Damali Ssali new Chief Programmes officer, PSFU

Damali Ssali has been appointed the new Chief Programmes Officer at Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU). She will be reporting to the Chief Executive Officer.

Ssali is in charge of the Programme Management Unit (PMU) which is responsible for the identification and design of new programmes and project, fundraising, program management and measurement and tracking of results and outcomes.

Damali joins PSFU with a wealth of experience spanning over 20 years with over 15 years in senior management roles. She is an Afro-optimist with a natural interest in financial services, trade, business, innovation, and entrepreneurship. She is also Ugandan Ambassador to the United Nations Women Entrepreneurship Day Organisation, an Advisory Board Member of the African Council for Trade, Tourism, and Investment (AfCOTTI) and a member of the Africa List.

Her career journey started off in the United Kingdom, as a professionally trained chartered accountant, a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountant, and a career peak was as a Finance Director in the finanial services industry, in the City of London, working with one of the world’s largest hedge funds.

In 2013, she relocated back to Uganda and transitioned her career into trade development. This was after obtaining a Master’s in Business Administration, from France’s Grenoble Graduate Business School, with a specialisation in Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Technology Management. Also, she recently completed an Executive Leadership Programme with Harvard Business School.

As an in integral member of the fintech network in Uganda she is engaged regularly to provide her expertise and input on financial services, trade, and policy aspects in fintech. She has engaged with the Ugandan fintech community for the last three years.

Over the last eight years since January 2013, she has worked with TradeMark East Africa (TMEA) and during this period, working with the Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives supported the Ratification of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the Ratification of the World Trade Organisation Trade Facilitation Agreement and the Bilateral Trade Agreement between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Also, working with the Ministry of Works and Transport, she supported the delivery of the Cross Border Trade Facilitation Infrastructure portfolio of five One Stop Border Posts (OSBPs) including Malaba OSBP, Busia OSBP, Mutukula OSBP, Mirama Hills OSBP and Elegu OSBP and on commenced the construction of the Gulu Logistics Hub and the two border posts with the Democratic republic of Congo, Ntoroko Lake Port and Goli OSBP.

At Uganda Revenue Authority, she supported the delivery of the Uganda Electronic Single Window and the Regional Electronic Cargo Tracking System to enable the automation of trade process and ease the movement of cargo on the Northern Corridor from Mombasa Port and the Central Corridor from the Dar Port.

Damali is a lover of nature, Ugandan coffee, photography, and she is also an author/writer. She is also the Founder of the Ideation Corner which is a social impact fund that seeks a Uganda where innovative young entrepreneurs, especially women, have access capital to scale their businesses.

“As PSFU family, we are glad to have you join our team Damalie and we look forward to learning and benefiting from the vast experience and skill set that you possess,” PSFU says in a statement.