- How GBENGA ADEBIJA Led His Team On A Courtesy Call
Gbenga Adebija is a big name in the corporate world. This is because he has been in that sector for over 2 decades. A few years back, this debonair gentleman got appointed DG of the Nigerian-German Business Association an international business organization which promotes trade and multi-lateral relations between Nigeria and Germany and he has done a great job of it. Steadily, he has revamped the organisation and made it the envy of other business associations and has done that with so much ease. He has a big brief to handle both the administrative and business side of NGBA, He superintends over a prestigious association. Let’s tell you more.
The Nigerian-German Business Association was founded on October 15, 1986 to promote bilateral trade between Nigeria and Germany. The NGBA comprises representatives of the German business community in Nigeria, the Nigerian business community in Germany, the delegation of German Industry and Commerce/AHK Nigeria and the German Embassy in Nigeria. NGBA is a private sector driven association with more than 400 German and Nigerian member companies, which also has access to German Chambers of Commerce in 130 locations and 80 countries across five continents. The membership NGBA spans a broad spectrum of the Nigerian business sector including banking, construction, healthcare, professional services, Aviation, Automobile and ICT.
The NGBA offers a variety of tailor-made services and benefits to her members in Nigeria and Germany, these include; access to a broad ranging contact, Platforms for advocacy, B2B & Introduction Meetings in Nigeria and Germany, Market information and Advisory, Business Referral, capacity building, Newsletter and Communication, Visa Support Services and Dual Vocational Training (DVT).
Some of the events organised by NGBA are: Agenda: An annual platform for stakeholders engagement on the socio-economic business environment in Nigeria. Broad. An opportunity for regulatory bodies to give a presentation that would be of benefit to its members and the business community. Investalk: A bi-monthly/quarterly engagement with MSMES in Germany at the Nigerian Embassy. Spotlight. A platform for interested member companies to showcase their brands and services to both members and non-members. A Nite Around Nigeria. A corporate dinner event featuring photographs to showcase the beauty of Nigeria through words and images of Dayo Adedayo. It hosts about 100 to 200 people with different media partners gracing the occasion.
NGBA also produces a bi-monthly newsletter which reaches over 26 thousand quality contact through the NGBA network partner chambers worldwide and affiliated trade and commerce associations in Nigeria and Germany. The board members are made up of Nigerians and Germans, including: The President: Folabi Esan (Adleve Capital), Directors: Sabastian Lotzin (C. Woermann Nig Ltd)., Hubert Scheiderwind (Julius Berger), Peter Sangpiel (Fasto Automation Nig. Ltd)., Mr. Olaf Schmuesser (Commerzbank Rep. office (Nigeria) Ltd., Izebe Egwalkhide (Sutergy Limited), Chuma Anosike (Chuma Anosike & Co), Michael Daramola (International Breweries Plc & SABMiller), Director-General: Gbenga Adebija.
What has helped Adebija is his rich experience. Before he took up this job as DG. Adebija was also President & CEO of Business in Nigeria as well as Managing Director & Chief Executive of Ashton & Layton Ltd. During his career, he occupied various leadership roles at local, regional and global levels at Cadbury Schweppes where he worked between 1993-2007.
At Cadbury, Adebija led many organizational initiatives in areas such as Human Resources, Administration, Corporate Strategy, Marketing, Business Development and Organizational Branding for the Europe, Middle East and Africa operations of the company.
In 2003, he won the AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE, the highest and most prestigious Award in Cadbury for consistently excellent performance over a period of 10 years and was a key member of THE BEST PERFORMING TEAM in 2002. Adebija is also a recipient of numerous local and international awards including the prestigious Global Brand Excellence Award in 2013 conferred by the World Brand Congress in Singapore.
He served the Federal Government of Nigeria by providing support in the areas of Organizational Communication, Operational Integration and Strategic Planning. Adebija has an impressive professional profile and is widely respected across the public, private and civic sectors within and outside Nigeria . He has consulted for international organizations such as DFID/UKAID, Ribbon Rouge (Canada) ENABLE and Adam Smith International..
Adebija has facilitated business seminars across many countries in Europe, North America, Asia and Africa. He was for years an external facilitator on CSR at the University of Lagos, a Faculty member of BusinessDay Training Seminar and also facilitates seminars at the Lagos Business School. He has established an impressive media profile of over three decades across the print, electronic and social media as author of two best-selling books of short stories, MAGNIFICAT and STORITELLA, television, (including being a panel judge on THE INTERN, a business reality show ) radio, Contributor/Columnist for several major Nigerian newspapers such as ThisDay The Sun, TW magazine and Daily Independent.
Adebija is an alumnus of University of London, University of Ilorin, Nigeria Institute of Journalism and the Lagos Business School.
He holds board memberships of various organizations including CSR-in-Action, a social enterprise to promote sustainable philanthropy in Nigeria, PETER & JULIANA ADEBIJA FOUNDATION(PAJAF) and IYANIWURA FOUNDATION.
Adebija is married to Yetunde, an entrepreneur and founder of Simply Posh Ltd and they are blessed with three children.
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