March 26, 2018, Abidjan: Bold, progressive African CEOs, policymakers, civil society leaders and entrepreneurs are stepping up to commit to a new way of doing business—one which benefits people and the planet as well as profit. Together, they have formed a new leadership collective, The B Team Africa, and at the Africa CEO Forum they are calling on other purpose-driven leaders to join them.The B Team Africa includes the leadership of: Bob Collymore, CEO of Safaricom, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Chair of GAVI, Dr. Mo Ibrahim, Founder and Chair of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, Jochen Zeitz, Co-Founder & Executive Chair of The B Team and Former CEO of PUMA, Amy Jadesimi, CEO of LADOL Nigeria, Jesse Moore, CEO and Co-Founder of M-KOPA Solar, Rita Kavashe, Managing Director of Isuzu East Africa and Joshua Oigara, Group CEO & Managing Director of KCB Group.

The B Team Africa is a Pan-African platform to enable committed business and civil society leaders to work collectively in driving progress and addressing critical issues across the continent. The B Team Africa leaders are united in influencing and convening the private and public sector to drive long-term, inclusive, sustainable economic growth and social development for a prosperous Africa.

“It’s high time for business to recognize its role in making the world a better place,” said Jesse Moore, CEO and Co-Founder of M-KOPA Solar, “And nothing could be better than working with other business leaders across the continent to build a coalition that is working for exactly that aim.”

To achieve these goals, leaders are committed to work together and through current B Team initiatives. The B Team Africa’s ambitious work agenda includes, but is not limited to, open contracting, supply chain transparency, responsible tax practice, renewable and clean energy, environmental preservation, unlocking capital for value-add, green businesses and social enterprises, job creation, civic rights, gender equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

International non-profit organization The B Team, co-founded by Richard Branson and Jochen Zeitz in 2012, established The B Team Africa in 2017 and continues to recruit Africa-based leaders to accelerate the shift toward a just and sustainable future for the continent and the world. The B Team’s mission and impact to date reflect the tremendous power of the private sector to catalyze new business opportunities and solutions to diverse global challenges.

The B Team Africa is one of a growing number of regional B Teams established to galvanize regional-based leaders to harness business-driven solutions and create collective impact. In this spirit, The B Team Africa calls upon other leaders in Africa and partners to join them to:

1. Use their collective voice and influence to amplify key issues and drive progress on timely, critical issues
2. Lead by example in their own companies, and engage in B Team initiatives in Africa
3. Collaborate with others to develop and scale systemic solutions that benefit current and future generations

For more information on The B Team, please visit www.bteam.org or reach out via the contact information below.

Contact

To arrange an interview, please contact Tyler Zang at tz@bteam.org.(New York)

For programmatic, funding or recruitment inquiries, please contact Robert Karanja at rk@bteam.org. (Nairobi)

Press Conference Details

Please join us for a press conference where some of our B Team Africa Leaders will speak: March 26, 2018, 16:30-17:15 - Sofitel Hotel, Abidjan, Salle Africa CEO Forum

Interviews available with B Team Africa Members

Amy Jadesimi, MD and CEO of LADOL, Jesse Moore, CEO and Co-Founder of M-KOPA Solar, Rita Kavashe, Managing Director of Isuzu East Africa and Joshua Oigara, CEO and Managing Director of KCB Group