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KARFI KUO CLASS

Policy Lead, Reach for Change

Amma Lartey
Executive Director, Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA)

Ayisha Osori
Former Co-Ceo, Gokada. Co-Founder, Jobberman.

Ayodeji Adewunmi
General Manager, Citi FM & TV. Host, Citi FM's The Citi Breakfast Show & The Point of View on Citi TV

Bernardino Koku Avle

Policy Lead, Reach for Change

Amma Lartey

Amma has over 16 years experience as a director in the social enterprise, impact investing and nonprofit sectors. She is skilled at strategy development and execution, building partnerships, advocacy, fundraising and working with people and teams across cultures and has managed teams in Ghana, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Senegal, Chad and DRC. She is a fellow of the fifth class of the Africa Leadership Initiative-West Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.

She is a social entrepreneur with a passion for seeing young people acquire skills for success and helping organisations achieve more impact. She is excited about the opportunity presented to Africa through its growing number of vibrant, youthful, optimistic young people and any opportunity to contribute to their success. Initiatives she has co-founded include Social Enterprise Ghana, an organisation building a thriving social enterprise sector in Ghana through training, impact funds, research and advocacy, Market Express, an ecommerce platform and marketplace with a mission to create a buying and selling environment to increase incomes across Africa.

At MarketExpress, producers and retailers in the agriculture and light manufacturing value chains have their products listed online with efficient inventory tracking. Individuals, households and organizations order items through our website, mobile app, phone, whatsapp, or email and pay conveniently via mobile money, card, or cash. Delivery of items occurs over a 24-hour window. The outbreak of COVID-19, with associated lockdowns, stay at home and social distancing has led us to practice contactless delivery. We have capacity to deliver fresh, processed and packaged local food, giving us an unique opportunity to link with the informal value-chains across Africa.

Specialties: Social Entrepreneurship, emerging markets, marketing strategy, entrepreneurship

 

Executive Director, Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA)

Ayisha Osori

Ayisha Osori is the executive director of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) a grant making and advocacy organization based in Dakar, Senegal whose mission is to promote and support open societies, inclusive democratic governance based on transparent and accountable institutions, active citizenry and economic advancement. Osori is a lawyer, writer and development practitioner with experience in the public and private sectors. Her areas of expertise range across: management, strategy, communications, advocacy, development programming, research & writing Osori was the chief executive officer for the Nigerian Women Trust Fund, a non-profit organization focused on increasing the participation and representation of women in politics and government and has consulted with the World Bank, United Nations Children’s Fund, National Democratic Institute and Department of International Development on projects related to good governance, gender equality, women’s economic and political participation and ending violence against women Osori is an Eisenhower & ALIWA Fellow, graduated with law degrees from the University of Lagos and Harvard Law School and has a Master’s in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School. She is licensed to practice law in Nigeria and the State of New York.

 

 

Former Co-Ceo, Gokada. Co-Founder, Jobberman.

Ayodeji Adewunmi

Ayodeji Adewunmi is the former Co-CEO at Gokada. He was also president and CEO of Jobberman, a company he co-founded in 2009 while in university, which operates the leading employment websites in Sub-Saharan Africa. He has addressed audiences from the University of Ghana to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Prior to his involvement with the internet, Ayodeji was the chief partnerships officer of the International Young Professionals Foundation based in Brisbane, Australia. He is a member of the Governance Consultative Group of the World Bank in Nigeria. Ayodeji holds bachelor’s degree in medicine & surgery from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria

 

 

General Manager, Citi FM & TV. Host, Citi FM's The Citi Breakfast Show & The Point of View on Citi TV

Bernardino Koku Avle

Bernard holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Ghana and an MBA from Warwick University in the UK.
Bernard as he is usually called, has done pioneering work in using a commercial radio and TV platform to champion good governance and social accountability.

