Nigerian fintech company, Flutterwave, has appointed Mansi Babyloni as the new Chief People and Culture Officer. This was contained in a media statement issued following her appointment which has taken effect already.

In his remarks, the CEO and Founder of Flutterwave, Mr OIugbenga Agboola, highlighted Babyloni’s distinct features that made her a good fit for the position. “We are thrilled to have Mansi join Flutterwave,” adding that she compliments Flutterwave’s culture of people development. “We have always thought about developing a program that serves as a pipeline for talent from school to the workforce. We’re happy that Mansi and the entire People and Culture team at Flutterwave have made this a reality. Because of this project, 200 young graduates will have an opportunity to break into their careers and get started on the path toward achieving their dreams. We’re elated that Mansi is back and pushing
impactful projects in her first month with us.”

Babyloni, who was appointed the new Chief People and Culture Officer in August, currently spearheads the ongoing Graduate Trainee Program that received 11,000 applications from young graduates across the country. This is Babyloni’s first project, which is on the quest to foster young talents in Africa as part of her responsibility is to lead culture, people and processes at Africa’s biggest Fintech company. These talents will, in turn, brace Flutterwave’s growing need for talent, as it works to meet its growth and expansion objectives.The Graduate Trainee Program has recruited 200 trainees. These trainees will be equipped with the prerequisite tech skills for a well-rounded performance at the fintech startup, Flutterwave.

Before her new role, she was the Global Head of People Strategy and Special Projects at Flutterwave in 2020. Although Babyloni left for PwC’s People and Org. practice in London, UK, she has now rejoined Flutterwave as the Chief People and Culture Officer. With her new portfolio at Flutterwave, she is to focus on identifying, developing and retaining top talent by transforming the ‘human’ in Human Resources people and focusing on the culture and processes to drive growth for the organization.

Babyloni expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve. She promises to put her best foot forward to change the narrative of the Graduate Trainee Program for young people. Meanwhile, in her previous capacity at Flutterwave, Babyloni steered the People Team while also leading significant improvements in the Customer Experience Team. This helped reimagine the experience for end users. Babyloni has a background in Finance, Economics, Strategy and People Management. She got her MBA at Georgetown University and pursued short-term courses at MIT and
the London School of Economics and Political Science.

About Flutterwave 

Flutterwave is a fintech company that provides payment infrastructures for global merchants and payment service providers across the continent. The company offers payment technology and infrastructure that enables banks and global merchants to accept and process payments on web, mobiles, ATM, and POS. Flutterwave serves customers worldwide.

Flutterwave enables businesses across the world to expand their operations in Africa and other emerging markets through a platform that enables cross-border transactions via one API.

Since its inception in 2016, Flutterwave claims to have processed over 200 million transactions worth over $16 billion across 34 African countries.

Ms. Caroline Eboumbou has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of All On

Prior to this, Caroline was the Director at The Rockefeller Foundation based in Nairobi, Kenya. In that capacity, her role focused on driving large-scale impact through the Foundation’s Power investments in Africa, as well as on mobilizing significant financing for extending electricity access globally.

“Prior to joining The Rockefeller Foundation, Caroline worked for the African Development Bank in Tunis and Nairobi, and in private equity focusing on construction and long-term equity financing for solar photovoltaic projects in emerging markets. In these roles, she gained substantial project finance experience and worked on transformative projects to bring electricity to people across Africa. Her project experience spans Francophone and Anglophone countries, and ranges in scope from power generation to transmission projects in both private sector-led and public-private partnerships.

Lalela Mswane has made history as the first Black woman to win Miss Supranational. She is now a two-time international title winner within the pageant world, having been crowned Miss South Africa in 2021 and now earning the crown and title of Miss Supranational for 2022.

“I am the first black woman to have won the title – what a time to be alive. It’s been a big week for women following the Banyana Banyana win and return home. I am filled with national pride,” – Lalela Mswane

25-year-old Mswane was born in Richards Bay, in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. Her father, Muntu Mswane, was an Eswatini-born former diplomat and minister who died in 2010, while her mother, Hleliselwe, worked as an accounts clerk and homemaker. She is the youngest of three children, having an elder brother and sister. After completing her secondary education at Pro Arte Alphen Park in 2015, Mswane enrolled in the University of Pretoria, later graduating with a Bachelor of Laws degree.

Miss Supranational was established in 2009 and has become a highlight on the pageant calendar. Last year was the first time South Africa took part in the event. Thato Mosehle earned second place in the event, with neighbouring Namibia’s Chanique Rabe earning the crown.

The pageant started on the 15th of July 2022. Mswane is now the first South African to have earned the title of Miss Supranational. Take a look at the winning moment below.

At a press conference, Lalela reiterated that her win was not only for herself but for South Africa as a whole. She reaffirmed her commitment to working harder than ever on her projects, which will be focusing on issues surrounding unemployment.

With the full support of the Miss Supranational Organization, she will also start addressing the issue of cyberbullying which is something that is affecting many people the world over.

