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The Africa Private Sector Summit (APSS), a pan-African nonprofit and nonpartisan corporate organisation, has appointed Lucy Surhyel Newman as the Chairperson of its Advisory and Executive Boards. This follows the recent meeting of the Joint Advisory and Executive Boards, which was held on 11 November 2025. 

Dr. Newman, a Nigerian author, performance strategist, international consultant, policy advisor, and former CEO of FITC, transitioned to her new Board positions after serving as the CEO of APSS.

In a broader leadership restructuring to strengthen its continental presence and streamline coordination, the Joint Board also finalised appointments for Regional Deputy Chairs, namely Denis Karera, a Rwandan for East Africa; Sherif El-Gabaly, an Egyptian for North Africa; and Mary Concilia Anchang, a Cameroonian for Central Africa. The others are M’Zee Fula Ngenge, an Angolan for Southern Africa, and Gerald F. B. Cooper, a Liberian for the African Diaspora. 

APSS said appointment for the West Africa Region remains pending, although it has invited additional candidates, preferably from Francophone West Africa, for balanced representation.

In August 2023, Newman joined APSS as CEO. Thereafter, APSS announced a new structure that saw the creation of three levels of governance: the Advisory Board, the Executive Board, and the Executive Committee. 

Based on a first round of restructuring, in November 2023, the APSS Founder Judson Wendell Addy, stepped down as Chair of the former APSS Board to become a member of the APSS Advisory Board, while Benjamin Acheampong, an APSS co-founder, stayed on the APSS Advisory Board as Member, and Prof. Sam Ndoga, also a co-founder of APSS, stayed on the APSS Executive Board as Member. The November 2025 restructuring and succession is the second round.

APSS said its latest Board appointments are aimed at further enhancing its institutional capacity, governance arrangements, and continental impact of its mandate in line with its 15 Strategic Objectives contained in the APSS 2024-2027 Strategic Plan, now extended as APSS 2026/30 Strategic Plan. 

The APSS Joint Advisory and Executive Boards also announced the promotion of Fortunate Kwiringira (Ugandan), formerly APSS Director (Technical), to succeed Newman as Chief Executive Officer and Adedayo Dayo-Dunmoye (Nigerian), formerly APSS Director (Projects), to the new role of Chief Operating Officer, making both of them full members of the APSS Executive Board.

In a media statement, APSS said it remains steadfast in championing policy reforms, private sector-led growth, and continental integration for Africa’s socio-economic transformation. 

“The APSS remains a viable advocate of our collective journey in pursuit of the Africa we want, by advocating for emergence of more predictable and effective business environments across the continent in ways that enhance the African private sector’s role as a key stakeholder in our collective implementation of key continental frameworks such as African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the Agenda2063, and other global frameworks, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” according to the statement. 

APSS operates by conducting research and convening within an ecosystem-based approach to bringing the African private sector together. It supports the successful implementation of the continent’s Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and the AfCFTA protocols and principles, already signed by African Heads of States. 

The non-profit is currently advocating for the adoption of the Charter on Private Sector Development, Rights and Protection Environment in Africa, known as Private Sector Bill of Rights (PSBoR), towards an enabling business environment in Africa.

Last November, Dr. Newman launched the French edition of her book, “African Leaders’ Tête-à-Tête”, to build on the success of the English version that was launched in November 2022, bringing systems-focused leadership insights to francophone Africa. The virtual launch convened senior policymakers, diplomats, private-sector leaders, scholars, and civil society voices from across Africa and the diaspora. It thereby extends inclusive leadership dialogue across Africa’s linguistic and institutional landscapes to shape contemporary African leadership practice.

APSS said it remains steadfast in championing policy reforms, private sector-led growth, and continental integration for Africa’s socio-economic transformation.