The Citi Breakfast Show was adjudged the Interactive/Talk Show of the year at the BBC’s Africa Radio Awards in 2007, in Nairobi Kenya and Radio Program of the year 2013, 2015 & 2016 by the Chartered Institute of Marketing Ghana (CIMG).

He is an Edward R Murrow Fellow of Journalism and a Chevening Scholar. Bernard is a Fellow of the fifth class of the Africa Leadership Initiative (ALI) – West Africa and is a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Bernard was adjudged Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Journalist of the year for the year 2017.

 

 

Amma Lartey

Ayisha Osori

Ayodeji Adewunmi

Bernard Avle

President, mPedigree

Bright Simons
Founder, Managing Director, JNC International Limited (JNCI). Current President, West African Private Healthcare Federation (WAPHF/FOASPS)

Clare Omatseye
Managing Director – Enterprise Trustees Ltd

Joseph Ampofo
CEO, Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation. Visiting Scientist, Harvard School of Public Health

Kelechi Ohiri

President, mPedigree

Bright Simons

Bright is the President of mPedigree, a social enterprise working on three continents in partnership with governments, Fortune 500 companies and grassroots organisations to promote innovative technologies, from sensors to software, in health & food security, transparency and governance. His latest enterprise, Koldchain, incubated at the Harvard Innovation Lab, combines “smart polymers” and computer vision to offer frontline health workers an instant validation for vaccine quality.

Bright straddles entrepreneurship and scholarship, writing prolifically for the likes of Harvard Business Review, Quartz magazine, the BBC’s Business Daily show, and the Huffington Post. An enthusiastic board-level advisor, recent commitments include the Microsoft Africa Advisory Council, Care International’s Supervisory Board, the Lancet Commission on the Future of Health in Africa, the Center for Global Development’s Study Group on Technology, the World Economic Forum’s Africa Strategy Group, IMANI Center for Policy & Education, and the inaugural Ashoka Globalizer initiative. Other assignments have been at the instance of the World Bank, UNECA, USAID, the EU, and the Commonwealth. Other relevant affiliations include: membership in successive World Economic Forum Global Agenda and Future Councils; the TED Fellowship; the Tutu Fellowship; and Socrates, and Braddock.

Bright is a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement award from the African Innovation Foundation; was on a list of the 35 most impressive global technology visionaries under age 35 by the MIT’s Tech Review in 2013; was ranked among Quartz’s top 30 innovators in 2015; and been listed by both the Africa Report and New African magazines on their Most Influential Persons’ lists in recent years. In 2016, he was announced as the CNBC All-Africa Business Leader of the Year in the innovation category. In 2016, Fortune magazine named him on their 50 World Greatest Leaders list.

 

Founder, Managing Director, JNC International Limited (JNCI). Current President, West African Private Healthcare Federation (WAPHF/FOASPS)

Clare Omatseye

Clare Omatseye, is the Founder and Managing Director of the International Award winning company, JNC International Limited (JNCI) and the current President of West African Private Healthcare Federation (WAPHF/FOASPS) with Headquarters in Dakar, Senegal. 

She is the President of the West Africa Healthcare Federation and pioneer President of the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria (HFN), a non-profit advocacy group that brings all stakeholders in the Nigerian private health sector under one umbrella with the aim of influencing healthcare policy and practices in the country. Clare is an advocate for healthcare reform and has used her vast 30 year experience in the development of several healthcare policies, public procurement reforms, Public-Private Partnerships and incentives for Private Sector Investments in the Nigerian Health sector.

She also served as the President of the prestigious Lagos Business School Alumni Association (LBSAA) and is an Honorary Fellow of the West African College of Surgeons (WACS), a Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), a Senior Fellow of the Nigerian Leadership Academy (SNLI), a Fellow of the Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria (SCGN), an Associate Member of the Paediatric Association of Nigeria (PAN), a Member of the Society of Quality in Healthcare in Nigeria (SQHN) and a Member, WISCAR (Women in Successful Careers).

