Principal Country Officer, South Africa | International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Amina El Zayat is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience driving private sector development and investment across Africa and the Middle East. As IFC’s Principal Country Officer for South Africa, she spearheads the design and execution of IFC’s country-level strategy, fostering transformative partnerships and unlocking opportunities for sustainable economic growth. In this capacity, Amina leads high-impact collaboration across the World Bank Group, donor partners, and key stakeholders, including government leaders, private sector executives, and institutional investors.

Amina has a distinguished track record of leveraging private sector solutions to address complex development challenges and advance policy reforms in critical sectors such as energy, housing, SMEs, and agriculture. Her work has catalyzed innovative investments and created enabling environments that drive inclusive growth and sustainable impact. She successfully led multi-sectoral programs that resulted in landmark reforms and strengthened private sector engagement across diverse markets and geographies.

An Egyptian national, she holds an MSc in Development Administration and Planning from University College London and a BA in Political Science with a minor in Economics from the American University in Cairo.