SPEAKERS PROFILES
Hon Alan Kyerematen, Minister for Trade & Industry
Alan is a graduate in Economics from the University of Ghana, and a qualified Barrister at-Law from the Ghana School of Law. In addition, he was a Hubert Humphrey Fellow at the University of Minnesota, under the US Fulbright Fellowship Programme.
In 1994, Alan Kyerematen was listed as one of the top 100 Leaders in the world for the New Millennium by the Time International Magazine.
Mr. Kyerematen has an extensive and a distinguished record in international development and public policy, trade and enterprise development, politics and diplomacy.
He is an Economist, a Lawyer and a Management Consultant. His previous appointments include Cabinet Minister of Trade, Industry and Presidential Special Initiatives; Ambassador of Ghana to the United States of America; UNECA Senior Policy Advisor on Trade; UNDP Regional Director for Enterprise Africa; CEO of EMPRETEC Ghana Foundation, and a Senior Corporate Executive of Unilever-Ghana.
In 2013, the Heads of States of the African Union endorsed his nomination as Africa’s candidate for the position of Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, Minister of Business Development
Ibrahim Mohammed Awal (born 1962) is a Ghanaian journalist, marketer, entrepreneur and politician. He also served as CEO of Graphic Communications Group and Chase Petroleum. He is a member of the New Patriotic Party and has served as Minister of Business Development of Ghana since 2017.
Ibrahim Awal attended Yendi Senior High School in the Northern Region of Ghana before proceeding to the Ghana Institute of Journalism in Accra. He holds a Masters in Applied Business Research form the Swiss Business School, Switzerland, and an Executive Masters in Business Administration from the University of Ghana Business School, Legon. He obtained a Masters in International Journalism from the University of Wales, United Kingdom.
He was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Graphic Communications Group in 2007 and resigned in 2010 to take up the position of Managing Director of Chase Petroleum - a downstream oil marketing company. In 2009, he was awarded the Marketing Man of the year for his contribution towards marketing in Ghana by the Charted Institute of Marketing Ghana. At the time of his appointment, Mohammed Awal was the CEO of Marble Communication Group Limited, a private publishing house in Ghana.
On 12 January 2017, Mohammed Awal was nominated by President Akuffo-Addo for the position of Minister for Business Development, a position he holds to date.
Hon. (Mrs) Gifty Ohene-Konadu, National Project Coordinator, 1D1F
Hon. Gifty Ohene-Konadu, a former member of Parliament was appointed in 2005 as the Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry in charge of Small and Medium Enterprises which included management of District Industrialization Project among others.
She holds Masters Degree in Development studies, with specialization in Public Policy and Administration from Institute of Social Studies in The Netherlands. She has a degree in Sociology from the University of Ghana, Legon, and a Diploma in Home Economics from the same University.
She has attended Seminars and Conferences at home and abroad on Women’s Empowerment and Management of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises.
She also worked at the then Ministry of Regional Cooperation and NEPAD as the Director of Finance and Administration and at the Office of the Head of Civil Service as assistant director of human resource department.
She has nurtured and sought funding for many women groups nationwide to pursue income generating Projects across the Country.
She has a number of Publications on Citizen’s Participation in Local government as an Empowering tool.
Nana Dr. Appiagyei Dankawoso I, President, GNCCI
Nana Dr. Appiagyei Dankawoso I is the Traditional Chief (Omanhene Kyeame) of Asante Juaben traditional area. He is the President of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI), President of the Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PACCI) made up of fifty - four (54) countries, and the leader of the Private Sector Council of Ghana. He holds an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Financial Management from the Dayspring University U.S.A, a Masters’ degree in Financial Management from GIMPA and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences from the University of Cape Coast.
In addition, Nana Dr. Appiagyei Dankawoso I has attended several courses both in Ghana and abroad. He is a Chartered Insurer with about two decades experience in insurance practice. Nana Dr. Appiagyei Dankawoso I has served on several governing Boards including Central Investment Consult, Nkosuo Microfinance Co. Limited, Juaben Rural Bank Limited, PML Children Hospital, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Samara Group of Companies, University of Cape Coast Business School (UCC), West African Examination Council (WAEC), Ghana National Petroleum Authority and many more. In the same vein, Nana has received several awards both in Ghana and abroad and has also undertaken some Research works
Mr. Fakhruddin Azizi, UNIDO Representative, Ghana
Mr. Fakhruddin Azizi, UNIDO Representative, Ghana and Liberia
Mr. Fakhruddin Azizi, UNIDO Representative for Ghana and Liberia, assumed his duty on 21 August 2017.