She sits on the Board of several reputable organizations as an Independent Director of the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), a Director of Aspire Coronation Trust (ACT) Foundation, Director, Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria (SCGN), Director, LEAP Africa and Chairman of the Board, Vaccipharm Limited, a cold chain Vaccines, Pharma & Medical consumables distribution company that she also founded in 1999.

Clare is passionate about improving the quality and contributions of the Healthcare industry especially in reversing the unfortunate and unnecessary death of women and children and reversing the plight of the upsurge of Cancer in West Africa. She continues to offer her time to activities that promote the improvement of Healthcare standards as well as Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Nigeria and the need to adopt Global Best Practices and build Sustainable Partnerships. She also enjoys engaging and mentoring the youth, empowering them with knowledge to embrace the mantle and responsibilities of steward leadership.

 

Managing Director – Enterprise Trustees Ltd

Joseph Ampofo

Joseph is responsible for leading the team at Enterprise Trustees to deliver retirement solutions to Companies and Individuals across Ghana. He has a strong dedication to client service excellence and this he has ensured runs through the entire organization. Until this appointment to head the business in 2013, he headed the Sales & Marketing division to drive business growth upon receipt of license to operate.

Joseph has had over 18 years’ experience in the Enterprise Group performing various leadership roles. Until joining Enterprise Trustees, Joseph was at Enterprise Insurance where he held various roles largely as a turn-around specialist. As Branch Manager he turned the Tema (2001-2008) and Airport (2009-2011) Branches into key revenue Units within 12 months of his leadership there.

His relationship with Enterprise began in 1998 when he joined the company for National Service, having graduated from the University of Ghana with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and Sociology. He holds a Diploma in Insurance & Pensions from the West Africa Insurance Institute (WAII) in The Gambia, having completed with Distinction, and an Advanced Diploma from the Ghana Insurance College as well as a Cert CII Holder of the Chartered Insurance Institute of UK.

In 2011, Joseph successfully completed a 12 month Executive Senior Management Development program from University of Stellenbosch in South Africa.

ISSUE AREA
LOCATION: Ghana, Africa.
STATUS: NOT ACTIVE

 

CEO, Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation. Visiting Scientist, Harvard School of Public Health

Kelechi Ohiri

Kelechi Ohiri is the CEO of Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation and visiting scientist at the Harvard School of Public Health. In addition, he is the Co-Founder of the Healthcare Leadership Academy in Nigeria, and Managing Partner of Flint Atlantic Capital, an Africa-focused Social Impact Investment firm. Kelechi currently serves on the Board of the World Health Organization’s Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research and is a 2013 Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellow.

At the time of starting the Fellowship, he was Special Adviser to the Minister of Finance of Nigeria, and had served as a senior adviser to two ministers of health in Nigeria. Prior to this, he was an engagement manager with the London Office of McKinsey and Company, where he served a broad section of healthcare clients, in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Before McKinsey, Kelechi worked with the World Bank in Washington DC, having joined through the Young Professionals’ Programme. He holds a degree in Medicine from the University of Lagos, a master of public health degree and a Master of Science in Health Policy and Management, both from Harvard University.

He was a Healthcare Management Fellow at Harvard and has worked as a primary care physician in various settings. Kelechi is a Fellow of the fifth class of the Africa Leadership Initiative-West Africa and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.

 

 

Bright Simons

clare omatseye

Joseph Ampofo

kelechi ohiri

Group CEO, Databank Group

Kojo Addae-Mensah
CEO, Environmental Management and Development Systems Limited

Mohammed Abu Ibrahim
Director of Operations, Alpha Beta Education Centres

Naomi Adjepong
Managing Partner, Verraki Partners

Olaniyi Yusuf

Group CEO, Databank Group

Kojo Addae-Mensah

Kojo Addae-Mensah is an accomplished banker with over two decades of banking experience. He has worked in Multinational banks like Standard Chartered and Barclays Bank, where he played various roles across Africa. He was also the Chief Operating Officer of GCB Bank before he took up his current role as the Group CEO of Databank, Ghana’s premier and biggest Investment Bank. Outside of work, Kojo is a national TV pundit and hosts various shows on radio from time to time.

