Ms. Barbara James

Managing Director, Africa Venture Capital Association

Barbara is currently setting up the first independent pan-African private equity Fund of Funds. Until recently she was Managing Director of the African Venture Capital Association.

At AVCA, she was responsible for programs to promote and strengthen the private equity industry in Africa including AVCA's research and publications, training, industry briefing and conference, advocacy and regulatory programs.

Barbara has been instrumental in the development of innovative venture capital solutions in Africa . They include initiating the African Diaspora SME Fund ; advocating for UK (and G8) tax incentives to investors in African venture capital; an African Technical Assistance Fund and the first independent African venture capital Fund of Funds .

She has featured in several print, electronic and broadcast media including CNN and the BBC.

Barbara is a part time Doctoral Researcher. She has a BSc in Computer Science and an M.Sc. in Business Systems Analysis and Design. She also qualified as a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) and has trained professionally as a venture capital general partner (manager) and Limited Partner (investor).