Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Esther FOSSI
Published on 2024-03-08 13:25:56
They are pillars in their fields. They stand out in their spheres thanks to their knowledge, distinctions, and most importantly, the influence they have on the younger generation. They are numerous, but we have selected eight figures.
Viviane Ondoua Bilowe, accomplished woman of science.
One cannot talk about impactful women in Cameroon without mentioning Dr. Viviane Ondoua Bilowe, the general manager of OBIV Solutions. An accomplished woman of science, she embodies knowledge and female leadership. Dr. Viviane Ondoua is now part of the intellectual and managerial heritage of Cameroon and Africa. An international consultant who has conducted several studies for the World Bank, UNDP, African Union, GIZ, and others. In 2016, she was appointed as the Central Africa representative in the AGSA group of the International Monetary Fund.
Joining BGFI Bank as an independent director, this accomplished citizen has once again proven that she belongs among the decision-makers in Africa. Author of numerous scientific publications including seven books, particularly the famous “Help, I’m the boss,” ranked as the best-selling book of the year 2014 by Editions Cle de Yaounde. Viviane Ondoua, married, is proof that marriage is not a hindrance to professional advancement.
Gwendoline Abunaw, distinguished banker.
Gwendoline Abunaw is a champion of leadership and empowerment of women, digital innovation/transformation in the financial sector, as well as motivating youth and technology. Before joining Ecobank Cameroon in 2011, she held various positions at Standard Chartered Bank and Citibank. With over 20 years of banking experience, she has held various roles since 2011, including Director of Corporate Bank Cameroon with coverage of 6 other countries in Central Africa, Deputy Managing Director, and Managing Director of Ecobank Cameroon.
She is also a member of the board of Ecobank Cameroon, Ecobank Chad, and E-process International (a technological service provider of the Ecobank Group), as well as Chair of the boards of Pan African Savings and Loans (a microfinance member of the Ecobank Group), EDC Investment Corporation (an investment bank member of the Ecobank Group), and EDC Assets Management.
Since November 2021, she has been the Cluster Head for CEMAC covering 6 subsidiaries of Ecobank. In June 2022, she became the first female President of the Cameroonian Association of Banking and Financial Institutions (APECCAM), the main entity representing all banks and financial institutions in Cameroon. Ecobank, which she leads, is a subsidiary of a major pan-African banking group present in 35 countries across the continent. Since November 2021, she has also taken on the role of Cluster Head for CEMAC, overseeing six Ecobank subsidiaries in the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa.
Mireille Fomekong, communication ace.
As a committed and progressive feminist, Mireille Fomekong has been involved in activities promoting female entrepreneurship and leadership. Since 2018, she has been a member of the board of the Employers’ Group of Cameroon (GICAM), now Gecam, and has chaired the Entrepreneurship and Female Leadership Commission since 2019.
Thanks to her dedication and vision, the communication agency ASCESE, of which she is the founder, is now one of the most influential agencies in Cameroon and Central Africa, both in terms of revenue and client portfolio.
Mireille Fomekong, married to Ayangma, has been recognized on several occasions for her excellence in advertising and marketing. In 2014, she won the African Advertising Grand Prize in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, and in 2017, she received the Special African Marketing Prize from the Ivorian Minister of Communication. In 2016, Jeune Afrique magazine ranked her among the eight most renowned advertisers in Africa.
For the record, she started her career in journalism, working as a radio host at FM95 of CRTV in Douala, as well as for print media such as Dikalo and Challenge Hebdo.
Carmen Kamgaing, the mechanical engineer.
Carmen Kamgaing, relatively unknown to the public, is one of the African figures who should inspire the younger generation. With over 20 years of experience in business development and project management in multinational organizations, she is currently the Vice President of Africa in charge of distribution at Caterpillar, a global leader in the manufacture of civil engineering machinery.
She oversees a network of nearly 150 cities spread across 50 countries, mobilizing over 15,000 employees and distribution partners. Carmen Kamgaing, born in Cameroon, holds a degree in mechanical and industrial engineering from the University of Toronto in Canada. She also earned a DEUG in biology from the University of Lille 1 in France.
She has proven ability to work on a global scale and talents in team management, budget management, project framing (budgets, timelines, and delivery dates), as well as customer relationship facilitation. In 2023, this dedicated and dynamic leader was ranked among the 50 most influential women in Africa by Forbes Africa.
Carole Mbessa Elongo, outstanding facilitator.
Committed to female leadership, Carole Mbessa Elongo supports young women in facilitating their professional integration. After returning to Cameroon in 2014, following 20 years in Nantes where she acquired most of her skills, she established several businesses.
She is a co-founder and deputy general manager of Business Facilities Corporation Group. A group that operates in the weighing, mining, energy, transport and logistics, and business event sectors, with subsidiaries in Congo-Brazzaville, generating several million euros in revenue each year and employing nearly 300 people, including 22% women and 18% female executives. An executive member of Douala Port Weighing Services (DPWS), a subsidiary of BFC Group, responsible for operationalizing the authorization for the exploitation, development, and maintenance of weighing equipment at the port of Douala-Bonabéri, she also chairs 2 subsidiaries of the Group.
