AERC Honors Smith’s Lemma Senbet

The African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) has selected Smith’s Lemma W. Senbet for its Distinguished Service Award, recognizing “exceptional contribution and commitment to the AERC network over the years."

Senbet, the Dean’s Chaired Professor of Finance at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, served as AERC executive director and CEO from 2014-2018 and was succeeded by the former Governor of Central Bank of Kenya. He was inducted as an inaugural Fellow of the Consortium in December 2024.

The latest honor, according to the AERC, further recognizes Senbet’s “selfless service to the AERC network over the years, supporting the consortium to deliver research excellence and to scale up capacity building for policy engagement and development outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa.”

The Nairobi-based AERC is the oldest and largest economic research and training network serving the continent of Africa. “I am gratified that these successive awards (Fellow and Distinguished Service) recognize my range of contributions in the economic development space: research that informs policy to impact livelihoods, building capacity of early career researchers, and continuing engagement with Africa [e.g. member of the Advisory Panel of the G20 Compact with Africa]” Senbet said.

Earlier this month, the Bretton Woods Committee, the preeminent non-profit organization dedicated to global economic and financial cooperation, formally welcomed Senbet as a new member. Announced in late 2024, the appointment places Senbet on a committee composed of leaders in business, finance, academic and non-profit sectors, including industry CEOs, as well as former presidents, cabinet-level officials and lawmakers.