The Royal African Society (https://RoyalAfricanSociety.org) is thrilled to announce that our Annual Lecture will be delivered by one of the most respected, transformative global leaders, Professor Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors at the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), on Thursday, 21st November 2024, at the Sammy Ofer Centre, London Business School, 97-113 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5PT.
Professor Oramah is one of the key architects of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA). He spearheads Afreximbank’s ambition to transform Africa’s trade. Afreximbank has positioned itself as one of Africa’s leading financial institutions, with a mission to stimulate the consistent expansion, diversification and development of African Trade. Afreximbank pioneers initiatives that mobilise entrepreneurs and springboard ideas of excellence. Reaffirming Africa’s self-determination and prominence and significance on the world stage is equally important to Professor Oramah as it is to the Royal African Society.
This very special event will be hosted by Arunma Oteh, Chairperson of the Royal African Society. She is also a member of the Global Leadership Council of the University of Oxford SAID Business School, and former Treasurer of the World Bank. This event will be moderated by Omar Ben Yedder, Group Publisher and Managing Director of IC Publications Limited and Editor-in-Chief of African Business. Guests will include business leaders, Parliamentarians, Ambassadors and High Commissioners, Academic, Africa & African Diasporic focused organisations and international, mainstream press.
The Annual Lecture is part of the Royal African Society’s wider end of year event programme which ties in with the Society’s Benefit Gala which takes place on Friday, 22nd November 2024. Tickets for RAS Benefit Gala (https://apo-opa.co/4fJdme7).
Programme Schedule:
Doors open: 5:30PM
Registration: 5:30pm – 6:00pm
Lecture & Q&A: 6:00pm – 7:00pm
Tickets are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. To secure your ticket please register using the link HERE (https://apo-opa.co/4fJdnib)
This event is in partnership with Afreximbank, the Wheeler Institute for Business and Development, and London Business School Africa Club.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Royal African Society.
Notes to Editors:
About Professor Benedict Oramah:
Professor Benedict Oramah holds a PhD in Agricultural Economics obtained in 1991 and has been decorated as a Professor of International Trade and Finance by Adeleke University, one of Nigeria’s foremost private universities in 2018.
Professor Oramah worked as the Assistant Manager, Research, for the Nigerian Export-Import Bank from 1992 to 1994 before joining the African Export-Import Bank as Chief Analyst in 1994, rising to the position of Senior Director, Planning and Business Development Department, in 2007. He was appointed to the position of Executive Vice President of the Bank in October 2008, a position he held until his appointment as President in June 2015 during the 22nd Annual General meeting in Lusaka, Zambia and he was inaugurated in September 2015.
Professor Oramah has written over 30 articles on a range of African economic and trade related matters, many of which have been published in leading international journals. Professor Benedict Oramah has received numerous awards for his leadership. In 2023, he was named Africa’s “Person of the Year” by Forbes and awarded the Officer of the Congolese Order of Merit. In 2022, he received the Commander of the Order of the Niger and the Financial Leadership Award from the Africa Prosperity Network. His 2019 honors included the Russian Federation’s Order of Friendship and the Knight of the National Order from Cameroon. Oramah has been recognized as “Business Leader of the Year” at CNBC Africa’s awards and multiple times as “African Banker of the Year.” He has also been listed among the 100 most influential Africans by New African Magazine and Jeune Afrique, and holds honorary doctorates from Obafemi Awolowo University and Nnamdi Azikiwe University. Visit Afreximbank (www.Afreximbank.com)
About the Royal African Society:
The Royal African Society is a membership organisation dedicated to improving understanding of Africa and promote engagement and investment between Africa and the UK and beyond, across all sectors. The Society uses its flagship events to spotlight Africa’s innovation, talents, diverse cultures, heritages and current affairs to the widest possible audience.
For more information, please visit: https://RoyalAfricanSociety.org
For more information on the Benefit Gala: https://Gala.RoyalAfricanSociety.org
Media contact:
Michael Burgess
mb148@soas.ac.uk
