For over 20 years, Leyla Traoré has worked at the intersection of finance and development, spanning multilateral institutions and investment banking. Her career began in Parisian trading rooms, where she gained firsthand insight into financial markets—a foundation that shaped her rigorous yet practical approach to development finance. She currently heads the European Investment Bank (EIB) representation to Ethiopia and the African Union, building bridges between institutions, cultures, and policy objectives for sustainable financial pathways. Previously at EIB, she led multicultural and diverse teams as Head of Operations Risk Management and Head of Global Emerging Markets Units, creating frameworks that cut decision time by 30%, strengthening capital management practices, and spearheading the first joint public report on emerging markets’ creditworthiness across 24 international finance institutions. She notably advanced capital optimisation strategies, promoted G20 transparency goals, and engaged with credit rating agencies on emerging market risk perspectives. Before that, at the African Development Bank, as Chief Quantitative Risk Officer, she enhanced treasury capital modelling to maintain AAA ratings, deepened dialogue with rating agencies on risk methodologies, fostered data-sharing for local currency operations, and contributed to social impact bond initiatives. Whether discussing risk in Luxembourg, celebrating water infrastructure in Ethiopian villages, or engaging in diplomatic halls, she focuses on one question: How can financial innovation improve lives sustainably?