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African Development Bank Group President, Akinwumi Adesina, calls on Oxford MBA graduating class to be change-makers

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Adesina called on the graduates to use the skills and knowledge they had acquired to address some of today’s most pressing global challenges

OXFORD, United Kingdom, September 12, 2023/APO Group/ — 

Graduating executive MBA students of Oxford University’s Saïd Business School received wise counsel from African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) President Dr Akinwumi Adesina on Friday.

Delivering the business school’s 2023 commencement address, Adesina called on the graduates to use the skills and knowledge they had acquired to address some of today’s most pressing global challenges, including climate change and the quest for a hunger-free world. “It is unacceptable for more than 2.3 billion people in the world to go hungry each day,” he said.

The bank president said: “Class of 2023, I see in you, builders, and shapers of hope. You have been well prepared to go into this world to be change-makers. You have received a world-class education. You are ready, and the world awaits you.”

Adesina urged to draw lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure future global pandemic preparedness and that no one is left behind in terms of access to affordable healthcare.

Commending the graduates to use innovative ideas and solutions, he highlighted the need to help meet the needs of the 940 million people worldwide living without electricity, three billion people without clean cooking energy, two billion living without access to clean water, and 4.5 billion without sanitation.

He also emphasised the 1.7 billion people that lacked access to basic finance, credit, savings, payments, or insurance, while also stressing the need to build a better world for the 244 million children who are out of school, including 129 million girls.

“Their dream,” the African Development Bank president said, “is to be like all of you today as you graduate with a world class education. But they cannot achieve their dreams, and neither can our world achieve our collective dream of a more just and equitable world unless we prioritise financing for developing countries to accelerate development.”

We want you to become great leaders who will shape tomorrow and have a positive impact on our world

Soumitra Dutta, Peter Moores Dean and Professor of Management at Saïd Business School, encouraged the Class of 2023 to dream big and assume the mantles of leadership waiting for them. He said: “We want you to become great leaders who will shape tomorrow and have a positive impact on our world. To become a great leader, it is very important that you are inspired and that you dream big. With your dreams, you will raise the aspiration levels of others around you.”

Professor Alex Connock, specialist in Media Business and Artificial Intelligence (AI), called on the Class of 2023 to set the terms and conditions of what they do in life, and devise the strategy. He said: “You must be confident about making choices that work to your vision of your own future.” He added: “So please—throw your own javelin confidently into the infinite space of the future, starting from today. Go out there, make a difference. Bring this splintering world back together. Don’t settle for a new Cold War. Don’t settle for global warming. Make good things happen.”

Adesina told the new MBA graduates to be selfless and dedicated to justice, equity, and fairness. While encouraging them to promote transparency, inclusion, honesty, and integrity, he emphasised the determination they would need not to be sucked into what he called the “slimy allure of insatiable corporate greed that has wreaked havoc on the lives of millions through creative accounting, misrepresentation of the valuation of companies,” and other unethical behaviour.

“As you go out into the business world, stay within the rules and regulations,” Adesina said. “You all look great in your suits today. Keep it that way. Do not trade your striped business suits for orange jump suits. Do honest business. Stay out of trouble. Set your goals and stick to them.”

The African Development Bank president encouraged the graduates to build alliances and collective partnerships rather than individual success. He evoked the image of the African Baobab tree with its massive girth. He said the only way individuals could encircle it was by linking arms together around its enormous circumference. He encouraged them to employ the Baobab approach and work together.

“Nothing works better than collective success,” Adesina said. “Never work alone… Ahead of you is a stretch of life. Live it fully. Live it supporting others. Live it doing the best you can to improve the lives and livelihoods of people around the world. Use the Baobab approach.”

Amy Major, Associate Director of the Saïd Businees School’s MBA programme, told the new MBA holders: “Display kindness to yourself and others. You all hold yourselves to high standards, but as you move out into the real world, whether you are now gainfully employed or searching, facing financial pressure or not, moving back to your family or away, you will all experience a different set of challenges and opportunities. No matter where life takes you, you possess something that can never be taken away: your Oxford MBA and your rightful place as Oxonians.”

Adesina spoke about the need for a reformed global financial architecture. “The global financial architecture is failing development in the world as it faces multiple global challenges,” he explained, adding: “The global financial architecture must be modified to tackle global challenges more effectively and to accelerate the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.” He told the graduates: “The global pension funds and institutional investors, which many of you will go on to work for, have over $145 trillion of assets under management. As you do, take leadership in ensuing that these vast resources are directed towards the collective good. Use the skills and tools you have acquired at Oxford, to help make our world a better place for all.”