Lalela bested 68 other contestants to win her country’s first-ever Miss Supranational in a glittering competition held at the Strzelecki Park Amphitheatre in Nowy Sącz, Małopolska, Poland on July 15. She is also the first woman of colour to win the beauty title.

The Coca-Cola company recently promoted Phoebe Dami-Asolo to the position of Director of Operations, India Franchise.

Dami-Asolo leaves her previous role as Senior commercial Manager at the Coca-cola company, where she has worked since December 2019. 

Dami-Asolo has described her promotion as “an incredible opportunity” and “a humbling one which she hopes will inspire young African Talents to stop at nothing to achieve their dreams especially females”. 

“I’m thrilled to assume my role as the Director of Operations at Coca-Cola India especially at a time when African women  and women in general, have so much to contribute to global economic development.”

“I’m most grateful to the Coca-Cola company for this opportunity and will continue to contribute my best to drive profitable growth for the company.”

Phoebe Dami-Asolo’s impressive, decade-long career spans managing the brands of multiple International companies across a wide range of categories including; beverages, consumer packaged goods, personal and home care products. Prior to her role with Coca-cola, she worked at Reckitt West Africa, managing all brands within Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Cameroon. Prior to Reckitt, she was Brand Manager for International premium strong bow; Apple Ciders, Nigeria Breweries Plc, after successfully managing the Non-Alcoholic Category; Amstel Malta, Fayrouz and Maltina at Nigeria Breweries Plc.

As a trained marketing and commercial professional, Dami-Asolo holds a BSc in Accounting and Finance from Manchester University in the UK, an MSc in Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Management from the Imperial College Business School, London, a strategic marketing certification from Harvard University as well as a certification in Brand Management and Brand Leadership in a fierce economy from the Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University.

Airtel Uganda, one of two of Uganda’s lead telecommunications companies has appointed 4 female executives to key positions in its product portfolios.

Ms Jacqueline Kyomuhendo has been appointed the Head of Voice, Ms. Noela Byuma, has been appointed the Head of Brand Marketing and Communications and Ms Joweria Nabakka has been appointed to head the Airtel Data and Devices portfolio. Ms Connie Nankya, previously at Movit Uganda Limited, has joined their Airtel Money business as Head of Marketing.

As head of Voice, Jacqueline will be in charge of the bucket that contributes over 50% of Airtel Uganda’s revenue as the giant telecom gears to list on the Uganda Stock Exchange.

Prior to this role, Jacqueline was responsible for Compliance and Budgeting. She holds a master’s degree in Monitoring and Evaluation from UTAMU University and another master’s degree in Entrepreneurship from Makerere University.

Ms Kyomuhendo is a consummate Telecoms professional who understands the minutes’ factory and consumer behavior, the bedrock of Telecom business. She started at Uganda Telecom in 2003 and rose through the ranks before joining Orange Telecom where she oversaw the roaming business of the telco that later exited the market. She later joined Airtel Uganda in January 2016 as Head, Roaming Services until August 2019 when she assumed the Head, Compliance and Budgeting role, from whence she now becomes the Head, Voice.

Noela Byuma, who has been the Acting Head of Brand Marketing and Communications, has now been confirmed for the role. Noela joined the Airtel business in October 2007 when it was still called Celtel, as a Graduate Management Trainee. She then went on to become a Public Relations Executive and Corporate and SME Executive, when the company rebranded to Zain Uganda Limited.  In September 2010 upon yet another rebranding, this time to Airtel, Noela became a Brand and Communications Executive in September 2010. For 11 years, she has served in various brand and marketing roles, rising to become Brand Strategy Manager in January 2016. In January 2022 she became the Acting Head of Brand and Communications, a role into which she has now been confirmed.

Ms Joweria Nabakka, the new Head of Airtel Data and Devices Portfolio, wields over 12 years in the telco business, all of them, within the Airtel business. Between June 2010 and December 2011, she was the Senior Executive Products, Roaming and Interconnect at Airtel Uganda. In February 2012, she was promoted to Head of Revenue Planning and GeoMarketing until June 2014 when joined Airtel Tanzania as the Head of Revenue Planning and GeoMarketing. In February 2017, she returned to Uganda as Head of Acquisition and Go to Market. Joweria holds an MBA from Cavendish University and a Bachelor of Statistics from Makerere University.   

Ms Connie Nankya, the new Airtel Money Head of Marketing joins the telco from Movit Uganda, where she was the Communications & Corporate Affairs Manager. Connie holds an MA in Public Relations and Media Management and a Bachelor’s in Mass Communication, both from Uganda Cristian University- Mukono. She has also previously worked at Housing Finance Bank as the Communications & Public Relations Manager as well as at Eskom Uganda Limited as Deputy Corporate Affairs Manager amongst other roles.

This article was culled from https://www-ceo-co-ug.cdn.ampproject.org/

Francia Márquez, a Colombian human-rights and environmental activist and lawyer, has been elected as the vice president of Colombia. 

The Afro Colombian population of Columbia has been historically marginalized and are overrepresented in the numbers of forcibly displaced people and victims of violence. 

Márquez’s victory matters not only because she is Black but also because she has risen from poverty to a top position in a deeply unequal country where people succeed in politics mostly through connections with the high and mighty or the economic class. Márquez’s story is different.

