A former member of the House of Representatives, Honourable Shina Peller, has been appointed as a member of the event board for the forthcoming Global Entrepreneurship Festival, which will be held from November 11th to 13th, 2024, at Entrepreneurship Village, Akure, Ondo State.
Peller’s appointment was communicated to him in an official letter signed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Entrepreneurship Village, Sunil Santanam, who listed Peller’s background, exposure, commitment to the values of entrepreneurship, and women and youth empowerment as some of the traits that qualified him for the position.
Also on the board with the former federal lawmaker are E-Village CEO Sunil Santanam, President of Africa’s Young Entrepreneurs Dr. Summy Smart Francis, Executive Director on Innovation & Partnership, Dr. Joy Smart Francis, Director of Strategic Alliances at the International Coaching Federation (ICF), Professor Emeritus Stephen Read, Author and professional journalist, Dustin Plantholt, Executive/Leadership Development Consultant, Nancy Taiye Aragbaye, President of Omnichannel Global, Jim Jurewicz; and American producer Chloe Arnold.
Others are remarkable entrepreneurs: Sylvia Maseko, Member of IFBIC, Aloke Sharma, a Nigerian Culture and Tourism icon; Wanle Akinboboye, founder; Lacampgne Tropicana, CEO MJF Travel & Tour, Bukky Enuha, Development consultant; Arif Kazanci, Global thought leader, Louisa Akaiso, CEO Agile Communications, Rufai Ladipo, Career expert; Janice Coleman and others.
In his reaction to the appointment, Honourable Peller, who is the Ayedero of Yorubaland, said he is delighted to get involved in the E-Village project and to be appointed as a member of the Event Board for the upcoming Global Entrepreneurship Festival.
He added that E Village, which is often regarded as Africa’s Silicon Valley, is designed to revolutionise the entire education system and establish a comprehensive ecosystem for young talents, creativity, startups, technologists, artists and Nigerian youth.
Also, he expressed gratitude for the management of the E Village for finding him worthy of the new role and promised to work harmoniously with other members of the board to make the event a success.
The Global Entrepreneurship Festival, which will be hosted by the E-Village, is an integral component of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) 2024, a period where the brightest minds in business, technology and creative industries come together to share their insights and foster collaboration.
GEW is designed to celebrate and empower entrepreneurs in every country and community around the world, particularly those individuals who face structural barriers or may have never considered the idea of launching a startup.
The GEW, founded in 2008 by the Global Entrepreneurship Network, is an annual worldwide event which ignites a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship each November and spreads across many countries, inspiring millions to embark on entrepreneurial ventures.
The Global Entrepreneurship Festival is an initiative of Africa’s Young Entrepreneurs (AYE), and it is said to be one of the most significant Entrepreneurship events in the world, with 12 events held concurrently.
According to the organisers of the event, GWF represents the pinnacle of entrepreneurial spirit and ingenuity. The monumental occasion will witness 12 curated events such as Conference, Trade Fair, Bootcamp, Business Pitch, Networking and collaboration, Innovation and Robotic exhibition, Hackathon, Arts and Creative Exhibition, Fashion Show, leadership Forum, Women’s congress, and Concert.
Also, the event is expected to witness electric selection of various industries to celebrate, catalyse, and foster a thriving global entrepreneurial ecosystem and engage in meaningful exchange that will change the future of Global Enterprise.
Furthermore, the business-oriented festival will have the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Executive Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa and Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija as Special Guests of Honour.
Some of the proposed speakers at the event are former United States of America Presidents Barrack Obama and Christine Blair
former United Kingdom first lady, Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General, World Trade Organisation; and Melinda Gates, Chairperson of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Others include Sir Robert Grant, founder and CEO of Crown Sterling Limited, Olayemi Cardoso, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Femi Otedola, businessman and philanthropist, Mohammed Bin Tarjim, CEO of Vital Signs Damman, Saudi Arabia, and Indra Nooyi, former chairman and CEO of PepsiCo.
Also expected as speakers are Vusi Thembekwayo, Entrepreneur, Author, and Public Speaker; Aliaune D. B. Akon Thiam, Senegalese-American singer; Dr. Christina Rahm, Scientist, Artist, and Author; Marc Randolph, former CEO of Netflix; Joseph William Foster, Founder of Reebok; and Sir Gabriel P. Andreoili, President, Institute for Advanced Studies and Cooperation, among others.
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