Elizabeth Littlefield

Elizabeth L. Littlefield
Born	Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Business executive, government official
Years active	1982–present
Known for	Chairman, President, and CEO of Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC); Senior Partner at West Africa Blue; board chair at M-KOPA Solar; board member of World Wildlife Fund (US)

Elizabeth L. Littlefield is a prominent American business leader, serving as Senior Partner and co-founder of West Africa Blue, as well as Senior Advisor at Pollination, an investment and advisory firm specializing in climate change. She holds the position of board chair at M-KOPA Solar and is a board member of the World Wildlife Fund (US).

In her previous roles, Littlefield was Senior Counselor and Head of Sustainability at Albright Stonebridge Group. She also led the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC)—now integrated into the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (USIDFC)—as chairman, President, and CEO during the Obama administration. Her earlier career includes serving as CEO of the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) and as a Director at the World Bank. She began her professional journey at JPMorgan, where she rose to managing director for Emerging Markets.

Early life

Originally from Boston, Littlefield pursued studies at Fondation Nationale de Sciences Politiques and Columbia University in Paris, earning a Certificat d'Etudes de Sciences Politiques in 1981. She graduated cum laude from Brown University in 1982 with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and completed JPMorgan’s bank management training program by 1984.

Career

Starting at JPMorgan in 1982, Littlefield managed financial institution relationships across Belgium, Holland, and Luxembourg while collaborating with Women's World Banking. Between 1986 and 1988, she served as Director of Investment Banking in Paris for JPMorgan, where she led the creation and marketing of 24 multi-currency investment funds based in France and Luxembourg.

From 1988 to 1990, she took a hiatus to assist emerging microfinance organizations throughout West and Central Africa, including founding the Gambia Women's Finance Association along with initiatives in Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, Rwanda, and Burundi.

In 1990, Littlefield launched JPMorgan’s Emerging Market Sales and Trading unit in London, where she acted as Head Debt Trader covering Africa, Eastern Europe, and Asia. She was instrumental in developing innovative financial instruments such as debt-for-nature swaps.

By 1993, she advanced to managing director of Emerging Markets Capital Markets at JPMorgan, managing bond issuances and structured debt financing across regions including Central and Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, the Middle East, and Africa.

In 1999, Littlefield transitioned to the World Bank as Director of Financial and Private Sector Development and CEO of CGAP until 2010.

She also contributed academically as an adjunct professor teaching Financial Sector Reform and Global Development at Johns Hopkins University's SAIS between 2007 and 2008.

Currently, Littlefield chairs M-KOPA (Kenya), provides advisory support to Pollination (UK/USA/Australia) and Solon Capital Partners (Sierra Leone), sits on advisory boards for General Atlantic's Beyond Net Zero fund (UK), Development Alternatives Inc. (USA), Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy (USA), and fulfills the role of Treasurer for the World Wildlife Fund (US).

Government career

From 2010 through 2017, Littlefield led the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) as chairman, President, and CEO during the Obama administration. In this Under Secretary-level capacity, she oversaw OPIC’s $29 billion portfolio aimed at fostering private sector investment in developing nations. Under her stewardship, OPIC’s renewable energy investments expanded tenfold while its total portfolio doubled; additionally, it achieved top rankings in federal employee satisfaction surveys.

She spearheaded significant policy reforms within OPIC by introducing innovative financial mechanisms and strategic partnerships designed to maximize developmental outcomes. Her leadership redirected OPIC’s focus toward sectors such as renewable natural resources along with solar and wind energy projects, emphasizing impact investing.

During her tenure, investments targeting Sub-Saharan Africa surged by 250 percent between 2009 and 2015. OPIC also served as the primary financier for President Obama’s flagship Power Africa initiative.

Appointed by President Obama to both the White House Global Development Council and the President’s Export Council, Littlefield was honored with the U.S. State Department’s Distinguished Service Award in 2012 by Secretary Hillary Clinton.

In November 2020, she co-chaired the Agency Review Team for international development during the Joe Biden presidential transition.