Nigeria: Okonjo-Iweala joins Gavi, Lazard

Former economy and finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been named chair of the board of the multilateral public/private Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (Gavi), founded by Bill and Melinda Gates, and has been appointed senior adviser to investment bank Lazard’s sovereign advice division. At Gavi, Okonjo-Iweala succeeds former Norwegian politician Dagfinn Høybråten; previous chairs include former Irish president Mary Robinson and Graca Machel. Outspoken and highly respected, Okonjo-Iweala was co-ordinating minister for the economy and minister of finance from 2011 until May 2015.