About Us

Carole Ramella

Board Chairperson

Madam Ramella is a fundraising advisor and currently the Managing Director of GFA Consulting Limited.

She is a finance graduate from Reims Management School (France) and has an MBA from INSEAD.

She has vast global experience in finance, accounting and corporate governance and has served on a number of boards, key among them being GFA Consulting, Nexto Pharmaceuticals and the IFC EXCEED Program.

She is also a Foreign Trade Advisor for the French Government and sits on the Investment Committee of an international private equity fund.

Mabel Nana Nyarkoa Porbley

Non-Executive Director

Madam Porbley is a chartered insurer from CII – UK, who has several years of experience in the insurance and finance space and is currently the managing director of Saham Insurance Ghana, a member of the Sanlam Group in South Africa.

She has a master’s degree in business administration from GIMPA

She serves on a number of boards, key among them Ecowas Brown Card Insurance Scheme and the Ghana Insurance Association.

She has been in leadership positions for 18 years of her 22-year career.

Valentin Mensah

Non-Executive Independent Director

Valentin is a Chartered Accountant who has been in a senior executive role for over two decades. He is also a certified internal auditor and currently sits on the board of Graphic Communications Group Ltd and Obapack Company Ltd..

Valentin has a PHD in Business Management and holds an MBA from Oxford Brookes University, United Kingdom. He is a graduate and fellow member of Chartered Association of Certified Accountants.

Richard Ahulu

Non-Executive Independent Director

Richard is a Chartered Accountant with over 20 years experience in Banking and Insurance.  He currently serves on the boards of Negotiated Benefits Trust Company Limited and Hollard Insurance Ghana Limited.

He has a Master of Science degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Ghana Business School, a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from KNUST and is a fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, UK.  He is also a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana.

Raymond Bismarck

Managing Director

Raymond Kwakye Bismarck is the Chief Executive Officer of Izwe Savings & Loans Plc. He has a wealth of experience spanning 21 years in the Ghanaian banking sector with expertise in institution building and business development.

Raymond has been in his capacity as CEO of Izwe for a decade. Through hard work and dedication, he championed the revolution of Izwe from a finance house to a credible Savings & Loans Company which is now a household name in the industry. His initiatives and strategies coupled with exceptional leadership skills saw Izwe evolve to one of the top 3 payroll Lenders in Ghana today. Izwe is gradually building a niche for itself in SME lending and already impacting lives under his leadership.

He holds a Doctorate in Business Administration backed by a Master’s Degree in Finance and Risk Management with a strong foundation in strategic and financial leadership.

Stephen Avornyoh

Chief Risk Officer

Stephen is currently the Chief Risk Officer at Izwe Savings & Loans Ltd. He has over 20 years work experience in Accountancy, Audit, Finance, Risk Management and General Banking Operations. He holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Administration (Accounting) from the University of Ghana Business School and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance.

Stephen Joined Izwe from OmniBISC Bank where he was the Head of Credit Management.

He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIB), Ghana and a Certified Operational Risk Professional (CORP) of the International Academy of Business and Financial Management (IABFM), Dubai-UAE. He is also a Certified Business Consultant and Contract Management Specialist.

Jacob Nii Darkoo Amoo

Head of commercial

Jacob has more than 20 years’ experience in the FMCG and microfinance industries.

He spent 11 years with Bayport Savings and Loans, holding several senior management positions, including national operations manager, head of direct sales business, and head of sales and distribution.

He serves as Izwe’s head of sales and distribution, with oversight responsibility for branch operations and sales.

Jacob holds an MBA in Marketing from the University of Cape Coast, a post-graduate Diploma in Marketing, and a bachelor’s degree (Sociology) from the University of Ghana.

Akyea Afari Gyasi

Head of Operations

Gyasi has been instrumental in building strong performance environments over the course of his career. He has vast experience in collections, human resources, branch operations and risk management.

He has held several senior management positions, including head of collections, head of operations and head of branch operations.

He joined Izwe’s senior management team in 2016 as head of collections, having previously worked in different capacities at Barclays (now ABSA).

Gyasi holds an MBA (Finance) from GIMPA and a degree in Accounting and Psychology from the University of Cape Coast.

Elizabeth Blankson

Chief Financial Officer

Elizabeth is a seasoned Finance Executive with over 24 years of experience in the Banking and Financial Services Industry. She began her career with SG-SSB Bank and spent 16 years at Bond Savings and Loans Ltd, where she held Senior leadership roles including Head of Credit, Head of Corporate Banking, and General Manager for Finance, Treasury, Operations, and Digital Solutions.

She joined Izwe in 2024 and currently serves as Chief Financial Officer, where she leads the Finance, Administration, and Procurement functions, supporting the organization’s strategic growth and financial sustainability.

Elizabeth is a Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants (FCCA) and Institute of Chartered Accountants Ghana (ICAG). She holds a BSc in Business Administration (Accounting option) and an MSc in Development Finance from the University of Ghana Business School, as well as an MBA in Strategic Management from the University of Westminster Business School, UK.

Francisca Rabi Akamah

Head of Human Capital

Francisca is an experienced Human Resources and Administration professional with over 18 years of expertise across HR Management, Procurement and Administration, and Office Operations. Prior to joining Izwe, she held Senior HR and Administrative roles at leading organizations, including FRIDOUG Ltd, BGP-Bay, Express Savings and Loans, and the Students Loan Trust Fund. Her professional experience also spans engagements with Gateway Secretariat (World bank project under the Ministry of Trade and Industry), Japan Motors Trading company Ltd, Catholic Relief Services and the Business Advisory Centre of the National Board for Small Scale Industries.

She holds an MSc in Human Resource Management from CASS European Institute of Management Studies, Luxembourg, and a BSc in Business Administration (Human Resource Management option) from Central University College. She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Human Resource Management, Ghana.