Leila Akahloun is a seasoned international development executive and social justice advocate. She currently serves as Senior Advisor to Her Excellency Graça Machel. Through her work with the Graça Machel Trust, she advances international advocacy and financial investments in child health and nutrition, education, women’s economic empowerment, leadership and good governance, as well as climate justice and equitable health access.

Ms. Akahloun has over 20 years’ experience in promoting social justice and accelerating social change through strategic investments in innovative development initiatives and high-level advocacy.  She possesses expertise in the creation and implementation of organizational strategy, as well as strategic partnership building and fundraising. She has acquired extensive insights into the design of Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, collaborations with private and public-sector partners, impact investing as well as venture capital investments in social entrepreneurs.  As a seeker of meaningful social impact and systemic change, she has proven ability to increase capacity and efficiency of international NGOs through strategic planning and institutional development. 

Ms. Akahloun is believer in the power mobilizing networks across sectors and geographies to accelerate social change. She sits on the Board of Trustees of Ashoka Southern Africa, Impact Investing SA, and Play Africa. She is also a Partnerships and Engagement Advisory Board Member of Save the Children – South Africa. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Politics from Georgetown University and a Master’s Degree in International Relations from the University of Chicago. In 2018, Ms. Akahloun was named Global Top 100 Most Influential People of African Descent under 40 in the Humanitarian Sector. She was selected to join the ranks of The Women’s Impact Alliance as a Catalyst in 2020 and named an inaugural Fellow of the Black Women in Executive Leadership Fellowship (B-WEL) in 2023. A true global citizen, having lived and worked in numerous countries in North and South America, Africa and Asia, she speaks Spanish, Portuguese, and Mandarin Chinese. Ms. Akahloun is currently based in Johannesburg, South Africa.