CEIBS Alumni

By Samuel Ocloo-Dzaba

On January 12 there was another milestone for CEIBS Africa, a graduation ceremony for the first group of executives enrolled in the Advanced Management Programme (AMP) for Africa and Owner Director Programme (ODP). Thirty executives from Ghana, Nigeria and Benin joined the school’s 22,000+ alumni worldwide. The group included 12 executives from the company specific Tullow AMP, nine from the general AMP, along with nine from the ODP. 

In his welcome address Professor  Mathew Tsamenyi, Executive Director of CEIBS Africa, recounted the school’s entrance into Africa and its unique role in building the capacity of business and corporate executives on the continent. 

“When we came into Africa about 10 years ago, our mission was to educate African executives and to replicate what CEIBS did in China in contributing to its transformation and growth,” he said. “I am very proud of the achievements we have made over the years; the many executives we have trained from the top brands we have worked with is a testament of the trust that these companies place in the CEIBS brand.” 

Prof Tsamenyi also urged graduates to become active members of the CEIBS alumni community. “I encourage you to join an alumni chapter, enthusiastically participate in activities, and explore the rich network available to you for your personal and professional growth,” he said. 

Meanwhile Dr Thomas Mensah, the Ghanaian-American chemical engineer and inventor who was the guest speaker for the day, shared his experiences with graduates and impressed upon them the importance of taking pride in and actively engaging in the industrial revolution that is beginning to impact the African continent.

Speaking on the theme “Industrial Development and Modernization for Ghana,” Dr Mensah pointed to a number of on-going projects in Ghana, the result of a desire — in some circles — to see the advancement of technology transfer and also practical changes in the country. These include the bullet train project, the creation of a Ghanaian version of Silicon Valley, and the establishment of an aircraft maintenance facility in Kumasi where airplanes for both local and international travel will be repaired.

“When we launched this project a few months ago, we outlined what we were doing — especially [our work] with artificial intelligence and virtual reality; and for the first time, Google artificial intelligence lab is going to open in Ghana,” he told the graduates. “So you see, it’s important to take steps and make things happen. As you graduate, you should be involved in the practical things of the world, particularly in Ghana. You must take steps to make things happen and everything that you do must lead to the transformation and development of Ghana and the rest of the world. Ghana and Africa have many problems and we have high expectations of you who have studied at such high levels to be change makers. If the things you are doing do not impact people’s lives then you are not doing things right.” 

In his keynote address, Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, His Excellency Shi Ting Wang, stressed the importance of China’s growing relations with the rest of the world and the benefits available to all sides. He called for more improved relations among countries across the globe.  

“In the past 40 years, China has moved from [being] a closed country to one that has opened up from all fronts. This has given China’s investment the benefit of foreign capital, experience and expertise. We have embraced the world with an open and inclusive attitude. This is an important lesson that China has learnt from recent history,” he said. “In turn, China has shared the benefits of economic growth with the world through expanding investment overseas. In today’s world, no country can solve its problems all by itself; everyone needs help from others to succeed and for this reason China is still committed to the fundamental policy of opening up.”

Also present at the ceremony were the Managing Director of Tullow Oil Ghana Limited, Mr Kweku Awotwi, members of the executive council of the CEIBS Alumni Ghana Chapter and many other distinguished guests.