Ijeoma Ikoku-Okeke

Ije is a climate and infrastructure-focused investment executive who has worked at the intersection of global private capital and international development financing for over two decades. She’s spent her career driving sustainable and inclusive growth in several regions, including the US, sub–Saharan Africa, and Latin America. She has held senior leadership roles as a private equity investor, project developer, and board member and has originated, structured, and led investments in excess of US$3 billion. She has unique expertise in delivering transformational high-impact investments that require public, private, and philanthropic partnerships.

Ije is currently Managing Director at RMI, where she leads the institution’s efforts to mobilize, scale up, and catalyze climate finance in global emerging markets in the Americas, Asia, and Africa.

Ije was on the founding team of CEC Africa, a private equity-backed energy investment platform (with approximately $1bn in assets under management) established to develop, finance, and operate power projects. She also worked at the WorldBank/IFC, leading telecom, energy, and transport investments in Latin America and Africa.

Ije has served on boards of several large infrastructure companies, on advisory boards of a number of PE/VC funds, and as an Advisor to The Rockefeller Foundation & MIT Energy Initiative through the Global Commission on Energy Poverty.

She speaks three languages, is an avid salsa dancer, and loves traveling. She has lived and worked throughout the US, Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

Specialties: Sustainable Infrastructure, Deal Structuring, Emerging Markets, Financial Operations , Innovation, Team Building and Leadership, ESG, Risk Management.