Africa Venture
A programme for emerging leaders across Africa

All applications will be reviewed by the Africa Venture Selection Group, composed of senior leaders from organizations across the continent and across the sectors.
The participants will:

• develop their Cultural Intelligence (CQ): the ability to cross boundaries and thrive in multiple cultures
• enhance their ability to lead beyond authority – the ability to lead in situations where they have no formal authority
• build diverse networks with exceptional emerging leaders from across the continent, whom they would never otherwise meet

Throughout the programme, we emphasize helping the candidates to learn to apply the leadership concepts which are taught.

Earlier on in the programme, participants begin to apply their leadership learning to a challenge which they identify from within their own workplace or community. They are encouraged to share the learning from this as they proceed, and at the final contact module, they report back on progress and learn from each other’s experiences.

In the final module of the programme, we do so by presenting the participants with a practical and compelling challenge facing Africa today. They work together, using their leadership learning, to find solutions to the challenge. The challenge is set by a Think Tank made up of senior leaders from across the continent. The 2023 challenge is: How can we build citizen leadership and engagement that constructively influences government and business to ensure that Africa’s natural resources are used sustainably for the long term benefit of the continent?

The programme follows a blended learning approach, with online content, interspersed with seven highly interactive real-time digital sessions, and one four-day, in person module. The in-person module enables the participants to gather in a leading African city and embed their learning. The programme is completed over four months. 

The programme is highly experiential: participants visit organizations across the continent and engage in discussions with senior leaders from across the public, private and NGO sectors. Visits take place virtually or in-person, as circumstances allow.

• Frannie Leautier, Senior Vice President, African Development Bank (Tanzania)

• Juliet Ehimuan, Director, Google West Africa (Nigeria)

• Marguerite Barankitse, Humanitarian (Burundi)

• Reuel Khosa, Chairman of Dzana Investments (Pty) Ltd and AKA Capital (Pty) Ltd (South Africa)

• Sir Sam Jonah, Executive Chairman of Jonah Capital and Director of Vodaphone (Ghana)

• Barbara Kokonya, Managing Director, Very Chic Limited, Kenya

• Caroline Kayonga ,Independent Consultant in Environment & Climate Change Policy and Natural Resources Management, Rwanda /China

• Elias Mpondela, President, Zambian Amateur Athletics Association, Zambia

• Kenneth Ashigbey, Chief Executive Officer, Chamber of Telecommunications, Ghana

• Mabel Mungomba, Chief Executive, Belcomm Limited, Zambia

• Rosemary Iphie Ugonabo – Senior Consultant, Nextier Advisory, Nigeria

• Shenouda Bissada – Country Director, Alfanar, Egypt

• Vanessa Naicker, Head of Early Talent, Anglo American, South Africa