Lily Grace Okem
Chief Executive Officer & Founder
Founder and CEO leading ACE's vision, international partnerships, and programmes that strengthen national security institutions.
Biography
Lily Grace Odey is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Africa Centre of Excellence (ACE), where she sets the organisation’s strategic vision and leads its international partnerships and capability development programmes. She has extensive experience in public policy, governance, international development, and strategic stakeholder engagement. She has led initiatives that strengthen national security institutions, advance defence industrial development, and build sustainable government partnerships across Africa.
As Chief Executive Officer, she directs ACE’s strategic course, consortium partnerships, and institutional development, and leads the organisation’s engagement with governments, defence establishments, multilateral organisations, and private-sector partners. Lily holds a Master’s degree in Global Governance and Sustainable Development from Middlesex University, London, and is currently pursuing doctoral research in International Development at SOAS University of London, focusing on sustainable institutional development and national resilience.