H.E. Helamariam Desalegn Boshe
Former Prime Minister of Ethiopia; Board Chair | TradeMark Africa
Former Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Chairperson, AGRA Board of Directors, Chair, AGRF Partners Group, Chair, Hailemariam & Roman Foundation (HRF), and Chair, TradeMark Africa (TMA)
Hailemariam Dessalegn served as the Prime Minister of Ethiopia from August 2012, following the death of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, until his voluntary resignation in April 2018, when he handed over power to his successor, Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed. Prior to this, he held several key positions under Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, including Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Social Affairs Minister, and Government Chief Whip Minister. He also served as Governor of the Southern Regional State for six years.
Born in 1965, Hailemariam holds a Civil Engineering degree from Addis Ababa University. In 1990, he won a scholarship to Tampere University of Technology in Finland, where he earned a master’s degree in Water and Environmental Engineering. He later obtained a second master’s degree from Azusa Pacific University in California, USA, in 2006. Upon returning from Finland, he held various academic and administrative roles, including Dean of the Water Technology Institute. As the first leader in modern Ethiopian history to step down voluntarily, he set the stage for sweeping reforms. During his tenure as Prime Minister, Ethiopia achieved average annual economic growth rates exceeding 10%. He viewed his resignation as essential for advancing reforms to ensure sustainable peace and democracy.
After leaving office, Hailemariam co-founded and chairs the Hailemariam & Roman Foundation (HRF), which focuses on maternal and child healthcare, prevention of non-communicable diseases, nutrition, climate-smart agriculture, and conservation-based eco-tourism. He also serves as Chair of TradeMark Africa (TMA). Currently, he is a board member and chairperson of several local, regional, and international organizations, including AGRA, the African Wildlife Foundation, the Brenthurst Foundation, the Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa, Ae-Trade, and the Global Steering Committee for Campaign for Nature. Additionally, he is Vice President of African Parks (AP) and a member of the Presidential Food & Agriculture Delivery Council of Tanzania. Hailemariam actively engages in delivering public lectures on pressing domestic and global issues.
