NiBS gets new Chancellor, Deputy Chancellor
The Nobel International Business School (NiBS) has sworn in two distinguished financial experts and academics, Dr George Agyekum Donkor as Chancellor, and Dr Felix Nana Abaka Sackey, as Deputy Chancellor.
Dr Donkor, an economist, is the President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), while Dr Sackey, a financial expert and administrator, is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ibistek Group, an engineering and consulting firm.
The duo were sworn into office at the NiBS in Accra last Saturday at an investiture ceremony attended by faculty and a host of dignitaries, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who stood in for President John Dramani Mahama, to begin a new era of the university, which attained its full university status in December last year.
Also a lawyer and academic, Dr Donkor brings to his new role a wealth of experience.
His expertise in economic policy, development and governance is expected to provide strategic guidance to the university's academic and research programmes.
On the other hand, Dr Sackey takes on the role of Deputy Chancellor with a strong background in business administration and management and said he was poised to support the university's mission to provide world-class business education.
Responsibility and Vision
In an inaugural address, the Chancellor set a new vision to ensure that NiBS became, “a centre for entrepreneurial excellence to train business leaders who are not only top seekers, but also top creators”.
Dr Donkor emphasised that the new leadership of the school would focus on fostering a culture of transformation, innovation, resilience and problem-solving; as well as, build stronger partnerships with the private sector to ensure that graduates from NiBS were equipped with the skills that industries demanded.
He stressed that in the contemporary global economy, knowledge of international trade, financial markets and economic policies was critical.
Hence, he will steer the expansion of their “curriculum to include capital outflows such as blockchain technology, sustainable finance, artificial intelligence and digital entrepreneurship”.
He affirmed that as part of their transformational drive, the graduates from NiBS would be trained to be “ambassadors of integrity, accountability and excellence, ensuring that they contribute meaningfully to national and continental development.
Our scholars must provide solutions to present challenges such as youth unemployment, financial exclusion and inequality”.
Dr Donkor expressed gratitude to the Founder of NiBS, Prof. Kwaku Atuahene-Gima, and the Governing Board for the trust and confidence reposed in them to lead the university, adding that it was a huge responsibility they would not take lightly, but rather accept with a firm commitment to upholding the values and vision of NiBS.
Felicitation, partnership
Mr Ablakwa conveyed President Mahama’s congratulations to the NiBS, which has gained a lot of prominence and respect on the continent and across the world.
The President called for more partnerships between the university and state institutions to learn from their experiences and develop capacity-building programmes in order to achieve the needed results.
President Mahama assured the business community of his government’s political will to see all businesses thrive, saying that under his administration, no businesses perceived to belong to a political opponent would be targeted or destroyed.
“We know this is a school that produces a lot of businessmen and entrepreneurs and I want to assure all of you that our entrepreneurs and our business people should feel free to expand their businesses and carry out their objectives.
“No perceived political opponent who owns a business will be pursued or will be targeted for destruction or closure,” he said.
