CCT Student Joins the Georgetown Africa Business Conference Organizing Committee

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Second year CCT student, Evelyn Dan Epelle, recently joined the Georgetown Africa Business Conference (GTABC 2020) organizing committee as Director for Media and Communications.  The 5th Annual Georgetown Africa Business Conference which will take place at the McDonough School of Business, Rafiki B. Hariri Building, Georgetown University Washington DC from January 31st – February 1st 2020.  GTABC 2020 promises to bring together a range of policy makers, in and out of government, who are helping to drive and frame the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) business leaders, startup founders, students and young professionals who will help define the future. 

The conference presents a unique opportunity to engage with international business stakeholders from across the globe. Panels are structured to build on an interactive discussion focusing on the opportunities and challenges presented by deepening economic, political and social integration across the African continent. Speakers and panelists include fin-tech co-founders, CEO’s and young leaders helping redefine what it means to do business in Africa. This year, the keynote address will be delivered by Kevin Okyere, CEO Springfield Energy Group, a renowned philanthropist and entrepreneur in the Energy sector with strong skills in business strategy, finance and negotiations for the development of high-end commercial and developmental projects.

Evelyn had this to say about the conference: “The interdisciplinary expertise that CCT affords me has kept me going these past weeks. To serve as the Director of Media and Communications for a prestigious conference such as GTABC2020 requires a mix of skillset – including having the associated business and entrepreneurial knowledge that guarantees successful translation of the conference agenda and goals into useful media, marketing and communication strategies.

The conference is built around the theme: “Big Market: Harnessing Growth in a New Age of African Trade” and communicating that would require my knowledge of trade on the continent as well as the language of numbers that accompanies’ anything business. This is where data analysis, network analysis, photography/videography, research methodology, and design thinking kicks in – a combination of skills only available at CCT. 

Also, the GTABC2020 organizing committee is made up of brilliant students from across Georgetown but I have noted how my presence ‘stands out’ being the only CCT graduate student on the team. The rest of the team consists of MSB and SFS master students. Working with students from the McDonough School of Business and the School of Foreign Service can be likened to my experience as an international student from Nigeria with coursemates from Europe, Asia, and America – we are mixing our cultures, perspectives and disciplines for maximum impact and the results are evidently positive.”

Check out the Georgetown Africa Business Conference on January 31st through February 1st, 2020.