Dr. Frank Aswani is the CEO of Africa Venture Philanthropy Alliance (AVPA
As the 2025 East Africa Philanthropy Network (EAPN) Conference prepares to convene thought leaders and changemakers in Kigali, Rwanda, one of the key voices taking the stage will be Dr. Frank Aswani, CEO of the African Venture Philanthropy Alliance (AVPA).
With over three decades of experience straddling corporate leadership and social impact across Africa and beyond, Dr. Aswani brings to the gathering a rare blend of strategy, execution, and systems-level thinking in philanthropy and impact investing.
Educational Background
Dr. Aswani graduated from the University of Nairobi with a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine in 1994.
He later transitioned into business and leadership, earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), University of Pretoria, in 2007.
To further refine his executive capabilities, he undertook the Executive Leadership Development Program at Harvard Business School.
This multidisciplinary academic grounding supports his current efforts to bridge sectors and align capital for social transformation.
Professional Experience and Years of Service
Dr. Aswani’s career began in the pharmaceutical industry, where he spent 14 years with Eli Lilly from the mid-1990s to 2008.
He held positions across Kenya, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and South Africa.
By the end of his tenure, he had risen to the role of Sales Director for South Africa and Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa, overseeing operations in over 25 countries across Anglophone and Lusophone Africa.
Between 2008 and 2012, he led the African regional programs at Absolute Return for Kids (ARK), an international children’s charity.
His role as African Regional Director involved steering education and health-related interventions across multiple countries in the region.
In 2012, he joined the African Leadership Academy (ALA) in Johannesburg, serving nearly eight years as Vice President and Director of Strategic Relations.
There, he developed and expanded partnerships, business development, and fundraising activities across four continents—Africa, Europe, North America, and the Middle East.
Since 2019, Dr. Aswani has served as the CEO of AVPA, a pan-African network of over 130 social investors committed to mobilizing financial and non-financial resources for maximum social impact.
Under his leadership, AVPA continues to expand its footprint across East, West, and Southern Africa, fostering collaboration between philanthropists, investors, development agencies, and corporate social responsibility arms.
Academic and Advisory Engagements
In addition to his executive role, Dr. Aswani is a visiting faculty member at the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, where he contributes to programs in social finance and impact investing. He also sits on the Investment Committee of the Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund, which focuses on supporting gender-lens and youth-oriented investments across the continent.
Anticipated Focus at the EAPN 2025 Conference
Dr. Aswani is expected to draw on his broad experience in both the private and philanthropic sectors to offer reflections on how African-led investment strategies can reshape development outcomes.
While the exact focus of his session remains to be seen, his work suggests likely contributions around strengthening capital ecosystems, encouraging blended finance models, and rethinking traditional donor-beneficiary relationships.
As African philanthropy begins to shift from transactional aid to transformational investment, Dr. Aswani’s presence at the conference underscores a growing momentum for philanthropy that empowers African actors to lead transformational change on the continent.