Francia Márquez was born in 1981 in a small village in the southwestern Cauca region of Colombia, she grew up alone with her mother. Pregnant at 16 with her first child, she was first forced to work in a gold mine a few kilometres from home to support her family and then hired as a maid.  

Her environmental activism started early, in 1996, when she was just 15. Marquez learned that a multinational company wanted to launch a project to extend a dam on the region’s main river, the Ovejas, which would have a major impact on her community. 

Márquez is also a lawyer and longtime activist and winner of the Goldman Prize, a prestigious recognition in environmentalism.

Bolaji Agbede has been appointed as the Executive Director, Access Corporation.

With over 27 years’ experience in Human Resource management and banking operations, she is set to lead Access Corporation into a globally connected community; inspired by Africa, for the world.

She has been recognized numerously for successfully and effectively handling key responsibilities influential to the achievement of the organization’s goals and objectives.

She joined Access Bank Plc in 2003 from GT Bank Plc as an Assistant General Manager and currently serves as the Head, Group Human Resources. Bolaji has played a key role in the shaping and development of strategies that have led to the transformation of the Bank’s reputable human capital. As an avid promoter of gender equality and equity, she introduced initiatives such as paternity leave, six months’ maternity leave, the Bank’s Crèche and Access Women Network, amongst others.

In her career, she has affirmed herself as an expert in mergers and acquisitions as she has been instrumental in successfully leading the people integration in three of the most successful mergers and acquisitions undertaken in the financial sector in the past two decades. In 2005, she led the successful people integration of Marina International Bank and Capital Bank. Also, in 2012, she played a key role in Access Bank’s acquisition of Intercontinental Bank Plc. Drawing from her experience, she was once again responsible for leading the people integration following the recent successful merger between Access Bank Plc and Diamond Bank Plc.

Bolaji serves on the Board of several credible non-governmental organizations, offering her expertise, skills and resources to initiatives that contribute to women empowerment, capacity building and leadership. These organizations include ROWAA Widows Initiative and Propel Grad, amongst others.

The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority has appointed Winnie Muchanyuka as the substantive Chief Executive.

Winnie Muchanyuka is an Experienced Senior Manager with sales and marketing and business management experience in the airlines/aviation industry.  Prior to her new role, she was a part-time lecturer at the university of zimbabwe on Tourism Distribution Systems and Web Design and Tourism Informatics. She also served on the board of the Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe and the Chinhoyi University School of Tourism. She has vast experience in the aviation industry with a stint as an air hostess for Air Zimbabwe and Swiss Air. She also worked as an executive for the South African Airways.

Winnie Muchanyuka has a track record of driving sales, improving customer satisfaction and driving overall operational efficiency and profitability. She is experienced in Negotiation, Strategic Business Planning, Airports, Commercial Aviation, Tourism, and Loyalty Programs and overall promotion of organizational mission and objectives

Abiola Adediran, an LLA 100 Women Honoree and Founder, Midridge International has been accepted into the Forbes Business Council, the foremost growth and networking organisation for successful business owners and leaders worldwide.

Forbes Business Council is an invitation-only community for successful business owners and leaders.

As an accepted member of the council, She has access to various exclusive opportunities designed to help her reach peak professional influence. She will connect and collaborate with other respected global leaders in a private forum and at members-only events.

Abiola Adediran is one of Nigeria’s finest Business and Executive Life Coaches, having worked as a corporate finance and business strategy expert for over a decade.

She is a keynote speaker, author, trainer and mentor, whose work and impact over the years have been instrumental in driving key transformation across different sectors in Nigeria.

With her vast experience in business strategy, auditing, financial management, corporate valuation and investment management, Abiola is regarded as an innovative change leader with sterling results that stand as a model in the industry.

Abiola Adediran is a Chartered Accountant, a certified Management Consultant, a PRINCE2-certified Project Manager from APMG International, UK and she holds an MBA from Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University, Scotland, with a major in Finance and Strategy.

Abiola consults for leading organisations and high growth startups in Nigeria, where she is known to deliver bottom-line growth, unlock unmatched value, and foster enhanced long-term success for stakeholders.

Ruwayda Redfearn takes up CEO role at Deloitte Africa, becoming the first female CEO in the firm’s history.

Ruwayda started her career as a trainee at Deloitte in 1997. Following her secondment in New York, she returned to Durban as a manager and was appointed to the partnership in 2004. She was appointed to lead the audit practice of the KwaZulu-Natal region in 2010. She also chaired the Global Young Partners’ Advisory Council, reporting to the global CEO. In 2011, she was appointed to the Deloitte Southern Africa board and remuneration committee.

In 2012, Ruwayda took up a CFO role at a global commodity trading business for three years. She returned to Deloitte in 2015 as the office managing partner for the KZN region and managed the risk advisory business for the Eastern Cape and KZN regions. She was appointed to the Deloitte Africa board in 2016 and chaired the firm’s remuneration committee, as well as serving as a member of the performance, reward, succession and nominations committee.

Ms Redfearn will be the fourth black CEO at Deloitte.