Professor Yaw Agyeman Badu, the 2nd Rector and the 9th Chief Executive of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) is from the Bretuo Royal Family of Safo and Asonomaso. He was born on 12th January, 1952 to Agya Akwasi Boakye and Eno Akua Afriyie at Safo in the Kwabre District of the Ashanti Region.  He is one of 21 children of his father but the tenth (10th), as the name Badu implies, and the last child of Eno Akua Afriyie. He belongs to a family of academics that boasts of four (4) Ph.D. holders all of whom (three surviving since) are at professorial ranks in their respective Universities.

He undertook his university education at the University of Ghana for undergraduate studies between 1971 and 1974.  In 1974 - 1975 he obtained his MPA degree from University of South Carolina, USA and in 1980 he went further to obtain his Ph.D. in International Relations and Public Administration.  His Ph.D. dissertation was on Attitude of African Nations toward American Foreign Aid.

His post-doctoral education included courses and seminars in the areas of Economics, Finance, Management, Faculty Development, Case Teaching, Managing Academic Departments, and Curriculum Design and Evaluation.

Professor Badu's full-time academic career began in 1979 at Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina, USA, as Instructor at the Department of Political Science where he taught Political Science, Public Administration and International Relations. He was redesignated Assistant Professor when he successfully completed his doctorate degree in 1980.

In 1981, he was appointed Research Fellow by South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, South Carolina where he was the Principal Investigator for a funded project on Human Capital Development for Low Income Minority Students and their Parents.

In 1984 Professor Agyeman returned to the classroom and resumed full-time teaching at Virginia State University, Petersburg, USA. In that University, he was promoted tenured Associate Professor in 1990. Five years after, he was promoted Professor, the highest rank in academia. In the same year, 1995,  he was elected chair of  the Department of Economics and Finance – a position he occupied until July 2001 when he took up an appointment with Delaware State University, Dover, USA, as Professor and Associate Dean of the School of Management, and at the same time, Director of the MBA Programme of the School.

By the end of 2003, Professor Agyeman Badu had successfully been poached by the then administration to join GIMPA from Delaware State University.  Professor Agyeman Badu joined GIMPA faculty as Dean of the Graduate School in January, 2004.

Up to the end of 2003, Professor Agyeman had been in the USA for almost three (3) decades during which period he worked tirelessly to receive recognition as a distinguished academic and university administrator. His departure from Ghana soon after his first degree was then considered a brain drain to the country. His return after so long sojourn abroad to continue what he had been doing for almost thirty(30) years was no doubt, a considerable brain gain for Ghana.

The Institute and the country have been the proud beneficiary of the knowledge and the relevant experience and expertise that Professor Agyeman brought from the USA.

In administration, no sooner had Professor Badu arrived at GIMPA than he was elected Deputy Rector, a position he held for two terms of two years each between 2004 and 2008. As Dean of the Graduate School from which the Schools of Business, and Governance, Leadership and Public Management have since emerged, he provided academic and administrative leadership for the smooth take-off and expansion of the School. Internally, and by his position as Deputy Rector, he served on all the important committees in the Institute. Similarly he served and represented the Institute on a number of committees and boards outside the Institute, a few of them being beyond the borders of Ghana. As academic, he teaches up to graduate level and researches in areas of Public Administration, Public Policy, International Studies, Corporate Governance, Management and Leadership, Financial Management, Personal Money Management and Research Methods.

Professor Yaw Agyeman Badu has published fairly widely by sole or joint authorship in International Journals of repute, such as Financial Services Review; Review of Black Political Economy; and Managerial Finance. He has contributed numerous chapters to books and has attended and presented academic papers at many important international conferences the world over. He has also undertaken a number of international consultancies and assignments in the area of Public Sector Management and Training, including GPRS II.

He has served as External Examiner, Moderator and Assessor (for professorial appointments) for a number of Universities including the University of Ghana Business School, University of Dar es Salaam and University of Swaziland. He also serves on the Editorial Boards of the Journal of Business, Georgia State University, USA and University of Dar es Salaam Business Journal.

He is a member of the following professional associations, among others:

About himself, Professor Badu has this to say:

In my professional career, I have always considered myself as the “voice of reason and calm in the midst of confusion.”

My management style emphasises the accomplishment of organizational goals with people first.

I have deep concern and regard for the people I work with.

I have respect for legitimate authority, processes, procedures, structures and collegiality, knowing very well that these qualities are essential pillars for effective management and good governance.

I am passionate about my core values of humility, integrity, honesty, accountability, and strong ethical behaviour.

A non-drinker and non-smoker, I have sober habits and stable family life.

Professor Yaw Agyeman Badu is baptised as a Presbyterian and a lay preacher. He believes and champions core Christian values.  Nonetheless, he believes in “separation of church and state.”

He is married to Dr. Afua Agyapomaa Kufuor but unlike his late father, he has only four (4) children. In his little 'free time' he enjoys walking, tennis and family outings.