Seasoned and multi-award-winning journalist Isha Sesay has covered global events and major breaking news for nearly two decades, with a special interest in stories of social injustice and their impact on women and girls.

In 2021, Sesay was announced as the new CEO of Okayplayer and Okayafrica — digital platforms committed to elevating Black culture and amplifying Black voices. She also leads their newly created production arm, SPKN/WRD, which is bringing fresh perspectives to the forefront across films, documentaries, television, podcasting and publishing.

Sesay worked as a journalist in the UK for the BBC, Sky and ITN before joining CNN International, where she quickly became a viewer favourite. Her impressive roster of interviews spans Nobel Prize laureates, global political leaders from across Europe and Africa, and a host of newsmakers including Michelle Obama, Bill and Melinda Gates, David Beckham, Nancy Pelosi, Bono, Alicia Keys, Hugh Jackman and Matt Damon.

Reporting from Nigeria in 2014, Sesay led the CNN team that covered the kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls in north-eastern Nigeria. The network's in-depth reporting was recognised with a Peabody Award.

Her first book, Beneath the Tamarind Tree: A Story of Courage, Family, and the Lost Schoolgirls of Boko Haram (Dey Street Books), is the first definitive account of the Nigerian schoolgirls' kidnapping. It was published to rave reviews in July 2019 and released in paperback in April 2020.

Ing. Sufian-Kargbo joined Sierra Rutile Limited in October 2024 as Acting Chief Executive Officer and was appointed substantive Chief Executive Officer in April 2025. With over 25 years of progressive experience, he is a seasoned executive adept at planning and directing all aspects of operations in the engineering and mining industries across the United Kingdom and Sierra Leone.

He has consistently held leadership roles on-site and within corporate management teams, demonstrating a strong track record of executing complex corporate and project-level objectives, including the successful delivery of multi-million-dollar initiatives. As founding Director and Managing Director of Centurion Engineering Limited, he drove substantial growth, fostering a culture of safety, efficiency, managed expansion and corporate compliance.

Ing. Sufian-Kargbo is a Chartered Engineer and Chartered Builder, holding a BEng in Civil Engineering from Queen Mary University of London and an Executive MBA from Quantic School of Business and Technology.

Hussine Yilla is Sierra Rutile's External Affairs Manager, responsible for government, stakeholder and public relations, corporate communications, reputational and issues management, and oversees implementation of the company's Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability objectives.

Prior to joining Sierra Rutile, she was Deputy Country Manager for Marampa Mines Limited, a large-scale iron ore mining company also operating in Sierra Leone. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from the mining industry, having worked at the World Bank as an Extractives Sector Specialist before becoming Country Operations Officer for the World Bank Sierra Leone office.

She spent the earlier part of her career in Aberdeen, Scotland, providing business development support to UK Oil & Gas companies operating in key hydrocarbon markets in Sub-Saharan Africa. Hussine holds a Bachelor of Laws (with honours) from the University of Liverpool and an MBA in International Business from Coventry University.

Ndeye is a policy practitioner and project manager leading the development and implementation of major infrastructure projects in Sierra Leone. She has previously supported the Sierra Leone Presidency as a policy analyst on agriculture and education, following which she became the Chief Executive Officer for Sierra Leone's $44 million Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Energy and Water Threshold Program — successfully completed in 2021. She was instrumental in the development of the subsequent MCC Compact, including advising the government of Sierra Leone on policies and actions to meet the MCC eligibility criteria in the areas of good governance, economic freedom and investing in people.

Ndeye is now leading the implementation of the USD 480 Million MCC Energy Compact, the largest single donor grant investment in the energy sector. She also recently led the development of Sierra Leone's Mission 300 Energy Compact, which was endorsed in September 2025.

Additionally, Ndeye is a member of the Board of Seed Global Health, a non-profit organisation at the cutting edge of evidence-based human resource transformation in select developing countries. She also serves on the Boards of Vista Bank Sierra Leone, one of the leading commercial banks in Sierra Leone, and Vista Insurance Sierra Leone.

She holds a Master's degree in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School, Tufts University and a Bachelor's degree with highest honours in Political Science and International Relations from the University of California. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, the most prestigious honour society in the United States. In Sierra Leone, Ndeye is part of the Ma Dengn Association and has served in several executive positions supporting the organisation's efforts to curate Sierra Leonean cultural experiences in music, food, arts and crafts, fashion and literature — promoting tourism and the preservation of indigenous art forms.

