Bank of England Finance Chief, Afua Kyei, Leads the 2026 Powerlist

Afua Kyei leads the 2026 Power List, which celebrates Black role models in business, science, technology, and the arts. She is currently recognized as the most influential Black person in the UK.

Afua Kyei, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director at the Bank of England

As the Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director at the Bank of England, Kyei oversees the governance of its £1 trillion balance sheet and advocates for diversity and family support within the financial sector.

Born in London to Ghanaian parents, Kyei's family emigrated from Ghana to the UK while her parents were university students, where they settled and established their careers.

She attended Old Palace School, a private secondary school for girls in Croydon.

She earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees in chemistry from Somerville College, Oxford University, and was awarded a junior research fellowship in organic chemistry at Princeton University.

She trained as a chartered accountant at Ernst & Young in London, a step that logically follows her return to the UK after her studies.

Afua Kyei is married and has four children. She has spoken openly about the challenges and inspirations of balancing family and a senior leadership career, highlighting the Bank of England’s support for working parents.

Kudos to all progressives of African descent.

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