World Economic Forum chooses Ally Angula as promising leader

LOCAL entrepreneur, Ally Angula has been chosen as one of the 17 Forum of Young Global Leaders from Sub Saharan Africa by the World Economic Forum.

“It’s an honour and very humbling,” Angula told The Namibian this week. Asked why she was chosen. “That I don’t know as it is by nomination and selection,” she said.

Angula owns Leap Holdings, an integrated group of companies involved in growing of fresh produce, garment manufacturing and retail.

She said Leap is busy with further infrastructure development –installing its second centre pivot for irrigation and three hectare drip irrigation and levelling out its first field.

“Infrastructure will support our drive to be able to deliver produce to the market consistently which has been a challenge for the past year. We have managed to deliver Namibia’s first baby corn produce in addition to potatoes, cabbage and sweet potatoes to the market. We currently have in the ground onions that we plan to harvest in June,” she said.

Asked about how her clothing brand, My Republik was doing, she said the brand is a learning and growing brand.

“We have launched Namibia’s first commercial clothing brand, which is manufactured in Namibia. The public’s response is picking up and we are grateful for the love that the citizens have shown the brand. We will continue to pay attention to quality and to improve,” she said.

“This recognition is for Namibia as much as it is an individual recognition being the first Namibian to have made the list. I will continue to represent Namibia proudly,” she said.

Over the last 10 years, the Forum of Young Global Leaders has been building a platform for young leaders to engage in global affairs. The community is made up of the world’s most outstanding next-generation leaders.

Each year, the Forum selects the very best candidates from thousands of nominations worldwide to join the community. This year’s class of Young Global Leaders come from 66 countries and equally represent the public and private sector.

Others on the list from sub-Saharan Africa are: Thembalihle Phillip Baloyi, founder and executive director, Discovery Insure, South Africa; Saadatou Mallam Barmou, special adviser to the prime minister of Niger; Moustapha Ben Barka, special adviser, president of Mali; Farai Gundan, a writer from Zimbabwe; Jack Kayonga, executive chairman, Crystal Ventures, Rwanda; Betty Enyonam Kumahor dircetor of ThoughtWorks Africa, Ghana; Edwin Macharia, partner and director, Africa, Dalberg Global Advisors, Kenya; Mokena Makeka creative director and managing director, Makeka Design Lab, South Africa; Funeka Montjane, a banking executive with Standard Bank of South Africa; Cynthia Mosunmola Umoru, founder of Honeysuckles PTL Ventures; Nigeria; Sylvia Mulinge, general manager, Safaricom Kenya; Kennedy Odede, president of Shining Hope for Communities, Kenya; Lorna Rutto CEO of EcoPost, Kenya; Genevieve Sangudi, managing director of Carlyle Group, Tanzania; Landry Signe, Banting fellow and lecturer, Stanford University; Cameroon and Mamadou Touré founder, chairman, Africa 2.0, Cameroon.

A third of the new class of Young Global Leaders come from Asia and about half from emerging economies.

Current and former Young Global Leaders include 11 heads of state and government, 10 heads of Fortune 500 companies, 15 UN Goodwill ambassadors, six Guinness World Record holders, four Oscar winners, three Olympic gold medallists, two Nobel Prize winners and an astronaut.

“The Young Global Leaders include the world’s most pioneering, next-generation leaders who have developed in their journey to produce positive, tangible impacts in their countries, industries and societies,” said John Dutton, director and head of the Young Global Leaders Community at the World Economic Forum.