3 Ghanaian Women named among Forbes 2023 Most Influential African Women’s List

Forbes Afrique has recognized three accomplished Ghanaian women among the 2023 50 Most Influential Women in Africa, according to a recent publication. The list honours women who contribute their expertise and leadership to the growth of their organizations, serve as inspirations for young women, and possess economic or financial, political, and cultural clout to influence decisions across the continent and their respective countries.

The annual 2023 list features these three remarkable women from Ghana, who have made significant strides in banking, mining, and technology and achieved international success in their respective fields. These women are Dr. Victoria Kwakwa, Regional Vice President for Eastern and Southern Africa at the World Bank, Angela Kyerematen-Jimoh, Africa Strategic Partnerships Manager at Microsoft, and Georgette Barnes Sakyi-Addo, founder of Georgette Barnes Limited (GBL) and President of the Association of Women in Mining Africa.

At the World Bank, Dr. Victoria Kwakwa is the current Regional Vice President for Eastern and Southern Africa (26 countries) where she oversees an active portfolio of 313 operations totalling $58 billion and an extensive program of cutting-edge analytic work, technical assistance, and policy advice. Since joining the bank in 1989, she has worked in various capacities as the Vice President for East Asia and the Pacific from 2016 to 2021.

Georgette Barnes Sakyi-Addo is a well-known figure in the mining industry, having founded Georgette Barnes Limited (GBL) and serving as the President of the Association of Women in Mining Africa. GBL is a renowned supplier of drilling, exploration, and extraction materials, as well as mining equipment. Georgette is also a co-founder of the Accra Mining Network and served as its president from 2015 to 2020. Georgette was recognized by Women in Mining UK as one of 100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining. She was also awarded the Female Entrepreneur of the Year by Invest in Africa (IIA), a non-profit organization that supports African-owned SMEs across the continent, in 2018.

Angela Kyerematen-Jimoh is a renowned business leader who has worked for Global and African blue-chip companies such as UBS Investment Bank, ABN AMRO, GT Bank, UBA and IBM where she spent a decade of her career life. She ended her tenor with IBM as the Regional Director for North East and West Africa responsible for managing 35 countries in this region.  She is well known for scaling IBM’s business in Africa.  She is currently the Strategic Partnership Lead for Africa at Microsoft. Angela has lived and worked in many cities such as New York, London, Brussels, Lagos, and Nairobi and is currently in Casablanca, Morocco. Besides her professional accomplishments, Angela is also a philanthropist who has adopted Siti, a village in the Eastern Region, where she has provided them with solar-powered electricity and clean water. She has served on many boards and currently sits on Ghana’s central bank, the Bank of Ghana. Angela is an Alumna of Harvard Business School.

Ghana takes pride in these women who are making waves on a prestigious list in Africa as the world celebrates women. Their accomplishments have been a great source of inspiration to many young women, reminding them that with hard work and determination, anything is attainable. Their success in male-dominated industries like mining, banking, and technology is especially inspiring to young girls who aspire to follow in their footsteps. These women are exceptional role models who prove that perseverance and dedication can lead to extraordinary achievements.

(Source: Prince Akpah)