Board Chairman
Professor Richard Jinks Bani is a distinguished academic and development practitioner with over 35 years of experience in post-harvest engineering, agricultural systems, and enterprise development. His work has focused on improving storage and processing of agricultural produce to support food security, industrial development, income generation, and small enterprise growth. He has built a strong reputation for linking technical expertise with practical solutions across academia, public policy, and agribusiness.
Professor Bani has held several senior leadership roles at the University of Ghana, including Head of the Department of Agricultural Engineering, Vice Dean, and Dean of the School of Engineering Sciences. He also served on key university governance bodies, including the Academic Board, the College of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences Board, and the School of Engineering Sciences Board. At the national level, he led a comprehensive agricultural training needs assessment in 2002 and later headed a nationwide technical evaluation of government-owned storage facilities.
Beyond academia, Professor Bani has served in senior public-sector and institutional leadership roles, including as Chief Executive Officer of the National Board for Small Scale Industries and the National Service Secretariat. He has chaired several major public boards, including the GRATIS Foundation, the National Vocational Training Institute, and the Agricultural Development and Investment Fund. He was the founding Board Chairman of the Ghana Export Import Bank and served for six years as Chairman of the Board of Frerol Rural Bank.
He is actively engaged in agribusiness development and enterprise leadership. Professor Bani currently chairs Grow For Me Limited, GreenRoots Limited, and Lininvest Farms and Agribusiness Limited, and is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bozzid Limited, an agro-processing company. He is also the Founder and President of the FESF Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation focused on food security. His advisory work, including recent engagement with AGRA’s Value4Her Initiative, reflects a strong understanding of value chains, SME growth, and the practical requirements for building competitive, finance-ready businesses.
