The sky is not the limit for Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Clare Akamanzi.
The Acting CEO of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) has been selected on the panel of judges that will be honored with selecting winners in the East African region category in the prestigious All Africa Business leaders Awards (AABLA), 2013 scheduled to be held across selected African countries including Rwanda.
Clare Akamanzi, was selected on a 4 member AABLA awards panel alongside Mary Waceke Muia (Human Resources Manager, Kenya Central Bank), Dr. George Njenga (Dean, Strathmore Business School) and Gideon Badagawa (Executive Director, Private Sector Foundation Uganda).
The panel of judges will be tasked with short-listing candidates for each of the categories within the East African region. “It is a privilege to seat on the AABLA awards panel amongst East Africa’s reputable corporate leaders,” said Akamanzi. “It is an exciting opportunity to be able to play a big role in selecting the best of minds at the forefront of private sector growth and exemplary leadership.
Hosting the EA region AABLA awards is a great testament to Rwanda commitment to private sector growth and celebration of the great strides undertaken so far.”
ABN Productions, the organizers of the AABLA awards confirmed that the panel of judges that will be mandated to select winners of each of the EA shortlisted candidates nominated under the five categories – Business Leader of the Year, Business Woman of the Year, Young Business Leader of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, and Lifetime Achievement Award
. The regional awards ceremonies kicked off in Lagos (Nigeria) in August 28th, followed by Kigali (Rwanda) on September 9th, and Johannesburg (South Africa) on September 19. The Winners from the regional events will then proceed as finalists to the AABLA grand finale which will be held on November 8, 2013 in Durban (South Africa).
The 2013 AABLA awards promises to be another great celebration of Africa’s finest in business following the premier of the AABLA regional awards last year.
INFLUENTIAL WOMAN A few months ago, Akamanzi was unveiled by Jeune Afrique as one of the most powerful women who drive business in Africa. The popular magazine on Tuesday said it was “listing the women who matter in the business world in Francophone Africa – whether ministers or heirs or self-made women.”
Akamanzi joins the group of powerful women whose influence “can act on the course of events and decisions” in Africa. The former Chief Operating Officer of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), a government institution in charge of accelerating economic growth and development in Rwanda, was recently named among young global leaders by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
Observers say Akamanzi’s work style has enabled to build strategies such as the ease of doing business and a team of professionals to attract heavy Foreign Direct Investments in Rwanda. At 33, Akamanzi has served in very powerful and strategic government positions.
She was Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Business Operations and Services at RDB, in charge of investment promotion, export promotion, enterprise development and business facilitation through investment climate reform, company registration and environmental clearances.
Prior to RDB, Akamanzi was Deputy Director-General of the Rwanda Investment and Export Promotion Agency (RIEPA), a position she held from 2006-2008.
She was also Rwanda’s commercial diplomat in London and a trade negotiator in Geneva for the Government of Rwanda at the World Trade Organization. Akamanzi is an international trade and investment lawyer. She attained her law degree in Uganda, and a Master’s in International Trade and Investment Policy in South Africa and the Netherlands
Source:chimpreports
