UGOCHUKWU IHEJIRIKA

Established the enterprise-wide risk management framework and chaired the Board Audit, Risk & Compliance Committee to embed risk governance across a climate finance platform. Designed the Green Climate Fund (GCF) accreditation architecture and built AML/CFT, KYC/KYB, enhanced due diligence, and sanctions screening and compliance investigations.

Provided fundraising and grant compliance support, and participated in audit, finance & risk management and ESG oversight. Also supported project monitoring and evaluation at board level.

Co-founded and chairs a conservation non-profit focused on nature-based environmental sustainability, education, and human-capital development. Coordinates a multidisciplinary board and leads gender, women-empowerment, and rural-farmer training programmes while advising businesses on ESG safeguards and compliance.

Chaired the Global Funding Committee to direct fundraising strategy, grant compliance, and portfolio risk management across an international grant portfolio. Led project monitoring and evaluation, audit and finance oversight, and ESG governance at board level.

Governed fundraising, financial reporting and analysis, and compliance with international funding guidelines. Conducted regional and global risk reviews, ESG and climate-policy development, and portfolio risk assessments.

Designed, implemented, and oversaw the bank’s enterprise risk framework and risk-based monitoring programmes, partnering with the Executive Director of Risk. Built enterprise-wide and product-level AML/CFT policies, risk assessments and country-risk ratings, and supported KYC/EDD, sanctions exposure, and ESG/climate risk policies and investigations.

Directed internal controls and AML/CFT monitoring across clusters to mitigate money-laundering and fraud risk, aligned to regulatory developments. Managed portfolio valuation and credit risk, FP&A, and risk-based due diligence including ESG/carbon-regulation compliance investigations.

Assessed IT, compliance, and business-process risk and performed FP&A and balance-sheet reviews, regulatory renditions, and GL reconciliation. Developed ESG compliance methodologies, investigated fraud, and conducted KYC/KYB/EDD on new investments.

Served as a lecturer during national service at the National Paramilitary Service.

Led business development, credit underwriting, and investment due diligence across financing and investment opportunities. Managed high-risk, politically-exposed, NGO, and multilateral-organisation accounts using financial modelling, valuation, and portfolio-risk assessment.

Ph.D. candidate in Public Policy & Public Relations with a specialization in AI Risk & Governance.

Ph.D. studies in International Development Studies, awaiting final oral defense.

M.Sc. in International Relations & Strategic Studies.

Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE).

M.Sc. in Development Studies.

Certificate in Climate & Disaster Risk Finance and Insurance (CDRFI).

B.Sc. (Hons) in Economics.