News
The latest news from the African Leadership Institute and its Fellows. AFLI Fellows are leaders and change-makers, so this section has a lot of news. All text in all of the posts is fully searchable.

- Details
- Written by: Norman Smit
- Category: News
- Published:
The Board of Directors of the Liberian Bank for Development and Investment (LBDI) has appointed 2008 Tutu Fellow Christian Allison as the bank's new President and CEO. The appointment was effective as of July 1, 2023.
Christian has worked as a financial services regulator and risk management professional at the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) for more than 21 years, before being selected for the CEO position at LBDI.

- Hits: 674

- Details
- Written by: Norman Smit
- Category: News
- Published:
2013 Tutu Fellow Jumoke Oduwole JD was appointed as a Senior Fellow at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government in the United States on 1 July 2023.
A special advisor to former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, Jumoke will be working with the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government through June 2024. In the announcement of her appointment, it said she was appointed after undergoing a rigorous screening process from a large and strong pool of globally-acclaimed high achievers, and that only a few individuals are invited to be senior fellows each year.
- Hits: 833

- Details
- Written by: Norman Smit
- Category: News
- Published:
2019 Tutu Fellow Marcia Ashong has been appointed to the 2X Global Forum - along 16 other leaders from around the world - to drive a gender-equal world. She will be sharing her perspectives on gender-equal leadership, along with her deep commitment to supporting the goal of unlocking gender-smart capital globally. Marcia is Founder and CEO of TheBoardroom Africa, which has been described as Africa's leading network of women executives. Her company is a resource of female talent for boards across the globe. 2X Global is a global membership and field-building organization for investors, capital providers, and intermediaries working in public and private markets, across both developed and emerging economies.
- Hits: 850

- Details
- Written by: Norman Smit
- Category: News
- Published:
2014 Tutu Fellow Mokena Makeka was interviewed on CNN's Inside Africa series in February 2023. In a piece titled Designing the Future: Architects of South Africa, the series looks at how architects are shaping the skylines of Zimbabwe and South Africa and includes buildings as diverse as a sustainable community center to a building inspired by termites.
Recently appointed the President of the South African Institute of Architects, he says that while most lay people know that architects design single, individual buildings, the more important role architects fill is urban design - how spaces are designed for people, and how city design impacts inequality.
- Hits: 1369

- Details
- Written by: Norman Smit
- Category: News
- Published:
Investec Bank has appointed 2016 Tutu Fellow Cumesh Moodliar as its CEO, succeeding Richard Wainwright, who is set to retire in 2025. Investec is a specialized lending powerhouse listed on both the JSE and London stock exchanges.
Investec Group's CEO, Fani Titi, said he had confidence in Cumesh's abilities. He said Cumesh had been successful in steering Investec's Private Banking unit and recognized his track record of strong leadership.
- Hits: 747

- Details
- Written by: Norman Smit
- Category: News
- Published:
2015 Tutu Fellow Uzodinma Iweala was interviewed on CNN's Marketplace Africa on how his nonprofit - the Africa Center - hoped to shape the future of Africa from abroad. In the interview he explained how the organisation he leads can help Africa be better understood through three lenses, that of business, policy and culture. He provided examples, such as the cobalt mined in Africa, which underpins battery technology.
The Center was providing insights into the business of mining and trade, policies encountered on the continent, and other information that affected the narratives being told about Africa and which gained better insight into the continent.
- Hits: 881

- Details
- Written by: Writer
- Category: News
- Published:
2018 Tutu Fellow Chude Jideonwo will host a new season of his show, #WithChude, starting in August 2023. Since its launch in March 2020, it has developed into a talk show and podcast that speaks to Africa’s celebrities and leaders about the mind, heart, and spirit. Chude says the show is a series of conversations that underline issues, raise consciousness, and are in Africa and for Africans.
It has been at the forefront of issues around sexual abuse, depression, HIV/AIDs, diversity, shame amongst others, and seeks to create narratives that promote mental and emotional health.
- Hits: 870

- Details
- Written by: Norman Smit
- Category: News
- Published:
2009 Tutu Fellows James Mwangi was a featured speaker at the Climeworks Direct Air Carbon Capture Summit in June 2023, delivering the keynote address. His session dealt with direct air carbon capture, which, he says is at a turning point. However, the marathon to build a carbon removal industry that successfully operates at gigaton scale has only just begun.
James said that Africa is often painted as the quintessential climate victim and the continent that has had the least to do with creating the impacts the world is facing from fossil fuels use. And, he says, for many, that's where the conversation tails off. But the scale of the problem that climate change presents requires Africa to be an active participant in the solutions - especially with so few countries globally living up to net zero emissions promises.
- Hits: 806

