Who's who
Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Director - Gezahegn Kebede
A versatile development strategist, who believes in 'overcoming poverty and suffering' through effective programmes that have measurable impact on the lives of the poor and disadvantaged, Gezahegn Kebede is the Regional Director of Plan in the region of Eastern and Southern Africa.
His extensive experience in the region as Senior Leader dates back to 1983 when he worked as Controller and Chief Internal Auditor for the Ethiopian Insurance Corporation and also as Deputy General Manager for the Agricultural Marketing Corporation amongst other offices of government. Gezahegn has previously worked as Programme Management Specialist for 6 years at USAID; and at Oxfam Great Britain as Country Director in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya successively. He joined the region as Deputy Regional Director in 2007 and was appointed Regional Director in August 2010. Gezahegn holds a Master's in economics and an advanced diploma in finance as well as other professional disciplines.
West Africa Regional Director - Adama Coulibaly
Adama, also known as Coul, has spent his whole professional life with Plan. He joined the organisation in November 1993 after acquiring a master’s degree in infrastructures, water and environmental engineering. Coul is also a Financial Executive with broad experience in all aspects of accounting, auditing and financial management.
He was assigned to Guinea as a Technical Advisor and then moved to Guinea-Bissau, where he was a key actor in setting up the country office in 1995. Coul held several positions in Plan, including Operations Support Manager in Guinea, Regional Administrator, and Regional Finance Manager in Senegal. After 6 years in Senegal, Coul joined Togo in September 2008 as Country Director and then started his work as Regional Director in February 2011. He feels lucky to be part of such a strong team and is thrilled to be in direct contact with the children Plan is helping.
Eastern and Southern Africa Deputy Regional 
Director Program - Luther Anukur
Luther has vast experience in programme development and management, organization and institution capacity building, consulting and research. Served in various development agencies including, Lutheran World Federation, World Vision, Child Fund and Panos Eastern Africa.
Luther is also winner of prestigious award by the British Council & Uganda Management Forum. He is currently a Senior Fellow with synergos a think tank that addresses global poverty and social injustice by supporting and connecting leaders and partnerships to change the systems that keep people in poverty.
Eastern and Southern Deputy Regional Director Operations – Hazel Nyathi
Hazel has vast experience in financial management, corporate business services and administration, programmes coordination and leadership acquired in the development and other sectors.
She has worked at both country and regional levels in various development agencies, including UNDP, Save the Children (UK), Oxfam and in government and state enterprises.
Hazel holds a Master’s degree in business administration with the University of Zimbabwe, a diploma in humanitarian management and many other certificates and diplomas with institutions including Duke University, Institute of Development Studies and Centre for Conflict Transformation and Management.
Hazel is a founder member of the Women in Business forum of the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries and was a vice chair and responsible for promoting business linkages and financial management skills training programmes among women business entrepreneurs.
In Kenya, she chairs the Civil Society Organisation reference group subcommittee and is a member of Viwango’s fundraising committee.
West Africa Deputy Regional Director Programmes - Damien Queally
Before joining the West Africa Regional Office in early 2013, Damien worked as Programme Director at Plan Ireland for five years, which has a focus on projects in West Africa.
Prior to his work in Plan, Damien worked for the Irish NGO, GOAL, based in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger and Darfur in various positions from Area Manager to Assistant and Acting Country Director for a period of over four years.
Damien graduated from University College Dublin with a Masters in Economics and BA in International Economics and French. He is fluent in both English and French.
West Africa Deputy Regional Director Operations Support - Amavi Akpamagbo
A multidisciplinary development professional, Amavi's career with Plan started in Togo where he held many field and management positions Acting Country Director. He also worked in Plan Liberia as Finance Manager where he set up the administration and finance functions when Plan resumed operations in this country. Amavi’s previous regional roles with Plan West Africa include a secondment as Assistant Regional Administrator, Regional Finance Manager and Acting Regional Director.
With expertise in teaching and children's rights, Amavi dedicated to the protection and safety of children. He is fluent in French and English.