Teresa Hillary Clarke, born on February 8, 1963, stands as a beacon of global leadership, combining the worlds of investment banking, education, media, and philanthropy. An American of African descent, Clarke has carved an indelible mark on the continent of Africa and beyond, redefining what it means to empower communities through knowledge, access, and storytelling.
A Harvard-trained economist and legal expert, Clarke earned her bachelor’s degree in Economics from Harvard College and later pursued both her MBA from Harvard Business School and J.D. from Harvard Law School. Her early career began at Goldman Sachs in 1989, where she worked in the real estate and investment banking divisions, laying the foundation for her future in finance and international development.
Clarke’s passion for Africa took root when she moved to South Africa in the mid-1990s. There, she led the South African office of Abt Associates, overseeing transformative projects in sectors such as education, healthcare, and public infrastructure for clients including Transnet and Johnson & Johnson. From 1995 to 2000, she taught corporate finance in the MBA program at Wits Business School and co-founded the Student Sponsorship Programme (SSP)—a game-changing scholarship and mentoring initiative that has awarded over $10 million in scholarships to more than 1,000 academically gifted yet economically disadvantaged students in South Africa. With a 90% program completion rate and high university admission rates, SSP remains one of the country’s most successful educational upliftment programs.
Clarke rejoined Goldman Sachs in 2004, where she played an instrumental role in launching the Global Markets Institute and leading high-level mergers and acquisitions for Fortune 500 companies. She also spearheaded the GS Africa Aspen Program in partnership with the Aspen Institute, helping shape the next generation of African leaders.
In 2010, Clarke launched Africa.com, a trailblazing media platform that amplifies African stories, opportunities, and voices on a global scale. Through this digital initiative, she continues to shape how the world sees Africa, curating insightful content across business, politics, culture, and innovation.
Clarke’s ability to use storytelling as a form of activism culminated in her writing, directing, and producing Africa Straight Up, a powerful 30-minute documentary made in collaboration with MTV Africa and TED Talks. The film was screened during the 2014 U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit hosted by The White House and later aired on The Africa Channel, Dutch television, and several African airlines.
A recognized thought leader, Clarke has spoken at global platforms such as the World Economic Forum in Africa and India, the Milken Institute, and the Fortune/Time/CNN Global Forum. She has lectured at Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Oxford, Princeton, Tufts, and the Wharton School, consistently inspiring new generations of leaders and changemakers.
Her accolades are as impressive as her contributions. She was honored with the Freedom Day Award by the South African Consulate, Education Africa’s Humanitarian Award, and the International Women’s Society Humanitarian of the Year Award. BET celebrated her at the Black Girls Rock! event in 2010, and The Network Journal named her one of the Top 25 Women in Business.
In 2014, Clarke was appointed by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker to serve on President Obama’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA), where she helped frame policy recommendations for U.S.-Africa trade relations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she led the Africa.com Crisis Management for African Business Leaders webinar series, providing critical insights with a strong emphasis on women’s leadership during the crisis.
A multilingual communicator fluent in Spanish, French, and Portuguese, Clarke is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and remains a staunch advocate for African development, women’s empowerment, and global equity.
As one of the 100 Reputable Women of African Descent 2025, Teresa Clarke exemplifies what it means to lead with purpose, intelligence, and vision. Her journey continues to inspire women of African descent across the globe to lead with courage, innovate with integrity, and tell their stories boldly.
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