Society
IWD: Tony Elumelu Tells Roles Of Women In His Life
I have been influenced by women all through my life, and always positively”
Champion of different sectors of the Nigerian economy, Tony Elumelu has revealed how much women have impacted his life.
“I have been influenced by women all through my life, and always positively. I am and will be a strong advocate for inclusion in every area of life. I have witnessed first-hand the impact of investing in, working with, and learning from women” one of Africa’s leading investors and philanthropists disclosed in a narrative that he declared “I am dedicating the rest of this month to celebrating our women from my mum to my wife, sisters, Heirs Holdings Group female CEOs, Directors, and female colleagues, you have all been impactful in my life story and business.”
The Chairman of pan- African financial services group which operates in 20 countries across Africa, the United Kingdom, France, the UAE, and is the only African bank with a commercial deposit taking presence in the United States – the United Bank for Africa (UBA), added that “I am a product of strong female forces in my life. My first influence was my mother, whose experience as an entrepreneur served as my initiation into a world where hard work translates to success. The formative years with her made me into the entrepreneur and leader that I am today. As a father of five girls, I am also deeply influenced by the responsibility of fatherhood. My wife, Awele, and I, are not only shaping our daughters’ futures, but also showing them what is possible through hard work, resilience, and discipline.’
Elumelu who made the disclosures in celebration of the International Women’s Day (IWD) further disclosed that “at work, I am continuously inspired by our women who have shattered ceilings. At Heirs Holdings, 40% of our CEOs are women, with 36% representation at the executive management level. At UBA Group , 50% of our board members are women, with 8 remarkable female CEOs steering the ship of Africa’s most formidable financial institution.”
The chairman of one of Nigeria’s largest quoted conglomerates, Transcorp, whose subsidiaries include the leading producers of electricity in Nigeria, Transcorp Power and pacesetter hospitality brand, Transcorp Hotels insisted that ” across our Group, the message is clear: the leadership table is set for everyone and anyone willing to work hard”.
Emphasizing intentional efforts in empowering women, the extraordinary entrepreneur revealed that “the Tony Elumelu Foundation, our philanthropic arm, also serves as an expression of our commitment to gender inclusion. Since inception, we have disbursed USD40million to support female entrepreneurs across 54 African countries. Over 650,000 women have received technical support from TEF, women who are creating jobs – over 150,000 jobs created on the continent, impacting their communities!”
“For us, gender inclusion is in our DNA. We believe that together, we can create a future where every individual, regardless of gender, can achieve their full potential and contribute to a more equitable and prosperous world”, the Chairman of UBA, the African bank providing corporate, commercial, SME and consumer banking services to more than 35 million customers globally restated.
Elumelu’s disclosures were made in a narrative with the header “Celebrating Heirs Holdings Women: Honouring Achievements, Championing Inclusion and Leadership” on Monday, February, March 11, 2024.