Karim Nasser is the Chief Executive Officer of TCQ Power Ltd. A civil engineer trained at the American University of Beirut (2000), he brings over 20 years of experience in energy infrastructure, project finance, and government policy reform — primarily across emerging markets in West Africa and the Middle East.

As CEO of TCQ Power since 2011, his standout achievement is the financial close of the WAPGP/Nant project in Sierra Leone, raising $417 million from major development banks including DFC, EBID, IFC, FMO, BII and EAIF — a remarkable feat in a country with a $3 billion economy. He pioneered the Liquidity Reserve Account, a financial instrument that replaced the Partial Risk Guarantee, and led the creation of Sierra Leone's first sector collection account, a reform now being adopted in Lebanon.

His flagship projects include the 145MW CECA SL Gas-to-Power plant, the 26MWp Newton Solar Project in Sierra Leone, and a 15MWp solar project in Lebanon, where he also sits on the four-person negotiation team for the country's Phase 1 Solar Farm Tender. He currently advises CTC Mining (since 2022), where he helped negotiate Sierra Leone's largest bauxite mining operation and a bulk mineral port terminal built in just six months, and Petrodex Trading (since 2023), which has become Southern Africa's largest energy trader at 300+ MW per hour through cross-border deals between Zambia and Mozambique.

Earlier in his career, he was Projects Director and Partner at Taahud General Contracting (2007–2011), managing projects such as Abu Dhabi's Falcon Eye CCTV network and Sky Gardens Tower. Before that, at Target Engineering (2001–2007), he held procurement and project management roles on major UAE infrastructure including the Ritz-Carlton DIFC, a 30MGD desalination plant for DEWA, and the Abu Dhabi–Taweelah overhead line project involving 100 artificial islands.

His expertise spans energy project development and financing, public-private partnerships, regulatory negotiations, and risk mitigation in emerging markets. He is a member of the Sierra Leone Renewable Energy Council and the Lebanese Foundation for Renewable Energy.

Ms. Fatima Mahawa Sandi currently serves as the Deputy Executive Director of the National Investment Board in Sierra Leone, leading the nation's strategic initiatives to foster economic growth by attracting critical foreign and domestic investments through reform packages and policy shifts.

With over a decade in the Sierra Leonean public sector, she played a pivotal role in the Project Fiduciary Management Unit at the Ministry of Finance. Her contributions spanned financing, procurement, and adept management of investment portfolios for reputable international financial institutions and donors, including the World Bank, DFID, ADB and IDB.

She holds a BA in Economics from Hofstra University and an MSc in Procurement, Logistics and Supply Chain Management from Salford University.

Aminata Kamara is the visionary Founder and CEO of Amikam Consulting, a corporate governance, people and policy, and ESG advisory firm. With over 18 years of executive-level C-suite experience in corporate governance, organisational development, human capital management and corporate affairs across the UK and Sierra Leone, Ms. Kamara is a trusted expert on aligning corporate structures, policies and processes with national and international benchmarks.

Her executive tenure includes over a decade in Sierra Leone's mining industry, where she served in key roles such as Vice President for Corporate Affairs at Marampa Mines Limited, Corporate Affairs and Government Relations Director and Director of Human Resources and Corporate Affairs at Sierra Rutile Limited. She was also the Executive Director of Human Resources and Corporate Affairs at the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank. In these positions, she was instrumental in managing corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and leading critical crisis and stakeholder management strategies.

Ms. Kamara holds a Master of Arts degree in Human Resources Management and Employment Studies from North London University. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (FCIPD) and a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership (FIL).

Ms. Kamara serves as Board Chair of Bloom Bank Africa Sierra Leone and as a Board Member of the Employer Federation of Sierra Leone. She is also a Co-Founder and Board Member of the AA Kamara Foundation, dedicated to supporting women and girls' empowerment through education and entrepreneurship.

Habiba Wurie-Assamany is the Founder of Fadul Development Solutions, a boutique strategy and management consulting firm specialising in solving systemic development challenges. As a sustainable development practitioner and governance expert, Habiba has over 15 years of experience in public sector reform and innovative financing across Africa and the Caribbean.

Her extensive leadership background includes serving as Country Director for Crown Agents, where she oversaw strategic portfolios in fiscal management, institutional strengthening and supply chain monitoring. More recently, she served as a Business Environment Reform Expert for Invest Salone, where she designed a targeted investment scheme to attract investment from Development Finance Institutions to select sectors in Sierra Leone. Habiba has demonstrated a strong ability to facilitate complex multi-stakeholder collaborations and consistently deliver sustainable solutions that align private-public sector interests with national economic growth.