The African Development Bank president concluded his visit with a group and one-on-one chat with some of the new graduates from Africa to talk about leadership, and Africa’s future and development, and the role of the youth.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

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Novum Studio Secures New Funding to Launch Ahoy Project, an AI-Native Enterprise Transformation Platform, Building on Its 20-Million-User Gen Z App Frog

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July 24, 2026

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  • Novum Studio has raised a new round of funding to launch Ahoy Project, its enterprise AI solution, with internal testing scheduled for July 2026.
  • Ahoy Project is positioned as the infrastructure for AI-native enterprise transformation – an AI-native communication platform serving as the underlying system, delivered as an end-to-end tailored solution.
  • The launch expands the company beyond Frog, its Gen Z consumer social app that has reached 20 million users across the U.S. and Europe.
  • Novum Studio said it is applying lessons from operating high-frequency social platforms at scale to workplace communication and knowledge systems.

NEW YORK, USA – Media OutReach Newswire – 24 July 2026 – Novum Studio, the company behind Frog – a Gen Z social app often described as a “new-generation Snapchat” – said it has raised a new round of funding and will use the proceeds to launch Ahoy Project, an AI-native enterprise communication and collaboration platform, with internal testing scheduled for July 2026.

The Novum Studio team at London Tech Week 2025.

Unlike conventional workplace software, Ahoy Project will not be sold as a standalone software subscription, the company said. Novum Studio provides the infrastructure and a full tailored solution for enterprises undergoing AI-native transformation, with the communication platform serving as the underlying system on which that transformation is built.

Founded as a consumer social company, Novum Studio has reached more than 20 million users across the U.S. and Europe. Frog gained traction among younger users through spontaneous, real-time sharing designed around authenticity and low-pressure interaction. The company said its experience building large-scale social “spaces” – where millions of people communicate, form groups and coordinate in real time — directly informs its approach to enterprise collaboration.

The new funding will support the launch and international expansion of the enterprise business as artificial intelligence reshapes how organizations communicate, collaborate and operate, the company said.

Novum Studio was founded by Anna Danyi, who graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in 2018 and began her career in consulting and technology. Before founding Novum Studio, she built multiple consumer applications and exited through an acquisition. In 2025, Forbes China recognized her among the Top 100 most influential global Chinese figures in AI digital products area.

“We spent years understanding how millions of users communicate online,” Anna Danyi said. “In the AI era, communication itself is becoming intelligent. We believe the next generation of platforms will not only connect people — they will understand workflows, collaboration and organizational behavior.”

From Consumer Social to Enterprise AI

Modern organizations face growing challenges as critical knowledge, decisions and workflows become fragmented across chats, meetings and disconnected tools, the company said. Ahoy Project addresses this as a conversation-driven, AI-native collaboration layer: it captures context from day-to-day communication to build a searchable enterprise knowledge base and support workflow coordination.

Core capabilities include conversation-based knowledge organization, AI-assisted collaboration and workflow support integrated directly into team communication. Because the platform sits at the layer where work is discussed and decided, it can serve as the foundation for a broader AI-native operating model – with Novum Studio designing and delivering the surrounding transformation solution for each enterprise client.

Ahoy (Popeye AI) turns everyday team conversations into a searchable enterprise knowledge base.

A New Direction for Social Technology

Novum Studio said its expansion reflects a broader shift across the technology industry. Platforms such as TikTok and Instagram defined how content was distributed and consumed in the mobile social era; as AI becomes embedded in digital products, the company believes the next stage will center less on feeds and more on intelligent systems that understand communication and coordination.

“We are no longer just building products where people post content,” Anna Danyi said. “We are building systems that understand how humans communicate and operate together.”
 

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Venezuela Energy Week to Host Houston Industry Showcase, Unlocking United States (U.S.) Commercial Engagement Ahead of October Summit

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July 24, 2026

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Ahead of Venezuela Energy Week 2026, U.S. exploration companies, independent operators, oilfield service providers and investors are invited to explore commercial opportunities across Venezuela’s upstream sector at the Houston Industry Showcase next month

HOUSTON, United States of America, July 23, 2026/APO Group/ –Venezuela Energy Week will host an Industry Showcase in Houston on August 18, 2026: a targeted industry roadshow designed to engage U.S. energy stakeholders ahead of the October summit. Held at The Post Oak Hotel, the showcase will convene senior representatives from across the U.S. upstream ecosystem – including exploration and production companies, Texas-based independents, oilfield service companies, engineering and technology firms, commercial banks, private equity firms and family offices – to assess commercial pathways for participation in Venezuela’s energy sector.

