African Development Bank appoints Jean-Hubert Bayala as Acting Director for General Services and Procurement

The African Development Bank Group has appointed Jean-Hubert Bayala, a national of Burkina Faso, as Acting Director for its General Services and Procurement department. The appointment took effect on 1 March 2023.

Bayala has over 30 years of progressive professional, technical, and managerial experience that includes supporting core Bank Group business operations and financial activities.

Before his appointment, Bayala led the bank’s Business Continuity Unit, which oversees its capability to respond to threats and risks with the potential to disrupt operations. Since assuming that position in 2010, Mr. Bayala has developed, implemented, and managed business continuity, including operations and services.

Mr. Bayala has previously served as Acting Director of the General Services and Procurement department from February 2020 to April 2022. From May 2007 to December 2009, Mr. Bayala was a risk and business continuity planning officer at the World Bank Group, where he worked on security, risk, and emergency management issues.

In an earlier stint with the African Development Bank, before he joined the World Bank Group, Bayala served as team leader for the Information Technology Security and Business Continuity Plan. He was also a member of the Management Committee of the Information Technology department.

During this period—from 1992 through 2007—he played a lead role in developing and deploying the business continuity plan that paved the way for the Bank’s relocation in 2003 from Cote d’Ivoire to Tunisia and its subsequent return to the former country in 2014.

Bayala holds a master’s degree in Electronics Engineering from l’Institut National Supérieur de l’Enseignement Technique, INP- HB Côte d’Ivoire. He also holds certificates in Leadership and Management Development from Cranfield School of Management in the UK and Persuasive Leadership Development from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School (USA).

Commenting on his appointment, Bayala said: “I accept the appointment with humility and commitment to deliver on the Bank’s noble mandate. I would like to thank President Adesina for the trust he always places in me, and will do my best to lead the team to deliver in the interim period.”

Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group, said: “I am pleased to appoint Mr. Jean-Hubert Bayala as Acting Director of the General Services and Procurement department. Mr. Bayala is a respected professional and will lead and provide strategic direction to the team, ensuring that there is adequate management of the Bank’s administrative affairs, effective and efficient management of the Bank’s real estate portfolio, and optimization of the Bank’s institutional procurement.”