Habiba holds an MA in International Law with a specialised focus on natural resources management, providing her with a sophisticated understanding of the legal frameworks governing extractive industries.

Sebastian Ashong-Katai has been the Managing Director and CEO of Ecobank Sierra Leone since September 2023. During this period, the bank has grown to become the country's largest lender, growing foreign investment by leveraging DFI partnerships and the Ecobank Group network. This includes executing landmark transactions across the mining, agriculture, logistics and other growth sectors of the economy.

Sebastian champions innovation and financial inclusion, partnering with fintechs and leveraging emerging technologies such as blockchain, AI, and APIs to improve financial services and drive sustainable economic impact.

Beyond his professional achievements, he is committed to community and youth development. He has led the bank to support several initiatives including cybersecurity bootcamps and training, as well as seed funding for cocoa farmers. His efforts have strengthened stakeholder engagement and earned the bank national recognition, including the National Climate Motivational Award (2025).

Prior to working in Sierra Leone, Sebastian had been in the banking sector for 25 years, including 15 years within the Ecobank Group, driving global partnerships with financial institutions and the development sector within the Corporate & Investment Banking space. He worked with the Standard Bank of South Africa, as well as Citibank and Standard Chartered Bank, supporting governments and corporates across East, West and Southern Africa over the years as an investment banker.

Sebastian holds a B.A. in Economics & Accounting from the University of Ghana and an MSc in Shipping, Trade & Finance from the Sir Costas Grammenos International Centre for Shipping, Trade & Finance at Bayes Business School, City St. Georges University, London. He is married with two children.

Mr. Sulaiman Kabba Koroma Esq. COR is a leading legal practitioner in Sierra Leone with 23 years of experience. He holds the qualifications LLB (Hons), BL, and LLM (QMUL), and serves as a Barrister at Law and Solicitor of the High Court of Sierra Leone, as well as a Commissioner for Oaths and Notary Public.

He brings vast experience in governance and the public sector, having served as Chairman of the National Commission for Privatization and the National Revenue Authority of Sierra Leone.

Mr. Koroma holds an LLM in Comparative and International Dispute Resolution from the prestigious School of International Arbitration at Queen Mary University of London. He also holds a Diploma in International Arbitration from the Africa Arbitration Academy (London) and a certificate in Public Private Partnership from APMG.

He is currently the Chairman of the Sierra Leone Arbitration Steering Committee and a Private Legal Practitioner based in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

A distinguished traditional ruler, statesman, and conservationist, Paramount Chief Sheku Amadu Tejan Fasuluku-Sonsiama III has spent nearly four decades in public service, blending traditional authority with modern governance and a deep commitment to Sierra Leone's natural heritage.

Since 2017, he has served as National Chairman of the National Council of Paramount Chiefs of Sierra Leone — the apex body of traditional leadership in the country — where he represents the collective voice of paramount chiefs on matters of governance, culture, and national development. He has been Paramount Chief of Sandor Chiefdom in Kono District since 2005, and previously served as Regional Chairman of the Council of Paramount Chiefs for the Eastern Region, covering 44 chiefdoms across Kono, Kenema, and Kailahun.

His influence extends across some of Sierra Leone's most consequential institutions. Chief Fasuluku-Sonsiama currently sits on the Minerals Advisory Board, the National Lands Commission, and the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion — bodies shaping the country's stewardship of natural resources, land governance, and post-conflict reconciliation. From 2012 to 2017, he served as an Honourable Member of Parliament representing the Paramount Chiefs of Kono District.

Before ascending to the chieftaincy, he built a respected career in forestry and conservation. Holding an M.Sc. in Forestry from Sokoine University of Agriculture in Tanzania and a B.Sc. in Agriculture from Njala University College, he served as Regional Forestry Officer for the Eastern Region and as Coordinator of the Gola Rainforest Conservation Programme — a landmark initiative jointly funded by British Aid, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the Government of Sierra Leone, and the Conservation Society of Sierra Leone, combining forest conservation, community development, and conservation education across chiefdoms in the Eastern and Southern Provinces.

He has lectured in Wildlife Conservation and Management at Njala University College and at the Eastern Polytechnic in Kenema, and previously chaired the Board of Governors of Yomandu High School in Sandor Chiefdom. Fluent in Kono, Krio, English, and Kiswahili, Paramount Chief Fasuluku-Sonsiama III continues to be one of the most respected voices bridging tradition and modern statecraft in Sierra Leone today.