Lillian Kidane (Morocco) new Dalberg Advisor for Africa region

Lillian Kidane, a Partner affiliated with our office in Addis Ababa, brings a rich portfolio of expertise in sustainable and impact-based philanthropic and commercial strategies for emerging markets.

“Lillian’s appointment marks a significant milestone in Dalberg’s commitment to Africa. Her extensive experience across the continent in public health systems, climate, trade, and digital transformation will be invaluable in contributing to shaping the continent’s development trajectory,” says Gaurav Gupta, Global Managing Partner of Dalberg Advisors.

Lillian has two decades of experience working with governments, foundations, corporates, and NGOs both on the continent and from the United States to support systems transformation and access to medicines in Africa. Lillian’s recent accomplishments include serving as a senior advisor to the COVID Vaccine Delivery Partnership (CoVDP) leadership in Geneva, tasked with overseeing the allocation and disbursement of vaccines across 34 countries globally during the pandemic years.

“Dalberg has a remarkable history of working with partners to make a positive difference, and I am eager in my new position as Regional Director, to deepen our collaborations with changemakers, so that we might play a stronger role together in shaping sustainable development across the African continent,” Lillian Kidane, Partner and Regional Director for Africa, Dalberg Advisors, remarks.

Prior to Dalberg, Lillian held leadership roles at General Electric (GE), Africa, as well as with the Clinton Foundation. She has degrees from Yale University School of Medicine and the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.

“Lillian’s operational track record and her deep expertise across a range of high-impact issues shaping the future of Africa make her the perfect choice to guide our work on the continent. She is inspiring to both our clients and our people, leading with excellence and empathy,” adds Sunru Yong, Partner, Kenya office.

Dalberg Advisors started its operations in Africa in 2007 in South Africa and quickly expanded across West and East Africa, covering over 1,100 engagements across the continent, working with a range of stakeholders, including community-based organizations, local and global nonprofits, investors, foundations, companies, regional bodies, and various government ministries.

“Africa does not need more consultants telling us what change ought to look like on our continent. We want to see entrepreneurial energy and investment championing efforts to decolonize the traditional development agenda. We hope to contribute our small part to this by consistently elevating local entities and grassroots leaders dedicated to seeing sustainable change in our communities, and Dalberg shares this vision,” states Lillian Kidane.

About Dalberg Advisors

Dalberg Advisors is a strategic advisory firm that combines the best of private sector strategy skills and rigorous analytical capabilities with deep knowledge and networks across emerging and frontier markets. We work collaboratively across the public, private, and philanthropic sectors to fuel inclusive growth and help clients achieve their goals. Dalberg Advisors has more than 550 employees spread across more than 25 locations in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Europe, and the US.

Dalberg Advisors is part of the Dalberg Group, which comprises six businesses — Dalberg Advisors, Dalberg Data Insights, Dalberg Design, Dalberg Implement, Dalberg Media, and Dalberg Research — and the not-for-profit, Dalberg Catalyst.

About Lillian Kidane

Lillian Kidane joined Dalberg in 2018 in Ethiopia with nearly 20 years of experience in global development. Her diverse expertise spans public health systems, climate and trade policies, and digital transformation across Africa and the Caribbean, working with organizations across the social sector spectrum – governments, corporations, private foundations, multilaterals, and NGOs.

Lillian is an entrepreneur at heart, bringing to her work her own experiences with introducing successful local enterprises, including an Africa-wide E-commerce platform, a leather-based fashion brand, and a payment gateway platform – all aimed at increasing inter- and intra-Africa trade and job creation. Her passion is to help individuals and communities reach their full potential through educational opportunities and dignified work.

Lillian began her professional career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco, providing health training and clinical services to women and children in a small town where she discovered her passion for vocational teaching. She also sits on a number of boards globally and locally, including the Labor Mobility Partnerships, a nonprofit field-builder developing scalable solutions for workers to access quality jobs across borders.

Lillian completed her post-graduate studies in international healthcare management at Yale University’s School of Medicine (USA), holds a master’s in public health in Health Economics and Informatics from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health (USA), and has an undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame (USA). Lillian is of Eritrean descent and lives in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with her husband and two sons.