Author of Dead Aid signed up to join Barclays bank board
DAMBISA Moyo, the Zambian-born economist who last year made headlines with the publication of a controversial book arguing the inefficacy of aid to Africa, has joined the board of Barclays as a non-executive director.
Moyo made her name in the financial world, working for the World Bank’s Europe, Central Asia and Africa departments and then spending most of the past decade at Goldman Sachs in the debt capital markets, hedge funds coverage and global macroeconomics teams.
But she stirred up a storm last year with her book “Dead Aid: Why aid is not working and how there is a better way for Africa”. Moyo believes humanitarian aid is necessary, but questions the effectiveness of the billions of dollars of aid pouring into Africa each year in the form of official development assistance.
Barclays chairman Marcus Agius said Moyo’s financial services and economics background would bring “valuable insight” to the bank’s board. Moyo also currently holds non-executive directorships at brewer SABMiller and oil and gas company Lundin Petroleum.
She completed a doctorate in economics at Oxford University, a masters from Harvard and a degree in chemistry at the American University in Washington.