 

As Venezuela looks to expand production, U.S. companies remain well positioned to contribute technical expertise, capital and operational capabilities across the upstream value chain. Chevron’s longstanding presence in the country highlights the continued importance of U.S. industry participation, while the scale of Venezuela’s resource base continues to attract interest from major international energy companies, including ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips. Opportunities extend across exploration, field development, production optimization, infrastructure rehabilitation and digital modernization as Venezuela seeks to strengthen its energy sector.

 

Demand is also expected to grow for oilfield service companies, engineering firms, technology providers and financial institutions that can support upstream investment and project execution. Companies including SLB, Halliburton and Baker Hughes have been identified as potential partners in advancing production optimization and infrastructure rehabilitation, while commercial banks, private equity firms and family offices will play an important role in financing future investment opportunities.

 

Against this backdrop, the Houston Industry Showcase will provide a structured engagement platform at a time when select international operators continue to operate under U.S. Treasury-authorized frameworks, and where policy considerations in the U.S. continue to shape engagement parameters in Venezuela’s energy sector.

 

The event will enable U.S. exploration companies, independent operators, oilfield service providers and investors to assess technical and commercial pathways across exploration, field services, project delivery and broader supply chain opportunities, while supporting early-stage dialogue between international investors and Venezuela-focused stakeholders in a structured commercial environment ahead of the October summit.

 

To register for the Houston Industry Showcase on August 18, visit www.venezuelaenergyweek.com/rsvp-houston. To learn more about delegate, sponsorship and partnership opportunities for the showcase or to secure your place at Venezuela Energy Week 2026 in Caracas this October, contact info@venezuelaenergyweek.com.

 

Supporting Venezuela’s Earthquake Recovery

 

Our thoughts are with the people and communities affected by the recent earthquakes in Venezuela. As the country begins the long process of recovery, we encourage members of the global energy community to support relief and reconstruction efforts through the CAF Recovery and Reconstruction Fund for Venezuela, which channels contributions from individuals, companies and organizations to emergency assistance, essential services and long-term rebuilding efforts.

 

To learn more or make a contribution, please visit the CAF Recovery and Reconstruction Fund for Venezuela (https://apo-opa.co/4fM0rLr).

 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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Africa Trade Gateway Delivers US$5.3-Million Cross-Border Transaction in First Energy Sector Trade in Southern Africa

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July 24, 2026

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The transaction represents an important milestone for both the participating institu-tions and the ATG ecosystem as it marked Innbucks Microbank’s first completed transaction through the platform and the ATG’s first recorded energy-sector transac-tion in Southern Africa

HARARE, Zimbabwe, July 23, 2026/APO Group/ –A US$5.3-million cross-border fuel (gasoil) trade transaction has been successfully completed with support of the Africa Trade Gateway (ATG), African Export-Import Bank’s (Afreximbank’s) (www.Afreximbank.com) flagship digital trade ecosystem, demonstrating the value and efficacy of the Gateway in powering African trade.

The transaction, which saw Zimbabwean fuel importer Witeva Trading source a gasoil shipment from a leading commodity trader and supplier in Switzerland, with Innbucks Microbank Ltd. participating as the local issuing financial institution and Afreximbank providing confirmation support under agreed trade finance structure, demonstrates how African businesses can leverage one connected ecosystem to identify opportunities, access finance and complete international trade more efficiently.

The ATG made it possible for the commercial opportunity to be connected to the right ecosystem participants, bringing together the buyer, supplier and participating financial institutions to support a successful execution of the transaction.

The transaction represents an important milestone for both the participating institutions and the ATG ecosystem as it marked Innbucks Microbank’s first completed transaction through the platform and the ATG’s first recorded energy-sector transaction in Southern Africa.

This transaction demonstrates the value of bringing African businesses and financial institutions together through one connected trade ecosystem

It also demonstrates how African Businesses can use a single digital ecosystem to identify commercial opportunities, connect with verified counterparties, access trade-finance support and execute cross-border transactions more efficiently.

Peter Olowononi, Director, Regional Operations, Southern Africa, at Afreximbank, said:

“This transaction demonstrates the value of bringing African businesses and financial institutions together through one connected trade ecosystem. By creating a digital ecosystem to expand access to trade finance, Afreximbank is enabling more businesses to participate easily in regional and international trade.”

Emeka Onyia, Director, Digital Business, at Afreximbank, added:

“The Africa Trade Gateway is more than a mere digital platform; it is the ecosystem that helps trade happen. We help businesses discover opportunities, connect with trusted buyers, suppliers and financial institutions, and facilitate the journey from commercial opportunity to completed transactions. Every successful deal strengthens the network, attracts new participants and creates more opportunities for African trade.”

“As more businesses, banks and trade partners join the ecosystem, every successful transaction expands the marketplace, strengthens trust across the network and increases opportunities for future trade,” Mr. Onyia added.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

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