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The African Digital Economy Forum (ADEF) has announced Mr. Derek Laryea as one of its board members.
Laryea who is currently an External Public Policy Consultant at FTI Consulting joins the board with over 12 years of corporate experience in technology, telecommunications and digital financial services.
“We are glad to have Derek Laryea as one of our board members, Derek’s deep experience in high-technology global businesses with strong regulatory oversight will strengthen our strategy to advance the Forum in achieving its goal in promoting the seamless opportunities that abound in the digital economy space across Africa. His enlistment, drawn from proper corporate governance structure and area of specialisation, brings on board rich expertise and experience to the organisation,” said President of ADEF, Mr. Olusola Teniola.
The ADEF is a common platform for policy makers, technology and service providers focusing on the transformative powers of Africa’s steadily growing and booming digital economy. ADEF is fully committed to the expansion of connectivity, access to affordable data, promotion of innovation and full digitization of African nations’ economies as the basis for development.
Prior to this, Mr. Laryea was the Head of Research and Communications at the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, an industry association and private initiative of mobile network operators and technology infrastructure companies operating in Ghana for 10 years. Derek also worked with MTN Ghana as a Reputation Research, Planning and Budgeting Officer where he was instrumental in driving some of MTN’s major socio-marketing campaigns and corporate social responsibility initiatives.
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Over the last decade of his work at the Chamber, he has been instrumental in the organisational framework creation and running of the industry association, while playing active roles in leading Alliance for Affordable Internet’s coalition work in Ghana in the area of fiscal policy, access and affordability advocacy.
Mr. Laryea is a certified digital finance practitioner from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University (US) and the Digital Frontiers Institute (SA).
He has an MA in Public Relations from the Ghana Institute of Journalism, an MBA in Financial Management from Coventry University (UK) and a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from the Valley View University.
Since its formation, ADEF has fostered its operations on multilateral stakeholders’ engagement and collaborate with governments, private sector, academics, national and international bodies, etc, to promote frameworks to maximize the potential dividends of a thriving digital economy beneficial to all Africans.
“ADEF believes the continent must rework its policy and regulatory frameworks to provide the required sustainable environment for new ICT investment that will enhance connectivity, create innovative enterprises, provide digital skills, and generally improve the lives of over 1.5 billion Africans,” said Teniola.