He is a Director of the Changing Lives Endowment Fund, aimed at supporting bright and needy children, and he is also undertaking a similar project in his hometown of Abetifi on a personal level to improve JHS results. Kojo is motivated by his desire for excellence and positive results, which is reflected in every task that he completes, both inside and outside of the office, and in the people that he surrounds himself with.

ISSUE AREA: Education
LOCATION: Ghana, Africa.
STATUS: Active

 

 

CEO, Environmental Management and Development Systems Limited

Mohammed Abu Ibrahim

Mohammed Ibrahim is the Chief Executive officer of Environmental Management and Development Systems Limited and is a serial entrepreneur with 16 years of successful experience in initiating and nurturing business startups within uniquely challenging environments. He was founding partner and CEO of Cryogenic Industries Limited (high grade oxygen and allied gases producers) from 2007 to 2009. Before that, he served as founder and CEO of Tri- Dynamic Services Limited, a municipal solid waste management company. He was also the executive director of North-South Petroleum Limited, a deep offshore oil block holding company. Mohammed is presently the Chairman of the Board of Inspire Academy, a British Curriculum Primary School with emphasis on special needs in Abuja Nigeria. He serves as Director in Socket Works Limited a thriving IT Firm with presence in six African countries, Maigari Farms an agricultural company involved in Crop Cultivation and Poultry Farming and Sponge Analytics Limited a software development firm.

 

Director of Operations, Alpha Beta Education Centres

Naomi Adjepong

Naomi has 10 years of managerial experience. In addition to her role as Director of Operations at Alpha Beta, she also serves as the Director of the Entrepreneurial Leadership Department. With the support of a dedicated team, she has designed and implemented a full time leadership track called the Adinkrahene Leadership Program.

The program is for young people aged 11 to 18 years and runs parallel the Cambridge International Examination curriculum which provides an enriched educational experience ensuring that students gain exposure and develop the values, attitude and skills they need to succeed in the 21st century.

She also co-directs a social enterprise – Emerge Leadership Ghana Ltd, which designs and runs leadership development programs for teenagers. She serves as a Director for a number of organisations including Databank Group (a financial services company) and Alpha Beta Charitable Trust a charitable organization that works to improve the quality of life for people in disadvantaged communities in Ghana.

Her most recent project is a new organisation called Skill Up Africa which aims to provide opportunities for continuous personal and professional development for adults. She is a Medical Doctor by profession and has earned a post graduate qualification in Managing Rural Development.

 

Managing Partner, Verraki Partners

Olaniyi Yusuf

Olaniyi Yusuf is the Managing Partner, Verraki Partners and also leads the Social Sector practice. Niyi leads the firm in its mission to transform African enterprises and government via smart, future-focused solutions and business insights.

He served as the Country Managing Director for Accenture in Nigeria and was responsible for all aspects of the firm’s strategy, team and operations.

Niyi holds a combined honours degree in Computer Science and Economics from Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria. Prior to Verraki, he has worked at Accenture, Arthur Andersen and JKK in a career spanning over 29 years.

 

 

Kojo Addae-Mensah

Muhammad Ibrahim

Naomi Adjepong

niyi yusuf

Director & Group Head, Technology, Databank Financial Services LTD

Richard Okyere-Fosu
CEO, Alpha African Advisory Limited (Formerly Travant Capital)

Sanyade Okoli
Managing Director, Hill+Knowlton Strategies Nigeria

Tokunboh George-Taylor
Former Executive Secretary, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI)

Waziri Adio

Director & Group Head, Technology, Databank Financial Services LTD

Richard Okyere-Fosu

Richard Okyere-Fosu is the director and group head of information technology at Databank Group. He is a management professional with outstanding background in managing complex IT systems for corporate and government clients by introducing innovative solutions and best practice for return on investment.

