The U.S Secretary of commerce, Penny Pritzker on Wednesday in New York,
eulogized Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Mr Tony Elumelu, saying his
leadership is indispensable in the U.S support for Africa.
Pritzker who described Elumelu as an “extraordinary partner” said the
former Managing Director of UBA has been in the forefront in promoting and
strengthening business relations between Africa-United States.
Speaking at the Business Council For International Understanding, BCIU,
reception honouring Africa-U.S Business Leaders on the side-lines of the
U.N General Assembly Meeting, the U.S Chief commercial advocate, said
that Mr Elumelu is an exemplary entrepreneur.
“His leadership is indispensable in our support for Africa and he has been
an extraordinary partner,” Pritzker said.
Pritzker, also lauded the BCIU for their roles and successes in building
business partnerships between the continent and the United States. Milling
around him were hundreds of business leaders from the U.S and Africa,
including members of the U.S Congress, senior Obama administration
officials, BCIU members including CEO’s of KPMG, AAR, Accenture, VISA,
BOEING, CONOCO PHILIPS, APR, UBA and many more.
The event was also attended by former president Olusegun Obasanjo,
business leaders from Nigeria, wife of the Senate President Toyin Saraki,
Olusegun Awolowo, boss of the Nigerian export promotion council, NEPC.
Elumelu, was earlier honoured with the ‘Person of the Year’ award at the
Africa Investor CEO Institutional Investment Summit hosted alongside the
UN General Assembly in New York.
The Chairman of Heirs Holdings who also coined the word ‘Africapitalism’
urged private and public sector stakeholders to work together in what he
describes as “Shared Purpose”.
“It is critical for the public and private sectors to work together in
“SHARED PURPOSE”, which is a key tenet of Africapitalism – the economic
philosophy I espouse which calls for the private sector to play a key role
in Africa’s social and economic development by investing in strategic
sectors for both economic profit and social prosperity.”