Karl Cureton

CEBOT CEO

Karl Cureton is a visionary leader in economic development, cybersecurity workforce advancement, and international trade. As the Founder and CEO of the Council Exchange Board of Trade (CEBOT), he spearheads initiatives that foster inclusive economic growth, public-private partnerships, and innovative procurement solutions to empower minority technology businesses. Karl also serves as Co-Chair of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Information Technology Laboratory's NICE Promote Career Discovery Working Group, where he drives efforts to enhance cybersecurity career awareness, workforce diversity, and strategic industry engagement. With deep expertise in financial systems, global trade, and policy-driven economic transformation, Karl is a Board Member of the Tanzanian American Chamber of Commerce (TACC), where he plays a pivotal role in strengthening U.S.-Tanzania trade relations. A dedicated family man, Karl resides in Richmond, VA, with his wife, Brenda, enjoying life with their blended family of eight successful adult children and five grandchildren.

Valentine Vedasto

Tanzania Investment Center, Zone Investment Officer

Valentine Vedasto Kagombora is an Economist with Masters of Science in Economics and Bachelor of Arts in Statistics, currently working as a Zonal Investment Officer at Tanzania Investment Center (TIC), an investment promotion and facilitation agency under President’s Office. He has thirteen (13) years of experience working with the Government of Tanzania, in Areas of Investment promotion, investment facilitation, Research and consultancies, Planning, Budgeting, Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation and Statistics management. He also has additional two (2) years working experience with the banking sector (Standard Chartered Bank) in areas of bank operations, customer relation management and customer service. He has served as a Board Member for 6 years at Yetu Microfinance bank that was then merged to National Microfinance Bank (NMB) He is an alumni to the University of Dar es salaam, The Open University of Tanzania, International Center for Local Democracy (ICLD-Sweden) and International Cooperation and Exchange Center of the Department of Commerce of Hainan Province-China

Salehe Saad Mohamed

Executive Director, a. Zanzibar Investment Promotion Authority (ZIPA)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/saleh-saad-mohamed-9b5a16327/

Ruth Zaipuna

CEO, NMB Bank Plc.

Ruth Zaipuna was appointed as Chief Executive Officer in August 2020. She started her career in 2002 at Price water house Coopers (PwC) where for a decade she specialized in the audit of banks and other financial institutions. At PwC, Ruth rose through the ranks to the level of Associate Director. Ruth demonstrated great professionalism and technical ability in her work and she was entrusted to lead some of the most complex assignments of the firm. Ruth left the firm in August 2011, to take up the position of the Executive Director Finance and Chief Financial Officer at Standard Chartered Bank. In July 2017, Ruth took on additional responsibilities combining her role in Tanzania with that of Business Finance Lead for the East African cluster, overseeing and leading the Bank’s business finance activities in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. Ruth joined NMB Bank from Standard Chartered Bank as Chief Financial Officer, towards the end of June 2018. The NMB Board of Directors has recently appointed Ruth as Acting Managing Director for NMB. Ruth is highly motivated, committed and performs with professional accountability, with high integrity, and always passionate about delivery of high quality output.Besides her current role, Ruth has been leading the Tanzania Bankers Association (TBA) Tax Group. Ruth is also an Independent Non-Executive Director for Tanzania Portland Cement,Company Limited (TPCC), the leading cement producing company in Tanzania and listed on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange and an AGM member at Legal Services Facility, an independent basket fund, nonprofit organization that strives to increase access to justice for all, in particular for women, through a legal empowerment approach. Ruth is an Associate Certified Public Accountant (ACPA (T)). She holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance and a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) degree in Accounting both from the University of Dar es Salaam. Ruth is a proud mother of four boys.

Mercy Uriyo

Head of Retail Banking, Financial Services Leader and Relationship Management Expert

Mercy Uriyo is an accomplished banking professional with over 8 years of progressive experience in retail and private banking, customer service and relationship management. Currently serving as the Head of Retail Banking at Guaranty Trust Bank (Tanzania) Limited, she has consistently driven growth, innovation and customer satisfaction within the organization. Mercy is recognized for transforming under performing segments into thriving units, notably pioneering the establishment of the bank’s Private Banking division. Her leadership has been instrumental in securing partnerships with major corporations and diplomatic institutions including Dangote Industries, Vodacom, and several embassies and high commissions. Her strategic acumen, coupled with a strong commitment to excellence has led her teams to surpass key performance targets, notably increasing the bank’s retail revenue, deposit base and customer acquisition. A champion of customer-centric solutions, she played a key role in the development of digital banking services such as the GTWorld App and streamlined loan processes. Mercy holds an MBA in Corporate Management from Mzumbe University, a Bachelor's degree in Accountancy and a Diploma in International Relations and Diplomacy. She is fluent in English and Swahili, and is a proud member of the Rotary Club of Oysterbay in Dar es Salaam.

Chuck Barlow

CEBOT Regional Director of Innovation & Inclusion

Dr. Chuck Barlow Jr., a Senior Fellow Member, serves as the Regional Director of Innovation & Inclusion at the Council Exchange Board of Trade (CEBOT). In this capacity, he leads initiatives to advance innovation, foster collaboration, and drive growth within technology and workforce development. His efforts focus on integrating DEI principles into tech ecosystems, creating inclusive opportunities for minority tech businesses, and building public-private partnerships to address disparities in education and employment, aligning with CEBOT's mission of promoting economic growth and social sustainability.

Denice Christian

CEBOT Associate Director of Governance and African Trade Development

Denice Christian is the Associate Director of Governance and African Trade Development at CEBOT, bringing over a decade of experience in administration, procurement, operations, and contract management. He previously served as an Administrative Officer for USAID/RTI International Tanzania leads all operations, management, procurement and Finance in the Region, Administrative & Procurement Specialist for USAID/Winrock International’s WARIDI Project in Tanzania, where he led procurement processes, vendor management, and compliance efforts, Human Resource Officer under Ministry of Water Tanzania etc. Denice holds an BBA in Human Resources Development from The Open University of Tanzania and certifications in project procurement and MERLA. With a reputation for professionalism, discretion, and organizational excellence, Denice plays a key role in advancing CEBOT’s mission to strengthen African trade and governance initiatives.