About the Chairman

Four decades of visionary leadership in Ethiopian business and investment.

Mr. Mekdes Aklilu

መቅደስ አክሊሉ

Founder & Chairman

Biography

Mr. Mekdes Aklilu is a distinguished Ethiopian businessman and investor with extensive experience spanning private and public institutional administration, education, insurance, banking, and international trade.

Throughout his career, he has demonstrated exceptional leadership by chairing boards of leading corporate institutions in Ethiopia. His vision and strategic acumen have been instrumental in establishing and growing some of the country's most significant financial and commercial enterprises. He is a former chairman of the board of Nile Insurance.

As a founding shareholder of Bank of Abyssinia and Nile Insurance, Mr. Mekdes has played a pivotal role in modernizing Ethiopia's financial services sector. His investments span across banking, insurance, hospitality, technology, agro-processing, and industrial trading, reflecting a diversified approach to building sustainable businesses.

About Aklil Holdings

Aklil Holdings is a diversified corporate body controlling a group of companies across Ethiopia and East Africa. Under the leadership of Mr. Mekdes Aklilu, the holding company has built a portfolio spanning multiple strategic sectors including food production and agro-processing, international trading and distribution, garment manufacturing, hospitality, real estate development, healthcare, financial services, and technology.

With over three decades of business experience, Aklil Holdings continues to identify opportunities that contribute to Ethiopia's economic development while creating sustainable value for stakeholders. The company's approach combines local expertise with international best practices to build enterprises that serve both domestic and regional markets.