiatives in the bank including:
- Absa/Young Africa Works program in partnership with MasterCard Foundation
- Absa Emerge proposition, a women banking initiative to drive financial inclusion agenda.
- Conceptualize and led the process to launch the Absa InspireME women conference which has been adopted by Absa group and organized annually.
- EmboldenHER program, a women development initiative to build and prepare women for senior leadership roles.
She is a multiple award winner and has recently been recognized as one of the top 10 women in banking to watch in Africa by the Angaza Awards 2023 in Kigali. She was awarded the Women Empowerment leader for the year 2022 by Sustainability and Social investment Award. She has received 2 citations as the best SME personality of the year 2021 and Financial inclusion personality of the year 2021 at the 8th edition of the Women in Banking and Finance award. She is also a recipient of the prestigious Excellence in Corporate Leadership Award 2021 at the SHE Awards in Dubai by Ladies in Business Magazine global. She was recently listed amongst the top 50 African women who are making impact in the workplace and the Corporate world by Leading Ladies Africa.
She is a Board Member of Rehoboth Foundation, an international organization that provides strategic leadership development services within the church and corporate establishments. She is the president of the Absa Women Network Forum, a diversity and inclusion initiative in the bank and is responsible for women’s career advancement.
Was a jury member of Africa Gender Mainstream Award 2021. Was a jury member of the Strive Masiyiwa Gogettez award 2019
She is a Chartered marketer from CIM UK, A degree holder from University of Ghana, A fellow of UCLA/Santander W50 2017 Cohort.