Africa50 Appoints Djalal Khimdjee as new CEO, Principal Investment Fund

Africa50, the pan-African infrastructure investment platform, has appointed Djalal Khimdjee as Chief Executive Officer of its Africa50 Principal Investment Fund (formerly Africa50 Project Finance), effective 1 August 2026.

The appointment reinforces Africa50’s strategy to expand its infrastructure investment platform, mobilise institutional capital, and accelerate the delivery of transformative projects that drive sustainable economic growth across Africa.

Khimdjee brings more than 25 years of experience in infrastructure investment, executive leadership and development finance. In his new role, he will lead the Principal Investment Fund’s next phase of growth, focusing on disciplined investments that generate long-term financial returns while supporting infrastructure development across the continent.

Commenting on the appointment, Alain Ebobissé, Group Chief Executive Officer of Africa50, described Khimdjee as an accomplished investment leader with extensive experience mobilising capital for infrastructure projects across Africa and other emerging markets.

“Khimdjee brings an exceptional combination of investment expertise, strategic vision, and extensive experience mobilising capital for infrastructure across Africa and emerging markets,” Ebobissé said.

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He added that the appointment reflects Africa50’s ambition to deepen partnerships with institutional investors and expand investments in infrastructure that enhance Africa’s competitiveness, resilience and long-term economic transformation.

Khimdjee joins Africa50 from Proparco, the private sector financing arm of the French Development Agency Group (AFD), where he served as Deputy Chief Executive Officer. During his eight-year tenure, he played a key role in driving the institution’s strategic growth, helping increase annual investments from €1.4 billion to €2.5 billion, while expanding assets under management from €5 billion to €7.5 billion.

Prior to Proparco, he held senior leadership and investment positions within the AFD Group and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), building more than two decades of experience financing infrastructure and private sector development projects across Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America.

Speaking on his appointment, Khimdjee described Africa’s infrastructure deficit as one of the continent’s greatest challenges and one of its most significant investment opportunities, particularly as Africa’s population is projected to account for nearly 40 per cent of the global population by the end of the century.

“I am delighted to join Africa50 at this important stage of its growth and look forward to working with the team, shareholders, partners and investors to accelerate the delivery of transformative infrastructure projects that generate long-term impact across the continent,” he said.

The leadership appointment comes as Africa50 continues to strengthen its position as one of Africa’s leading infrastructure investors, developing and financing projects that address the continent’s infrastructure gap while attracting long-term institutional investment into strategic sectors.