The Leadership Moment-43

Global Leaders meet at Friends of Africa 2023

The past 14 months have been most exciting for me because of my engagements with a community of innovators and creators within the BIPOC Ecosystem. In recent months, I have been privileged to be a part of the restart and relaunch of some businesses and initiatives that had gone moribund following the devastating effects of the pandemic. It is a joy and an honour to see ideas come to life again after many months of uncertainty.

The real miracle is that some of these new initiatives and recovery efforts are coming from communities that were disproportionately affected by the effects of the pandemic... and I speak from evidence-based findings from my very own 'tribe'- the BAH ( Black Advisory Hub ). We have seen the pivoting of businesses, products, and services at the highest level, we have seen mergers, collaborations, and partnerships with community groups, and more Ecosystems of support evolve from very challenging situations. However, these challenges are not unmitigatable from the pitches presented by our cohorts at the Friends of Africa Coalition - #FOA2023.

The Friends of Africa Economic Summit (FOA2023), by FOA Coalition, a group which I actively support and represent, was another opportunity to discuss the strategies that will foster recovery, growth, sustainability, and boost business and economic partnerships as the world economy continues to stumble.

It was very exciting to welcome very inspiring Speakers and delegates from the public and private sectors across the globe. Watch FOA 2023 online

The Keynote speech by H.E John Dramani Mahama, the former President, Republic of Ghana, was most enlightening. The ex President spoke on the power of partnerships and collaboration in economic recovery.

It was a joy to welcome local and International delegates?virtually at the various sessions,?from different?Nations to the job fair, marketplace, and the National Pitch presentations for Founders and SMEs.

The?FOA2023, themed "Leveraging Economic and Trade?Partnerships?in the?Global Recovery” was a 5-Day summit that featured panel discussions on the Imperatives of digital platforms for SMEs, understanding the use of Black Power, and why Founders need to pivot and explore new markets to grow and sustain their businesses.

The past year has seen many businesses pivot to address the emerging gaps in our communities. We have also responded to create and improve our existing programs and developing resources to support vertical industry Founders to reach their goals. The results of these efforts were showcased at FOA 2023.

FOA 2023 was an extraordinary triumph, as delegates left the summit feeling empowered,?deeply?connected,?and reinvigorated to restart, scale, and expand their services and businesses.

Founders In Canada and Graduates of the Black Advisory Hub (BAH)?presented their works at a Fashion?Show and the #Marketplace for #Entrepreneurs. Connect with the BAH Ecosystem for your resource needs.

Our collaborative efforts with other community groups have set a precedent and is now referenced across various ecosystem groups, particularly for those aspiring to scale their operations.

I urge all change-makers, and founders to join us to make the #difference as we rebuild, revamp, and restore our businesses and communities.

Lets connect on the social media platforms.

Best,

Olutoyin Oyelade,

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