IFC CEO, Lars Thunell meets with Ashesi faculty, students and alumni

On Tuesday, June 15th, Ashesi hosted World Bank Vice President and International Finance Corporation (IFC) CEO, Lars Thunell for an intimate conversation with students, alumni and faculty.  Dr. Thunell answered questions from students and alumni and discussed the IFC's policies in the wake of the recent environmental catastrophe in the United States.  He stated that the IFC tries to put policies in place that set a high standard for its partner organizations.

Dr. Thunell questioned students and alumni about their career choices and their perspectives on the state of Ghana's economy.  Alumni at Ashesi spoke about a variety of career avenues they had explored and their hope for future economic growth in Ghana.  

Dr. Thunell joined IFC in 2006, after a successful career in the financial services industry. Most recently he was the Chief Executive Officer of Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (SEB).  In the 1990s, Dr. Thunell served as the Chief Executive Officer of Trygg-Hansa Swedish insurance company and as Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Nordbanken. He was also President and Chief Executive Officer of Securum in Stockholm, the asset management company established by the Swedish Government to help solve the Swedish financial crises. He graduated with a doctorate from the University of Stockholm and was a research fellow at the Harvard University Center for International Affairs.

In early 2009, the IFC invested $2.5 million in Ashesi to enable us begin the construction of a permanent campus in Berekuso. In early 2009, the IFC invested $2.5 million in Ashesi to enable the university begin the construction of a permanent campus in Berekuso, a village approximately 15 miles north of Accra.