Welcome to New Area Presidency

In August, the Africa Central Area welcomed a new Area Presidency. These priesthood leaders preside over the countries in Central Africa. They report to the Presidency of the Seventy.

Matthew L. Carpenter is the President of the Africa Central Area. He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on 21 October 1959. He married Michelle (Shelly) Kay Brown in 1982. They are the parents of five children.

He received a bachelor of science degree in business management from Brigham Young University in 1983. In 1987 he received a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard Business School.

He has served in a number of Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Switzerland Geneva Mission, ward missionary, Scoutmaster, stake Young Men president, counsellor in a bishopric, counsellor in a stake mission presidency, ward mission leader, high councilor, bishop and stake president.

Before this call, Elder Carpenter was serving as First Counsellor in the Africa Central Area Presidency. Prior callings include Area Seventy in the North America Central Area, assistant to the Utah Area Presidency, as a Counsellor in the North America Central Area Presidency, and on various committees at Church headquarters.

During his professional career, he has worked as chief financial officer, president, and chief executive officer of various commercial financial institutions.

Thierry K. Mutombo is the First Counsellor in the Africa Central Area. He was born in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on 31 January 1976. He married Tshayi Nathalie Sinda in 2002. They are the parents of six children.

He graduated in business management from the University of Cepromad in 2010, and in 2012 he received a bachelor’s degree in human resources management from the same university.

He has served in a number of Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Côte d’Ivoire Abidjan Mission, ward mission leader, ward Sunday School teacher, stake executive secretary, counsellor in a stake presidency, stake president and president of the Maryland Baltimore Mission.

At the time of his call, he was serving as Second Counsellor in the Africa Central Area Presidency.

He owned a travel business from 2000 to 2005. He has worked for the Church as a supervisor in the Materials Management Department and manager of the Human Resources Department in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He most recently worked as manager of the Family History Department in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Ian S. Ardern is the Second Counsellor in the Africa Central Presidency. He was born in Te Aroha, New Zealand, on 28 February 1954. He married Paula Ann Judd in January 1976. They are the parents of four children.

He received a bachelor’s degree in education in 1982 and a master’s degree in education from the University of Waikato in New Zealand in 1994.

He has served in a number of Church callings, including full-time missionary in France and Belgium, stake Young Men president, high councillor, counsellor in a bishopric, bishop, counsellor in a stake presidency, president of the Fiji Suva Mission, Area Seventy and President of the Pacific Area.

In 1981 he joined the Church Educational System as a teacher and later was principal of the Church College of New Zealand. In 2004, he became director of the Church Educational System in the Pacific Area and later worked as the institute director and seminary coordinator for the Church Educational System in New Zealand.