Dr. Adesina Akinwumi has been awarded the African of the Year Award from the All Africa Business Leaders Awards (AABLA™) in recognition of his bold leadership and the innovation of the Africa Investment Forum which “opened up billions of dollars of investment into the continent.”
The ninth edition of the awards, organized by AABLA™ in conjunction with CNBC Africa, seeks to honour leaders who have contributed and shaped the African economy.
The Africa Investment Forum, inaugurated in 2018, has been a trailblazer in tilting investments into the continent. The second edition of the Forum. which was held in Johannesburg, South Africa ended on 13 November [2019]. It was attended by over 2,000 delegates and secured investor interest worth $40.1 billion – up from $37.1 billion the previous year.
According to Dr. Adesina Akinwumi, President of the African Development Bank:
“I am humbled and greatly honored to be named African of the Year by Forbes Africa.
My darling wife Grace has always been my rock with her love, wise counsels, prayers and support. Forbes Africa’s “African of the Year” Award is jointly shared with Grace. Thank you very much honey!
African of the Year Award by Forbes Africa: I give a big “High 5” to all the amazing staff and highly supportive Boards of Governors and Directors of the African Development Bank Group. Together, we continue to fast-track Africa’s development!
It is indeed a great honour. My heartbeat is to serve the people of Africa.”
Dr. Adesina made the remarks during the exclusive gala dinner held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, at which the awards were announced.
The event was attended by business leaders, government representatives including David Makhura, Premier of Guateng Province, who gave the opening address.
The awards are decided by a jury of continent-wide judges led by Sam Bhembe, CNBC Africa Non-Executive Director, following evaluation of a shortlist of finalists to determine the overall category winners.
Sam Bhembe said the award reflected how the winner would “shape the future of the African continent,” and that the winner would brace the cover of a special edition of Forbes Africa.
In other categories of the 2019 awards, Nigerian Co-Founder of Kobo360, Obi Ozor won Young Business Leader of the Year; Naspers CEO: South Africa, Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa took the Business Woman of the Year award; while Nedbank, won the Company of the Year award.
About AABLA
The annual All Africa Business Leaders Award (AABLA™) honours business excellence and leaders who have made a considerable impact on their industry and community. The award recognizes remarkable leadership and salutes game changers of business on the continent for their continuing commitment to excellence, developing best practices and innovative strategies. Winners of the awards exemplify the best in African leadership: core values of a successful leader: strength, innovation, ingenuity, knowledge and foresight.