She is also the promoter of the annual business conference Pro Meet Up And Learn (PML). An event that takes place in the context of African economies facing multiple challenges affecting the continent’s growth and development. “Since the establishment of the platform, she advocates an approach that takes into account local specificities while maintaining the need for overall efficiency,” says Carole Mbessa.
Since 2018, she has been a member of the Women working for change network of the Africa CEO Forum. In 2020, she was appointed a Member of the Board of Directors of the National Higher Polytechnic School of Yaoundé. In 2019, she served as the Régisseur of the Prime Minister for the Cameroon Business Forum.
For the past 4 years, she has chaired the international network B.LEAD’HER, which operates in Cameroon and Congo. In March 2023, she launched the B.LEAD’HER Network & Academy, which aims to empower young girls and women by providing them with means and tools to face new challenges in the context of Africa’s integration and consolidation.
In 2023, she was ranked among the 100 inspiring black women in Africa and the diaspora in the 21st century by the Association of Inspiring Women. Recently, Carole Mbessa received the prestigious Women Economic Forum trophy from the Harvard Club in New York.
Nadine Tinen, high summit of taxation.
With over twenty years of experience in taxation and business consulting, Tinen joined the Cameroonian subsidiary of PwC in 1996. Ten years later, in 2006, she was appointed partner in the same firm.
In 2010, she became the director of PwC Cameroon. In 2014, she took over PwC’s Sub-Saharan Francophone Africa as Tax & Legal Leader, and head of the legal and tax consulting business. In addition, Nadine Tinen is a certified tax advisor with CEMAC and a member of the National Order of Tax Advisors of Cameroon.
As the head of PwC Sub-Saharan Francophone Africa since 2017, the tax specialist has been named among the 100 inspiring black women of the 21st century. Her current role is to lead the transformation of PwC in Sub-Saharan Francophone Africa, aiming to improve customer support in their digital transformation. She is responsible for over 700 employees in 10 countries, with coverage extended to 17 countries across the African continent.
She holds a DESS in Tax Law, a Master’s degree in Business Law, Taxation, and Accounting, and an International Diploma in European Tax Law from the University of Burgundy (Dijon).
Nelly Chatue Diop, rising star of Fintech.
Nelly Chatue, a Cameroonian entrepreneur and computer scientist, is one of the rising figures in African Fintech. She founded E-jara in 2021 and successfully raised $2 million to deploy her strategy. In the CEMAC zone, she also founded Makeda Asset Management, an asset management company through which she facilitates access for low-income populations to the monetary and financial markets of the CEMAC.
As a recipient of a French Ministry of Foreign Affairs excellence scholarship, she studied at CPE Lyon, a scientific school where she obtained her degree in computer engineering and telecommunications in 2004. For 3 or 4 years, she worked as a developer.
She then enrolled at HEC Paris in 2006, where she pursued an MBA program specializing in finance, marketing, and strategy. She continued this training at the London Business School as part of an international exchange program focusing on marketing, finance, and strategy.
In 2013, she joined the French group Casino where she established the Pricing and Data department. In 2015, she joined the Darty group where she also created and developed the same department. She also developed the same department for Betclic Group, which she joined in 2017. A company specializing in sports betting, online casinos, and poker. She led a team of 30 people with whom she worked until 2020 when she ventured into entrepreneurship.
Among her numerous awards, the most recent one was on February 22, 2024. On this date, she was honored by winning the prestigious Stand up for African Women Entrepreneurs (Sufawe) trophy from Attijariwafa Bank.
Fadimatou Noutchemo-Simo, pillar of aviation.
Fadimatou is the head of Afrijet in Gabon. If there are women who can inspire the youth, Noutchemo-Simo is one of them. Fadimatou Noutchemo Simo is now one of the prominent figures in aviation in Africa.
Born in 1978, she is a Cameroonian entrepreneur operating in aviation and tourism. She is also the founder of the HEFA Group.
The director of Afrijet has received several international awards related to aviation and in 2019, she received the “High-Flying Leader” award from the International Aviation Transport Association (IATA). She advocates for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) related professions. In December 2021, she was appointed as an Independent Expert of the French Observatory of Sustainable Aviation (OAD). Also in 2021, she was elected the 2nd Vice-President of the African Tourism Week (ASTW).
After studying economics at the University of Buea in Cameroon, she received training at the International Aviation Transport Association (IATA) where she earned a diploma.
She began her professional career at Huawei Technologies Cameroon in 2006 as a human resources officer. She later joined the Nigerian United Bank for Africa in 2010, specifically in the Corporate Service.
In 2010, she joined the senior team of Cameroon Airlines, the Cameroonian airline company. She was one of the first women to hold this position within the company. In 2018, she joined Cronos Airlines Group in Equatorial Guinea as a Strategic Director and Business Development.
These eight women serve as shining examples in their respective fields, breaking barriers and inspiring future generations with their achievements and dedication.
(Note: The translation has been adapted to maintain the essence of the original article while ensuring clarity and coherence in English.)
Read the original article(French) on Journal du Cameroun
