Djondo Fellowship Launches Programme For African Businesses

Accra, 1 February, 2017 - The Djondo Fellowship is pleased to announce the launch of its fellowship programme for businesses in Africa.

The Fellowship aims to support African companies to profitably expand beyond their domestic economies and become multinational champions of African integration. It will enrol its first set of fellows in the second quarter of 2017.

Gervais Koffi Djondo is the Founding Patron of the Djondo Fellowship. He is the co-founder of the Ecobank Group, as well as founder and Chairman of Asky Airlines. Chairman of the board is John Kufuor, former President of Ghana and Co-chair is Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, President of Mauritius.

Mr. Djondo said, “The emergence of pan-African multinationals is one of the greatest success stories in Africa. We must sustain that momentum. The Djondo Fellowship will use the principles of integration and pan-Africanism to replicate the success stories of the continent’s most powerful companies.”

President Kufuor said, “I am honoured to be part of a distinguished group of Africans working to accelerate integration on the continent. We see huge potential in technological improvement, efficiency and welfare gains in our region. These gains will create a solid Africa contributing to a global economy.”

Other members of the board of the Djondo Fellowship include: Paul-Harry Aithnard, Group Head of Securities and Asset Management, Ecobank; Didier Acouetey, President and Founder of the AfricSearch Group; Terhas Berhe, Founder and Managing Director of Brand Communications; Donald Kaberuka, former President of the African Development Bank and Arnold Ekpe, former CEO Ecobank.

Several African companies struggle to expand beyond their domestic markets. The Djondo Fellowship will bring together local business leaders to learn through an intelligent and relevant programme from experienced professionals. This will support indigenous African companies to acquire the needed capacity that will help them grow beyond their borders.

These local companies will tap into Djondo Fellowship’s ecosystem of financiers, strategy specialists and other experienced professionals across Africa.

Gervais Djondo was recently awarded the AfroChampions Lifetime Award for his outstanding contribution to economic exchange within Africa. The AfroChampions Initiative is an innovative project, which promotes African private sector champions.