Dr. Vanessa Ushie is the Acting Director of the African Natural Resources Management and Investment Centre (ANRC) of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group, and Manager of the Centre’s Policy Analysis Division. The Centre provides knowledge, policy advice and investment solutions to the AfDB’s Regional Member Countries (RMCs) to harness their natural resources for sustainable development. She leads the AfDB’s work on nature, biodiversity, and responsible natural resource use for sustainable development, and is co-Chair of the Mainstreaming Natural Capital in African Development Finance (NC4-ADF) initiative. Vanessa has worked for over 20 years on natural resources policy. She previously held advisory roles on natural resources governance at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and Oxfam’s Pan-Africa Programme. Prior to that, she was Helleiner Fellow at the North-South Institute, Ottawa, Canada. She also served as Director of Institutional Advancement and Head of the Natural Resources, Energy and Environment Thematic Area, and Director of Research, at the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA) Abuja, Nigeria. She has published work on natural resources policy and practices in Africa, and serves on various advisory bodies focused on sustainability, natural resources, and development innovations. Vanessa holds a PhD in Economics from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, United Kingdom.