Head of Sustainability Programmes – CRDB BANK, Tanzania

Ramla Msuya is a seasoned professional currently serving as the Head of Sustainability Programmes at CRDB Bank plc, where she leads the Sustainable Finance function. With nearly two decades of experience, her expertise spans credit risk management, environmental and social risk management, and climate finance, positioning her as a key driver in transforming CRDB Bank into a regional leader in sustainable and responsible banking. Ramla is a Certified Expert in Sustainable Finance (CESFi), a credential earned through the Frankfurt School in Germany in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

She holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Coventry, United Kingdom, and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) accredited by the National Board of Accountancy and Auditors (NBAA). Additionally, she completed a Board Competence, Leadership, and Rhetoric course offered by the Association of Tanzania Employers (ATE) – Female Future. Throughout her career, Ramla has achieved notable milestones. She was appointed as an Advisor to a Board Member of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the UN’s largest climate adaptation and mitigation fund headquartered in Songdo, South Korea, gaining access to the GCF Boardroom.

She led the successful accreditation of CRDB Bank to the GCF in November 2019 and spearheaded the development and submission of a USD 200 million funding proposal for the Tanzania Agriculture Climate Adaptation Technology Deployment Programme (TACATDP), which was approved by the GCF to support smallholder farmers in Tanzania. She is currently overseeing the implementation of this impactful program. Her leadership also includes the development of CRDB Bank’s first Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS), encompassing policies, procedures, and tools for assessing environmental, social, and climate risks in financed projects—standards accepted by international financiers.

Furthermore, Ramla is driving the deployment of proceeds from the bank’s Green (Kijani) Bond, issued recently, reinforcing CRDB Bank’s position as a pioneer in climate finance and a leading commercial bank in Tanzania with a comprehensive ESMS framework.