He has had over 23 years in the field of humanitarian and development programmes with different UN agencies and international organisations.
Before his arrival to Ghana, Mr. Fakhruddin Azizi worked as UNIDO Representative for the Philippines from March 2014 to August 2017 and in Afghanistan as Head of UNIDO from May 2008 to February 2014.He also worked with UNDP as Assistant Country Director a.i. and Senior Program Officer from 2003 to 2008. During this period, Mr. Azizi established a new Policy Center at the Kabul University called Center for Policy and Human (CPHD) and was a resource person for UNDP/BCPR (Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery) global network.
Mr. Azizi was also Head of Operations and Deputy Director of the UN funded Mine Action programme for Afghanistan based in Pakistan from 1997to 2003. As Head of Operations, he was responsible for management of all Mine Action and Mine Risk Education teams.
Mr. Azizi who has a passion for the industrial development of developing countries and their global competitiveness, earlier worked as Deputy/Acting Regional Director of Swedish Committee from 1993 to 1996 based in Pakistan before joining the United Nations.
He has an MA in Management and has also obtained his second MA in the field of Responsible Management and Sustainable Economic Development from University for Peace a UN Mandated University. He is married with four children.
Nana Osei-Bonsu, President, Private Enterprise Federation
Nana has over 40 years of experience spanning the private and public sectors. He is currently the President of the Private Enterprise Federation (PEF) of Ghana, and PEF is the most powerful and autonomous apex institution of all private businesses and trade associations in Ghana.
Nana is an economist and financial expert with an extensive banking career in the USA. He worked with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the New York State Banking Department, the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York and Alliance Capital where he obtained a Broker/Dealer License during that period. Nana also served as the Managing Partner of a private investment firm, Manoff Associates of New York; later he joined the investment banking division of JP Morgan Chase where he held senior management level positions. On his return to Ghana, Nana served as one of three Technical Advisors of the Economic Management Team of the Government of Ghana. At the same time, he doubled as a Technical Advisor to the Minister of State for Economic Planning. Nana was later appointed the first Chief Executive Officer of the Venture Capital Trust Fund (VCTF) where he leveraged Government’s endowment to partner private sector investors, including some European Equity firms to create five Venture Capital Funds with the private partners contributing huge capital amounts. During his tenure, he increased Accumulated Capital of the Trust Fund immensely and attained great success. Subsequently, he was appointed the CEO of the Private Enterprise Federation, a position he currently holds.
Nana also serves as a board or steering committee member of numerous public and private institutions including the following: Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement system (GHIPSS), DANIDA SPSD, National Appropriate Mitigation Action (NAMA), Ghana Anti-corruption Coalition, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ghana Union life Assurance Company. He has also had extensive interaction with the World Bank, the African development Bank, Donor Agencies and their respective consulates. He has also been actively involved other internationally sponsored programmes and activities across Africa.
DOMINIC DOKBILLA NAAB
DOMINIC DOKBILLA NAAB is a Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) of the Ghana Revenue Authority with the Training and Development Department. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountant- Ghana (ICAG), member of Chartered Institute of Taxation-Ghana (CITG) and a member of Institute of Internal Auditors of Ghana (MIIAG).
Dominic Naab holds MBA in Accounting and Finance from the University of Professional Studies, Accra.
Dominic Naab, attended a number of courses both locally and internationally. He did programmes in Financial Management in Oil and Gas at the University of Texas in Dallas (UT Dallas) USA, Advance Fiscal Systems in Oil and Gas at CWC School for Energy in London (UK) and Amsterdam and International Petroleum Law at IHRDC in Boston, USA.
Dominic Naab also attended did a programme on Taxation of International Transaction (TOIT) at the Malaysian Tax Academy in Malaysia.
Dominic Naab is the author of the book “Oil, Gas and other Mineral Taxation in Ghana”
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