Leadership Award for Okonjo-Iweala

Fri, Apr 11, 2014

By publisher

2 MIN READ

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Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria’s finance minister bags the David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership Award

TUESDAY, April 8, was a day of glory for Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, finance minister and coordinating minister for the economy. On that day, she was honoured with the prestigious David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership Award for her uncommon courage and capacity to deliver on the economy and lead, in a very difficult environment. Other persons, who  were similarly honoured in New York,were Paul Polman, chief executive, CEO, of Unilever and Simao Jatene, governor of the State of Para, Brazil.

Okonjo-Iweala’s award was presented by Peggy Rockefeller Dulany, the founder. With the award, Okonjo-Iweala has joined the list of high profile personalities such as the late Nelson Mandela, Kofi Anan, Bill Clinton, Richard Branson, Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, Bill Gates, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, president of Liberia, James Wolfenson etc, who were  honoured in the past. Apart from her, Bisi Fayemi is the only other Nigerian who had previously received the award for her decades-long work of empowering women.

Organised as part of the Synergos Institute University for a Night Series, the event brings together leaders from business, government and the civil society to discuss innovative ways of addressing global problems. Synergos is a group of leading philanthropists that look at issues such as unleashing the leadership capacity of young people; changing the lives of women and girls; women’s health and social justice; improving governance to meet human needs; overcoming violence and sustaining peace.

Founded in 1986 by Dulany, who serves as the chair, the organisation supports initiatives in more than 30 countries and regions. It has staff and representatives in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America.

— Apr. 21, 2014 @ 01:00 GMT