Afua Kyei: The British-Ghanaian Executive Making History at the Bank of England

British-Ghanaian banker Afua Kyei has emerged as one of the most influential figures in British finance, breaking barriers at the Bank of England and inspiring a new generation of women and people of African heritage.

Kyei made history in June 2019 when she was appointed Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director of the Bank of England. At 36, she became the youngest person—and the first Black executive director—in the institution’s centuries-old history.

Her growing influence was recognised in October 2025 when she topped the Powerlist 2026, which celebrates influential people of African, African-Caribbean and African-American heritage in the United Kingdom. She was ranked ahead of prominent personalities including actor Idris Elba, make-up entrepreneur Dame Pat McGrath and former footballer Ian Wright.

Born in South London to Ghanaian parents who travelled to Britain for university, Kyei demonstrated exceptional academic ability from an early age. She obtained six A-levels and entered the University of Oxford a year ahead of the usual admission age.

At Somerville College, Oxford, she studied chemistry and conducted research in organic synthesis, including work involving naturally occurring molecules with potential anti-tumour properties. Her research was published in international scientific journals and led to a Junior Research Fellowship at Princeton University in the United States.

Despite her promising scientific career, Kyei wanted to work in a faster-paced and more people-oriented environment. While studying, she worked part-time at Burberry to help pay off student debt before making a major career transition into finance.

She trained as a chartered accountant with Ernst & Young in London and later joined UBS as an investment banker in its Financial Institutions Group during the global financial crisis. Between 2012 and 2019, she held several senior finance positions at Barclays, including Chief Financial Officer for its mortgage business and leadership roles in the bank’s strategic cost-transformation programme.

Kyei was on maternity leave when she was approached about joining the Bank of England. Her appointment placed her at the centre of one of the world’s most important financial institutions during a period of extraordinary economic turbulence.

As Chief Financial Officer, she oversees finance, strategy, performance and taxation. She also carries responsibility for the financial governance of the Bank’s balance sheet, which reportedly exceeded £1 trillion during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kyei is involved in the governance of major financial facilities and the modernisation of Britain’s Real-Time Gross Settlement system, critical national infrastructure through which hundreds of billions of pounds in payments are processed daily.

Her tenure has coincided with Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the September 2022 mini-budget crisis and Britain’s inflation and cost-of-living challenges. She has also contributed to reforms aimed at modernising the Bank of England’s funding arrangements.

Beyond financial management, Kyei has championed diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as greater transparency on climate-related matters. She has represented the Bank at major international platforms, including events involving the International Monetary Fund, the G20 and global climate conferences.

Her professional achievements include being named CFO of the Year at the 2021 Women in Finance Awards in the United Kingdom. Her background in science has also remained central to her leadership philosophy, demonstrating how analytical thinking, curiosity and disciplined problem-solving can be applied far beyond the laboratory.

Kyei is equally open about the challenge of balancing professional leadership with family responsibilities. As a mother of four, she has challenged the belief that women must choose between raising a family and pursuing ambitious careers.

From her Ghanaian family roots and Oxford chemistry laboratories to the executive leadership of the Bank of England, Afua Kyei’s journey represents more than personal success. It is a powerful example of excellence, resilience and changing representation at the highest levels of British finance.