Helen Amarquaye

Helen Amarquaye serves as Board Chair of Old Mutual Ghana, the Ghanaian subsidiary of Old Mutual Limited, one of Africa's largest and oldest financial services groups. In her role as chair, she occupies the highest governance position at an institution that provides life insurance, savings, and investment products to Ghanaian individuals and corporate clients, serving as part of the social protection architecture that helps households manage financial risk across major life events.

Old Mutual's history in Africa spans nearly two centuries, and its Ghanaian operations form part of a continental network of insurance and asset management businesses that the group has built across the continent. The governance of Old Mutual Ghana involves balancing the standards and strategic direction set by the Johannesburg-listed parent with the specific regulatory requirements of Ghana's National Insurance Commission and the product and distribution realities of the Ghanaian insurance market.

As Board Chair, Amarquaye leads the governance structure responsible for oversight of the company's strategic direction, management accountability, and risk management. The chairship of an insurance company involves particular attention to underwriting practices, claims management, investment strategy, and the regulatory compliance that protects policyholders' interests. Her appointment to the most senior governance role at Old Mutual Ghana reflects the confidence of the company's ownership and governance structures in her capacity to lead that oversight effectively.

Ghana's insurance sector has grown more regulated and more competitive in recent years, as the National Insurance Commission has strengthened its oversight framework and new entrants have intensified competition for market share. Old Mutual Ghana, with its international backing and established brand, has navigated this environment from a position of relative strength, and board governance has been an important factor in maintaining that position.

Her recognition in the 2026 Avance Media Top 100 Women Board Directors ranking places her among a growing group of women who hold the most senior governance positions in Ghana's corporate sector. The ranking found that women board chairs increased from 10 in 2023 to 19 in 2026, a trend that Amarquaye's chairship of Old Mutual Ghana exemplifies.