Millennium Challenge Account-Malawi (MCA-M) has hired its deputy national coordinator and head of operations Susan Banda as its chief executive officer (CEO).

Banda, a communication and information specialist who has previously worked as information, education and communications manager for the Privatisation Commission, has been appointed alongside 11 other key staff “using objective selection criteria developed by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC)” after Deloitte Consulting (USA) advertised the positions in both local and international media, according to an MCA-M statement signed by national coordinator and point of contact Sam Kakhobwe.

Banda, according to her LinkedIn profile, holds an MSc Journalism-Development Communications obtained from University of Missouri-Colombia (1992-1995) and a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications from Elizabethtown College (1990-1992).

Her deputy is Lameck Mithi whereas former Malawi Law Society honorary secretary Jabbar Alide is the director of legal affairs. The new team also comprises Raphael Mboozi (procurement director), Luke Theu (director of administration and finance), Themba Chirwa (monitoring, evaluation and economics director), Peter Makwinja (environmental and social performance director) and Zilani Khonje (communications and outreach director).

Others are director of infrastructure activity Felix Kaphiri-Nkhoma, power sector reform activity director Grace Simwaka, social and gender assessment director Olivia Liwewe and Montfort Chazama as human resources manager.

Two weeks ago, the United States Embassy in Lilongwe announced the appointment of Oliver Pierson as Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) resident country director and Jenner Edelman as deputy resident country director.

MCC is a $350.7 million energy sector programme designed to improve Malawi’s power sector in terms of availability, reliability and quality of supply.

Malawi and US governments signed the compact agreement on April 7 2011.