Afua Kyei, the finance chief of the Bank of England, has been named the UK’s most influential black person. The 43-year-old, who was appointed by Mark Carney, the bank’s former governor and now Canada’s prime minister, has replaced the CEO of tech firm Forterro, Dean Forbes, in the top spot of this year’s Powerlist. Kyei appeared third on the 2025 list behind Forbes and Bernard Mensah, president of international at Bank of America.
The Powerlist, which began in 2006, was created to spotlight black role models across business, science, technology, the arts and public life. Speaking with The Guardian, Kyei said being named number one was both “an honour” and “a recognition for the public sector,” a sector she believes must continue to inspire future leaders.
Kyei, who spoke at the Harvard Business Africa Conference 2024 in London, emphasised that Africa’s path to prosperity will be defined by strong partnerships, collaborative policies and visionary leadership. She argued that unity between governments, the private sector and global institutions is critical for unlocking the continent’s full economic potential.
“Africa stands at a historic crossroads,” she said. “Its youthful population, rapidly growing digital economy and expanding regional markets provide a unique opportunity for transformative growth. But achieving this potential will require intentional collaboration, strategic investment and resilient institutions that can support sustainable development.”
Kyei stressed that partnerships in finance, technology, infrastructure and education will be pivotal. “When private and public sectors work hand in hand, the continent can leapfrog traditional challenges and unlock unprecedented opportunities for its people,” she noted.
Afua Kyei joined the Bank of England as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director in 2019 at the age of 36. Since then, she has been at the heart of the Bank’s toughest years, helping steer the institution through Brexit, COVID-19, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the cost-of-living crisis. She reports directly to Governor Andrew Bailey and is a sought-after voice on the global stage, speaking at major international forums including the G20 and the International Monetary Fund.
Her remarkable career has earned her global recognition. Kyei has appeared on The Independent’s Influence List Women 2025 and has twice been named on the UK Powerlist, where she was also recognised as Powerlist Executive of the Year 2025. She was ranked the number one female on the Empower Global Executives Role Models 2024, sponsored by YouTube, and received the Freedom of the City of London in 2023. She has been named among the 100 Most Reputable Africans and was honoured as CFO of the Year at the 2021 Women in Finance Awards UK.
Her professional experience spans central banking, investment banking and retail banking, including leadership roles at Barclays, UBS and EY. She holds an MChem degree from Oxford University, conducted research under Professor Sir Jack Baldwin, earned a Junior Research Fellowship at Princeton University, and is a Chartered Accountant (CA) with ICAS.
At the conference, Kyei reaffirmed that Africa must continue to invest in technology, financial systems and leadership development to shape its own economic destiny.
“The continent is home to immense talent, innovation and resources. By harnessing these assets through partnership, accountability and visionary policymaking, Africa can become one of the world’s most dynamic economic regions,” she said.
She ended with a call to action, urging Africans across sectors and borders to build strong institutions that will deliver growth and long-term prosperity. “This is a shared responsibility. It is a collective mission that demands courage, creativity and commitment to the generations that will follow.”
