Biography Of Ndidi Nwuneli

Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli, popularly known as Ndidi Nwuneli was born on March 22, 1975 in Enugu, Nigeria to a professor of Pharmacology—Paul Obuekwe Okonkwo and an American professor of History—Rina Okonkwo. She is a native of Awka in Anambra State, South-Eastern Nigeria. Her father is a native of Awka while her mother is from New York, United States of America.

Ndidi Nwuneli’s parents met at Cornell University in the year 1965. They were teachers who devoted their careers to teaching and mentoring Nigerian students and improving the Nigerian Education System. The life of Ndidi was so much inspired by her parents as she grew up While growing up.

Ndidi was born the third of five children. Her parents exposed all of them to the concept of patriotism and service from when they were very young, during the dark years of the lateGeneral Sani Abacha, when many professors fled from Nigeria, her parents who were very patriotic Nigerian citizens stuck it out, going for months without salaries. Even with the circumstance, holidays in their home were devoted to giving to others. Visits to orphanages and other charity organizations became a critical part of the family’s socialization.

Ndidi Nwuneli grew up in Enugu, and had her earliest education at the University Primary School. After her first school leaving, she attended the Federal Government College Enugu from the year 1986 to the year 1991. Between the years 1991 and 1992, she completed a bridging program upon which she combined her final year of high school and freshmen year of college at the Clarkson School Potsdam, New York.

Nwuneli later got admission into The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania in the year 1992, where she studied strategic management and multinational management. She received the Albert A. Berg Scholarship and was further selected to become a member of the Friars and the Onyx Senior Societies on account of her outstanding leadership efforts. While in School, Ndidi Nwuneli was the president of the Penn African Students Association, and equally a member of several societies that includes the Penn Gospel Choir and the Black Students Union. Ndidi was also an intern at Mitchell & Titus and Arthur Andersen. When she was 20 years old, precisely in May 1995, Nwuneli graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Economics.

In the year 1997, Ndidi Nwuneli was enrolled at the Harvard Business School (HBS). At the school, she received both the Harvey Fellowship and the National Black MBA Association Graduate Scholarship, both in recognition of her academic accomplishments. While at Harvard, Ndidi was and engaged in: founding and Co-chairing the Annual African Business Conference; Vice President of Faculty and Student Affairs for the Africa Business Club; International Liaison for the African American Student Union; and Publicity Chair for the Christian Association. In the year 1999, She graduated with MBA at the age of 24.

Ndidi Nwuneli started her career in her junior year at The University of Pennsylvania when she was employed as a Summer Business Analyst with McKinsey & Company in New York. In the year 1995, she became a full-time Business Analyst, working out of Chicago, Illinois. She also worked at McKinsey’s  office which situates in Johannesburg, South Africa. In the year 1998, Ndidi became the Lead Consultant with a non-profit organization founded by Professor Michael Porter, called The Center for Middle East Competitive Strategy. Then, She also consulted with Palestinian and Israeli businesses.

In the year 1999, Ndidi Nwuneli worked as the Lead Consultant for The Ford Foundation on a project which focused on Nigeria's largest microcredit institutions, COWAN and FADU. Also in the year 1999, she rejoined McKinsey and served on a few client service teams, where she consulted for consumer goods companies and large American retailers. In the year 2000, less than a year after graduating from Havard Business School, she resigned from her position at McKinsey and returned to Nigeria and became the pioneer Executive Director for the FATE Foundation (founded by Fola Adeola, a Nigerian Business Man). The foundation is a nonprofit organization that promotes wealth creation and encourages entrepreneurship in Nigeria. Ndidi who is enthused at engaging female entrepreneurs believes that Nigeria has some of the most entrepreneurial people in the world but access to financing, networks, and growth remain a challenge. She also believes that empowering women to start and grow their businesses is very critical to Nigeria's development, while educating women is the real silver bullet.

In the year 2002, Ndidi Nwuneli founded two nonprofits organisations, LEAP (Leadership, Effectiveness, Accountability, Professionalism) Africa and Ndu Ike Akunuba (NIA), Igbo words which translate in English to Life, Strength, and Wealth. While the organization Ndu Ike Akunuba focuses on female empowerment i.e. inspiring university students in Southeastern Nigeria to live full and meaningful lives. The purpose of LEAP is to inspire, empower and equip business owners, youth, teachers and social entrepreneurs with the skills and tools for personal and organizational transformation. LEAP strives to provide training on leadership, ethics and civics. The most fulfilling part of Ndidi Nwuneli’s work with LEAP is seeing changes take place in the attitudes, character, behavior and actions of participants in their programs. As a representative of LEAP, Ndidi has been invited to speak at the United Nation’s Commission for Social Development, the World Economic Forum and the Clinton Global Initiative.

Since it was founded LEAP has worked in partnership with the Ford Foundation, Citi Foundation, World Bank, United States Government, United Kingdom Foreign & Commonwealth Office, ALI (Aspen Institute's Africa Leadership Initiative), Nokia, and the International Youth Foundation. Ndidi Nwuneli served as the founder of LEAP Africa and Chief Executive Officer of the organization from the year 2002 to 2007. She is still a Board Member of the organization.

Between the year 2009 and 2010, Ndidi Nwuneli and her husband, Mr., Mezuo Nwuneli Co-Founded Sahel Capital and AACE Foods. Sahel Capital air firm that is into is consulting and advisory and specializes in the agriculture and manufacturing industries. AACE Foods is a company that focused on processing spices, complementary food and spreads its sourced from smallholder farmers across Nigeria.

Awards & Recognition:

Honoree of the Global Fund for Women during their 25th Anniversary Celebration in San Francisco – 2013;

Winner of the Harvard Business School Nigeria Business Club 2013 Leading Social Entrepreneur Award

Forbes: 20 Youngest Power Women In Africa, 2011;

Excellence Award from Anambra State, 2011;

Selected for Harvard Business School’s Africa Business Club’s Excellence Award, 2007;

Selected as Young Manager of the Year by THISDAY Newspapers (Nigeria’s leading newspaper), 2005;

Received a National Honor – Member of the Federal Republic – from the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on December 16, 2004;

Selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, Davos; 2004;

Selected as a Global Leader of Tomorrow by the World Economic Forum, Davos, Switzerland; 2002;

Author/Research;

Senior Fellow at the MRC-BG at the Harvard Kennedy School, currently working on a book on "scaling social innovation in Africa";

Author, Working for God in the Marketplace, 2005;

Publications:

Editor, Passing the Baton, LEAP Africa; 2011;

Lead Author, Building a Culture of Ethics: A Practical Guide for African Leaders in the Public, Private and Nonprofits Sectors, LEAP Africa; 2009;

Editor, Rage for Change: A Practical Guide for African youth who Desire to Make a Difference, LEAP Africa; 2008;

Editor/Co-Author, Get on Board: A Practical Guide to Establishing & Sustaining High-Impact Boards of Directors, Farafina; 2007;

Lead Author, Defying the Odds: Case Studies of Nigerian Companies that have Survived Generations, LEAP Africa, 2006;

Articles on leadership, management and ethics: Under the Tree of Talking (Funded by the British Council), Journal of Convergence, Farafina, Business Day,the Guardian and Business in Africa Magazine; 2003-2007.