Jules Samain

Jules Samain is the Managing Director for the Hardest-to-Reach initiative, which aims to bring access to energy to the 215 million people in Africa who live in the hardest-to-reach markets by 2030. Before Acumen, Jules was at Spiro, an electric company specialized in two-wheelers in Africa with around 11,000 bikes five countries in Africa, where he was co-CEO. Prior to his role at Spiro, Jules served as Chief Operating Officer, supply chain, and trade finance for Arise IIP.

Jules Samain was the Managing Director of Africa for Guarantco, a Guarantee institution focusing on infrastructure and local capital market development owned by 5 G20 Governments. Before joining GuarantCo, Jules was the Managing Director of Ecobank Capital for Central African Countries, where he led significant financings in the Oil & Gas, Power, Agriculture, Real Estate and Telecommunication sectors. Subsequently, he led the corporate banking business of the leading regional lender, BGFI Bank, in Cameroon. Jules started his career with a microfinance institution in Cameroon before joining Ecobank Cameroon in 2004 to help the bank develop its corporate banking activities.

Jules is a distinguished senior executive boasting over 22 years of comprehensive expertise in investment banking, commercial banking, and guarantees. Jules holds a master’s in business law from the University of Yaoundé (Cameroon) and an MBA from Cass Business School (City University of London).