- Details
- Written by: Norman Smit
- Category: News
- Published:
2017 Tutu Fellow 'Bosun Tijani moderated the Pan African Youth Innovation Forum Question and Answer session with Microsoft Co-Founder Bill Gates, titled Unleashing Africa's Innovative Future in June 2023. The panel and event was live streamed by the Africa.com. The hybrid event - both online and in person - looked at how science and innovation can accelerate positive change and contribute to a brighter future for Africa. The overall theme of the event was how to harness youthful energy, potential skills, talent, and passion to solve big problems.
Bill Gates was the featured guest. He said Nigeria's youth and that it had among the largest population of young people in the world.
- Hits: 1490

- Details
- Written by: Norman Smit
- Category: News
- Published:
In June, Imperial College London interviewed 2009 Tutu Fellow Julie Makani about sickle-cell Disease for World Sickle Cell Day 2023. Dr Makani joined Imperial College London as the Provost's Visiting Professor of Haematology in April 2023, and is a Physician Scientist in the Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) in Dar es Salaam. She is known for her research in Africa, particularly Tanzania, where sickle cell disease has the fifth-highest occurance of the disease globally.
While training in medicine, Julie realized that there were only two hematologists in the entire country.
- Hits: 948
- Details
- Written by: Judy Malan
- Category: News
- Published:
30 April to 8 May 2023 marked the Mont Fleur Workshop for the 2023 Tutu Fellowship’s Cohort of Associates. We were blessed with a remarkable gathering, in one of the most beautiful spots on our beloved continent.
24 Associates came together from Cote d'Ivoire, DRC, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Uganda, spanning the worlds of consulting, banking, insurance, civil society, renewable energy, politics, policy and entrepreneurship. The group brought a wealth of diversity and experience, together with open minds and open hearts to the retreat, contributing to a powerful learning experience for all.
- Hits: 794

- Details
- Written by: Norman Smit
- Category: News
- Published:
2018 Tutu Fellow Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg PhD has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Autodesk Foundation. On its site, the Foundation says it supports innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges. Its funding areas are concentrated on energy and materials, health and resilience, and work and prosperity.
Wanjiru is the founding executive director of Black Women in Executive Leadership (B-WEL) and an executive-in-residence at Schmidt Futures.
- Hits: 832

- Details
- Written by: Norman Smit
- Category: News
- Published:
2016 Tutu Fellow Peter Biar Ajak has been interviewed on Al Jazeera News about the conflict in Sudan. Peter, who is from South Sudan, spoke about the impacts the neighbouring war could have on South Sudan. In the interview, he makes the case that Sudan’s conflict will have enormous repercussions on South Sudan. He also argues that the international community - especially the United States - missed opportunities earlier in the transition by focusing too much on the generals leading the sides, when they were the cause of the crisis.
- Hits: 1267

- Details
- Written by: Norman Smit
- Category: News
- Published:
Africa faces climate change related challenges that range from cyclones to desertification; deforestation and drought to flooding. To make a difference, a group of Tutu Fellows comprising four Fellow-run organisations and other partners have created an initiative called the Africa Climate Ambassadors Programme.
Since it was formed early in 2023, Climate Ambassors in the first cohort have been active. The expertise within the group ranges from finance though policy to technology and messaging and a key goal is to develop a green economy for Africa.
- Hits: 1064

- Details
- Written by: Jackie Chimhanzi PhD
- Category: News
- Published:
Following a two-year hiatus during COVID, the Skoll World Forum was back in April 2023 in Oxford. The SWF has rightfully earned its reputation as the foremost gathering of actors in the social sector ecosystem.
There was a strong presence of the Tutu Fellows, in various capacities. 2009 Fellow James Mwangi attended in his capacity as a board member of the Foundation, a panelist and a moderator. 2019 Fellow Dr Angela Gichaga was there as a 2022 Skoll Awardee, but now only being able to be celebrated and collect her award in person. 2010 Fellow Bright Simons was yet another Skoll Awardee, from 2019. Yes, we boast two Skoll Awardees, in our midst…
- Hits: 915
- Samah Salman interviewed on Sudan conflict
- The Tutu Fellowship Class of 2023
- Janah Ncube named a 2023 World Fellow at Yale University
- Two Fellows selected for 2023 Forum of Young Global Leaders
- Uzoma Nwagba selected for prestigious global Eisenhower Fellowship
- What the World Bank Needs More than Cash
- Mitoha Ondo'o Ayekaba appointed as Equatorial Guinea's Minister of Health
- Geci Karuri-Sebina joins Board of The Open Institute
- Serah Makka appointed permanent Africa Executive Director for ONE
- Victor Ochen interviewed on the African Union gathering in Ethiopia