The directors of US Exim Bank have named two new members to its Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee. The committee, established once again by act of Congress in its 2006 reauthorisation of Exim, provides expert guidance to the bank in developing policies to strengthen bank support of US exports to Africa.

Chairing the committee this year will be Willene Johnson, a development economist with experience in Africa and Latin America who serves as a member of the United Nations Committee for Development Policy and is an adjunct member of the faculty of Cornell University in the department of applied economics and management. Johnson previously was with the Federal Reserve System.

Newly appointed members are: Mark Chiaviello, a director at Standard Bank, Africa’s largest financial institution, with the responsibility of promoting foreign direct investment, trading relationships and donor flows from the US to Africa; and Julian Lighton, vice-president of strategy and business development organisation for Cisco Systems” emerging markets in San Jose, California.

The other committee members are:  Patrick Baumann, corporate treasury director, Harris Corporation, Melbourne, Florida.;  Patricia Desvergers, vice-president and CEO of Global Trading International, Washington, DC;  Dennis Dubois, senior vice president and director of international trade banking, global solutions group, Sovereign Bank, Boston, Massachusetts; Franklin Kennedy, director, Equator Management Services, Avon, Connecticut;  Kanu Obioha, vice-president of policy and planning for Bluefield Associates, Ontario, California; Barry Worthington, executive director of the US Energy Association, Washington, DC; and Gerald Zadikoff, CEO of GM Selby & Associates, Miami, Florida.