The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has appointed Heirs Holdings Founder and Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu, to its Advisory Council on Entrepreneurship and Growth. The council, convened by IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, is a high-level advisory body focused on fostering entrepreneurship and economic growth globally. The appointment was announced in a statement released on Friday.
The Advisory Council comprises distinguished global business leaders, policymakers, and academics tasked with identifying regulatory barriers to entrepreneurship and formulating policy recommendations that enhance resource allocation, spur innovation, and drive sustainable private sector-led economic growth.
Tony Elumelu, renowned for his advocacy of entrepreneurship in Africa, has, through the Tony Elumelu Foundation, funded, mentored, and trained over 25,000 African entrepreneurs since 2015. He is a strong proponent of Africapitalism—the philosophy that the African private sector must take a leading role in the continent's economic transformation by making long-term investments that create both social and economic value.
As a member of the Advisory Council, Elumelu is expected to play a crucial role in ensuring that Africa's entrepreneurial potential is recognized and integrated into global economic policymaking. His expertise and commitment to fostering business growth and innovation will contribute significantly to the council's objectives.
Other distinguished members of the IMF Advisory Council include Professor Ufuk Akcigit, Harberger Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago; HRH Ambassador Reema Bandar Al-Saud, Saudi Ambassador to the United States; Marc Benioff, Chair, CEO, and Co-Founder of Salesforce; Ana Botín, Executive Chair of Banco Santander; Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Group; Ms. Margherita Della Valle, Chief Executive of Vodafone Group; Robert Smith, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Vista Equity Partners; and Federico Sturzenegger, Argentina's Minister of Deregulation and State Transformation.
Elumelu's appointment underscores the IMF's recognition of Africa's economic potential and the critical role entrepreneurship plays in driving global prosperity.
The narrative has been drafted with a similar structure to the original while emphasizing Tony Elumelu's impact and the global significance of his appointment. Let me know if you need any modifications.