OLOROGUN KENNETH .O.  OKPARA, Born 8th February 1962 at Eku, Ethiope East LGA of Delta State, Nigeria, Olorogun Kenneth Okpara, is an international financial expert and a chartered accountant, with strong leadership and analytical skills, a highly accomplished professional with proven successful track record of performance and results in diverse and multicultural environment. I achieve results by continuously focusing on the big picture and applying lessons learnt from failures and successes.

Responsible for the financial management implementation support and supervision of The World Bank funded and multi donor trust fund investment projects in South Asia, to ensure that they meet the fiduciary requirements and have adequate financial management arrangements for the implementation of the projects. 

Also performs financial management assessments of new projects’ funding proposals, and give advice for the World Bank’s board consideration, on the adequacy of the arrangements to meet the funding requirements. Support the client (Government) to build and strengthen the financial management capacity and governance system to ensure transparency and accountability. Task team leader and led donor partners (USAID, DFID, ADB, etc.) coordination for a diagnostic study: Afghanistan Report on Observance of Standards & Codes (ROSC) – Accounting & Auditing, a project for the development of the accounting and auditing profession in the country. Also works as co-task team leader/manager for public financial management (PFM) projects that are funded by the World Bank and multi donor trust funds.

Executive Summary:

• EMBA from Judge Business School, Cambridge University, London (April 2011)
• 11 years of international development banking experience in Fiduciary controls and Operations
• Managed both line and project teams varying in size from 5 to 20. Have also directed teams outside of my management influence
• Facilitated a number of training and development courses varying from three hours to full two days sessions of between 10 and 200 people for World Bank projects
• Have led successfully for over four years, the financial management of Afghanistan World Bank and Multi Donor trust fund investment projects, with a total value of US$5 billion.
• Led the World Bank’s Afghanistan financial management team to achieve timely receipts of all 42 investment projects’ audit reports for the year ended 20th March 2010. This was a milestone achievement, as it was the first time this was happening after eight years of World Bank’s reengagement in Afghanistan. It was also the only country office that achieved this in the South Asian offices of the World Bank.
• Achieved remarkable improvement in the investment projects audit results, 90% of the audit reports were unqualified (clean) in March 2010 as compared to 66% in 2009, 79% in 2008 and 23% in 2007, which was a year after I resumed and started leading the Afghanistan team.
• Achieved tremendous reduction in the amount of ineligible expenditures claimed by the investment projects. The amount of ineligible expenditures reported in March 2010 was US$120,134 compared to US$5,611,650 in 2009, US$7,684,480 in 2008 and US$27,345,716 in 2007. 

Key Skills:

• Capable of quickly grasping the big picture, the main variables which may impact project performance, as well as the level of commitment of key stakeholders. 
• Demonstrates ability to manage complex, multi-functional projects and programs including managing relationships with clients and development partners.
• Able to deliver products that impact results to a broad spectrum of groups and that align with the Network/Region or Vice Presidency Unit/Corporate unit results agenda.
• Have been able to demonstrate capacity to work within a complex environment but does not create complexity.
• Worked with country management units, task team managers, sector managers/directors and other fiduciary colleagues to define and deliver strategic business requirements.
• Able to speak to the needs of senior management and gain consensus on complex issues.
• Strong PowerPoint skills, able to communicate a clear message out of dense topics
• Addresses challenges to effective teamwork contributing to the team staying organized and focused on work, even under stress.
• Shows leadership in ensuring the team actively seeks and considers diverse ideas and approaches.
• Demonstrates expertise in the operation of internal control and risk management frameworks, internal control activities at transaction and entity levels, and the use of internal control measures to prevent and detect fraud. 
• Have been a successful mentor to less experienced colleagues (Specialist, Analyst and Assistant)

Experience Record:

June 2006 to Date                   Sr. Financial Management Specialist – The World Bank
June 2005 to May 2006            Financial Management Consultant – The World Bank
April 1998 to May 2005             Managing Consultant : Inter Consult
1995 to March 1998                 Partner : Eyewumi Rone & Co.
1989 to 1995                          Audit Assistant to Audit Manager - Eyewumi Rone & Co.

Education:

MBA – Cambridge University London – Judge Business School, April 2011
B.Sc. (Hons) - University of Maiduguri, Nigeria, 1987
Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, 1990
Fellow of the institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, 2001
Fellow of Chartered Institute of Taxation, Nigeria, 1998
Microsoft Certified Professional + Internet (MCP+I), 2000
Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE), 2000

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