Lagos—Washington-based Corporate Council on Africa has named chairman of Heirs Holdings, Mr Tony  Elumelu, as one of four African Business Leaders of the Year.

Elumelu was honoured at the inaugural event as one of the continent’s most successful entrepreneurs, with a track record of value creation across key sectors that are transforming the African private sector. His commitment to a new model of African philanthropy was also recognised

Elumelu is the Chairman of Heirs Holdings, a pan-African proprietary investment company, and the founder of The Tony Elumelu Foundation, a philanthropic institution that enhances the competitiveness of Africa’s private sector through  leadership and entrepreneurship development and impact investment.

Other winners of the award were Mr. Tewolde Gebremariam, Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines, Mr. Geoff Rothschild, Director of Government and International Affairs for the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, and Mr. Admassu Tadesse, President and CEO of PTA Bank.