GE Africa president and CEO Jay Ireland
Photo by: Duane Daws
US multinational GE has confirmed that Jay Ireland, the group’s Africa president and CEO, has been appointed to the newly establish US President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa.
The council was established by President Barack Obama following the recent US-Africa Business Forum, which took place in Washington DC in August and brought together American and African political and business leaders. It took place alongside the US-Africa Leaders Summit, which was attended by leaders from 50 African countries.
Through Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, the council would provide Obama with information, analysis, and recommendations to bolster trade and investment prospects between the US and Africa.
Pritzker recently unveiled the names of the 15 private sector leaders appointed to the advisory council.
Besides Ireland, the other members are: Walé Adeosun, the founder of Kuramo Capital Management; McKinsey & Company global MD Dominic Barton; The Hershey Company president and CEO JP Bilbrey; Walmart Europe, the Middle East and Africa president and CEO Shelley Broader; Africa.com CEO Teresa Clarke; African Sunrise Partners founder and MD Melissa Cook; Black & Veatch CFO Karen Daniel; Bloomberg chairperson Peter Grauer; SEWW Energy president and CEO Kevon Makell; Carlyle Group MD Edward Mathias; AGCO president and CEO Martin Richenhagen; AAR Corporation CEO David Storch; Varian Medical Systems president and CEO Dow Wilson; and Shea Yeleen founder and CEO Rahama Wright.
Ireland said he was honoured by the appointment, which reaffirmed “not only GE’s commitment to the continent but also the US government’s focus on strengthening its relationship with Africa”.