The fund is the first edtech fund in Africa and a specialized fund of Future Africa, one of the most exciting and successful early-stage investors from the continent. With a belief that Africa’s greatest challenges are also global business opportunities, Future Africa brings a track record of having built two of Africa’s most successful technology companies that bear out this vision – Flutterwave and Andela.

Alongside, Julia serves as a Non-Executive Director at Akili Network, a fast-growing digital broadcast channel offering high-quality educational content to millions of children in Kenya. She is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Education Design Lab in Washington DC which designs new models of post-secondary education towards the future of work. And she is on the Advisory Boards of Roadtrip Nation, a leading US career development platform used by over 60 million young people, and Zinc.org, an incubator/accelerator dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs solving some of today’s toughest social challenges. Julia has served as a Jury Member of the World Innovation Summit on Education (WISE) Awards and is on the Future of Work Africa 2021 Advisory Board hosted by Village Capital.

Julia brings over twenty years of strategy, innovation and communications experience in helping public and private organizations in the US, UK and Africa achieve important growth, positioning and impact goals. Roles include: Director of Innovation, Equity Bank Group (East Africa); Non-Executive Director, Burberry Foundation (London); Director of Strategy, BBC World Service Trust (London); Managing Director and Chief Strategic Officer, Markle Foundation (New York), Vice President, Strategic Communications, NBC News (New York) and Director of Strategic Planning, The White House (Washington DC).

He was a guest lecturer, and taught degree and non-degree programs for Middlesex University, Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern University), Maastricht School of Management, Claremont Graduate University, the Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania), Carlton University, University of Ottawa and McMaster University. Kamel holds a PhD in information systems from London School of Economics and Political Science. He is also an Eisenhower Fellow and a Center for Global Enterprise Fellow. He is a member of the AACSB International Middle East Advisory Council and Eduniversal International Scientific Committee. He was a member of the World Bank Knowledge Advisory Commission and founding member of the Internet Society of Egypt.

His career spans two decades working with founders to re-engineer, restructure, and rethink strategy to accelerate growth and effectively address new competitive realities. As a successful change lever, Lou’s deep experience has resulted in effective transitions with business leaders faced with making meaningful changes their growth opportunity enterprises.

Driek has worked in Europe, the US, Africa and Asia, where he spent 5 years running McKinsey’s Business Technology Office for the region. Driek’s deep interest is in forward thinking on where the world is going as a result of technological change. He studied in Belgium, France and the US, after which he worked at Procter & Gamble in marketing for a few years, getting to understand how we as humans really make decisions.

A chartered accountant by profession, ‘Oby’ Ezekwesili first served the Nigerian government as Head of the Budget Monitoring and Price Intelligence Unit, where she led reforms to public procurement. She was appointed Minister of Solid Minerals in 2005 and chaired the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. In 2006 she became Minister of Education, until taking up her World Bank post in 2007. Prior to working for the Government of Nigeria, Dr Ezekwesili was at the Center for International Development at Harvard University. Having co-founded the anti-corruption organisation Transparency International, she directed its work in Africa. She is also a Senior Economic Advisor to Open Society, which aims to build vibrant and tolerant societies with democratically accountable governments. Dr Ezekwesili holds a Master’s degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos, and a Master’s in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. She was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree by the University of Agriculture in Abeokuta in 2012.

Fadl became an entrepreneur at 18, and has accumulated 17 years’ experience founding digital marketing and SaaS startups, leading award winning digital engagement and digital transformation projects. Cumulatively, his startups have raised over $15 million in growth capital and employ more than 500 people globally. Under News Group International, he launched and grew SOCIALEYEZ from two to more than 120 people globally. He has worked with Fortune 500s, global consumer brands such as Starbucks, and governments in the US, Europe and MENA regions. Fadl has lived in Cairo, Paris, Washington DC, Dubai and London. He holds a BBA from the American University in Cairo and management degrees from George Washington and Middlesex Universities.

Phil was previously the Chief Solutions Officer at Analytikus. Learning analytics, eLearning, and emerging tech are his passion.

She is currently the Chief Human Resources Officer at Sterling Bank Plc, where she is responsible for building a competent, dynamic, and agile workforce, well equipped for meeting the demands of the rapidly changing workplace today. She coordinates a team of Human Capital experts in re-imagining leadership and talent practices to create a truly humane work environment in the digital age, fueling Sterling Bank’s differentiation in the market and ability to improve the way sterling employees work and integrate

Saxberg most recently served as Chief Learning Officer at Kaplan, Inc. where he was responsible for the research and application of innovative evidence-based learning strategies, technologies, and products across Kaplan’s full range of educational services offerings. He also worked to maintain consistent learning standards for Kaplan’s products and services.

Prior to joining Shortlist, Uday served as an experts leader at Egon Zehnder, one of the world's largest executive search firms. In this role, they led a team of 90 sector experts with responsibility for resourcing, budgeting, strategic planning, talent acquisition and retention, performance management, and career development.

Before their time at Egon Zehnder, Uday served as a senior associate at Korn Ferry and as a principal at Hunt Partners. Uday began their career as an intern at Life Project 4 Youth in the Philippines.

Marco has a strong focus on the digital transformation of business and helping people to deal with the changes this brings about. Marco's career includes working internationally with different business cultures and methods, having lived many years in several countries, being fluent in English, German and French. Worked with exiting start-up's as well as with long established businesses. International missions as interim manager and board member. Having coached, taught and advised leaders and managers at national and multi-national organizations in profit and not for profit sectors.

Robert is known for integrity, strategic advice, innovative approaches to problem-solving and forging partnerships, building highly effective teams, mentorship, and the ability to connect people around the globe.