Ham Serunjogi ’16 to Serve as Inaugural Member of President Biden’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement in the United States

On Tuesday, Sept. 26, President Biden announced the inaugural members of the President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement in the United States, which aims to enhance dialogue between U.S. officials and the African diaspora.  

Grinnell College Trustee Ham Serunjogi ’16 will serve as one of the 12 members of the advisory council for the 2023–2025 term. Serunjogi is the co-founder and CEO of African financial technology giant Chipper Cash. Serunjogi heads the executive leadership team and sets the company’s overall direction and strategy. Chipper Cash has raised hundreds of millions of dollars in venture capital funding, reaching a valuation of over $2 billion. It is widely considered one of the most valuable startups in Africa.  

After graduating from Grinnell College in 2016 with a Bachelor’s Degree in economics, Serunjogi began his career at Meta (formerly Facebook), where he worked in the Dublin, Ireland, office managing relationships with top advertisers. Serunjogi was recently awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Social Studies during Grinnell College’s 2023 Commencement ceremonies.  

Serunjogi swam competitively for many years and represented Uganda in the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore. Prior to attaining his degree at Grinnell, he attended the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa, Kenya, where he was president of the Student Council. He was recently named to the 2023 Forbes 30 Under 30 list, headlining the finance category. Serunjogi is based at Chipper’s global headquarters in San Francisco. 

Serunjogi said, "Serving in the Biden-Harris administration as a representative of the African Diaspora is a unique opportunity to give back to a country that has been so generous to me (a sentiment I know many others share) by working to strengthen the ties between the United States and African communities here in the US and in Africa. I look forward to working closely with President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Secretary Blinken. This is a responsibility and an honor I will deeply cherish forever." 

The African diaspora in the United States, a rich and diverse community of African Americans and African immigrants, is foundational to our 21st-century partnership with Africa. This community, which includes descendants of enslaved Black Americans, has long advocated for the prosperity of the African continent and its people, and has strengthened the unique relationship between the United States and Africa. 

In accordance with Executive Order 14089, the Advisory Council comprises up to 12 members appointed by the secretary of state. It represents the diversity of the African diaspora from African American communities in the United States and African immigrant communities across the continent and the Caribbean. The council’s members include individuals who have distinguished themselves in government, sports, creative industries, business, academia, social work, and faith-based activities. They will provide invaluable guidance to reinforce cultural, social, political, and economic ties between the United States and Africa, while promoting trade, investment, and educational exchanges.