He is passionate about using technology to achieve operational efficiencies that impact positively on shareholder value. He earned an EMBA in business innovation and entrepreneurship from the China Europe international business school (CEIBS) and a BS in computer science from Kingston University London, UK.

ISSUE AREA
LOCATION: Ghana, Africa.
STATUS: Active

 

CEO, Alpha African Advisory Limited (Formerly Travant Capital)

Sanyade Okoli

Sanyade Okoli is the Chief Executive Officer of Alpha African Advisory Limited (formerly Travant Capital). She has over 25 years of financial advisory; private equity; corporate, commercial and management finance; and auditing experience. Sanyade has led numerous advisory transactions in areas such as fundraising, mergers & acquisitions, capital restructuring and strategic advisory. Sanyade joined the company as one of the founding Directors in 2007 and was a key member of the team that raised and partially deployed a US$107m private equity fund. She currently sits on several boards.

Sanyade holds an MA in Mechanical Engineering from Cambridge University, UK and trained as a Chartered Accountant with Arthur Andersen (UK). Before moving to Nigeria in 2006, Sanyade also spent six years at British Telecom in the UK where she held various management and commercial finance positions. She was on the company’s High Potential list for most of the time she was there. Sanyade is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants England & Wales and is currently the Contact Member of the Institute in Nigeria. She is also a Fellow of the fifth class of the Africa Leadership Initiative-West Africa and a Fellow of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. Sanyade is currently a regular Analyst on Arise TV’s Global Business Report show discussing business and economic issues arising across the African continent.

 

Managing Director, Hill+Knowlton Strategies Nigeria

Tokunboh George-Taylor

Tokunboh George-Taylor is the Managing Director of Hill+Knowlton Strategies Nigeria. Tokunboh draws from over 25 years of experience in public relations and corporate communications to guide the office in providing strategic insight and counsel to clients.  She is well versed in the business operating landscape in Nigeria.

Her areas of specialization include Public Relations, Community Relations, Advertising, Branding and Marketing in the Telecoms, Information Technology, Finance, Education, Energy, Oil & Gas Sector. She is experienced in Governance and Compliance, CSR Strategy and innovation Development.

Before joining H+K Strategies, Tokunboh spent over 14 years at integrated energy group Oando Plc. in Lagos where she was a part of the Group Leadership Council, heading up the Corporate Services, Corporate communications/CSR divisions along the way. Most recently she was Director of the Oando Foundation, establishing the foundation in Nigeria, US and UK and developing its framework and partnerships. Whilst at Oando Plc., she led the communications team for local and international fund raising and the listing on the Johannesburg stock exchange.

Tokunboh holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Wisconsin, USA.
She is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and Institute of Directors (IOD). She is also the Acting Chairman of the Oando Foundation as well as a Board Member of Legacy Office and CSR-in-Action Advocacy.

 

Former Executive Secretary, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI)

Waziri Adio

Waziri Adio is the former Executive Secretary of Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (Neiti)a renowned journalist and policy strategist. He is the lead consultant on public communication, policy and public strategic management and serves as the chief strategy officer of Think-Tank Consult. He has held senior positions in different organizations, ranging from editor and columnist at This Day Newspapers, special adviser to the senate president, communication specialist for UNDP, and director of communications at Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI. He is the publisher of Metropole, an Abuja-based magazine, which he founded in 2012. He was educated at the University of Lagos, Columbia University, and Harvard University, where he earned a BSc in mass communication, a MS in journalism, and an MPA in public administration respectively. At different times, he was also a Fellow of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism and an Edward S. Mason Fellow in public policy and management at Harvard University.

 

Richard Okyere-Fosu

Sanyade Okoli

Tokunboh George-Taylor

WazirI Adio