A former Director of Partnerships and Evaluation, Tony Elumelu Foundation, Ifeyinwa Ugochukwu, has assumed her new role as the foundation’s Chief Executive Officer.
With the assumption of her new role on April 1, Ifeyinwa becomes the third CEO and the first African to head the foundation.
In December 2018, the foundation, African philanthropy committed to empowering African entrepreneurs, announced Ugochukwu’s appointment as CEO and the transition of her predecessor, Parminder Vir, OBE to the Advisory Board of the foundation.
In her role, Ugochukwu will focus on scaling the impact of the 10-year $100m Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme and strengthening relationships between the African and the global entrepreneurship ecosystem to empower African entrepreneurs with the aim of creating jobs and wealth on the continent.
She will also take responsibility for positioning TEFConnect – the digital networking platform for African entrepreneurs – as the go-to hub for forging business relationships, sharing experiences and distributing knowledge across Africa.
According to a statement, Ugochukwu brings almost two decades of corporate experience, including her most recent role as the director of partnerships and evaluation, to her new position.
She was described as a proven leader with business vision, emotional intelligence and the ability to bring people together.
Speaking on behalf of the Board of Trustees, founder, TEF, Tony Elumelu, said, “We are confident that Ifeyinwa is the right person to launch the Foundation into its new growth phase.
“Her appointment as CEO strengthens our resolve to scale the impact of our commitment and unlock opportunities in the entrepreneurship ecosystem across the continent. I have always said that no one but us will develop the African continent, and this is a further demonstration of this resolve.”
