Nicholas Nesbitt is the new East African Business Council (EABC) chairman for the period of 2018/19. The council appointed Mr Nesbit at its 19th Annual General Meeting (AGM).
The new Kenyan chairman also chairs Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) and he is the Eastern Africa general manager of IBM East Africa Limited. Nesbitt replaces Jim Kabeho from Uganda who served over the 2017/18 period.
In his acceptance speech, Nesbitt emphasised the need to boost the competitiveness of the East African companies and SMEs at the continental and international level.
“Let us focus on the competitiveness of our businesses to sell our goods at regional, continental, and international scale,” he said adding that governments should enhance the business environment to facilitate private sector growth.
Nesbitt also recommended the enhancement of technological infrastructure to boost the free movement of services and goods in the East African region. “Adopt technology such as blockchain to solve regional challenges like counterfeits and contraband,” he stated.
Other Appointments
EABC also appointed vice-chairpersons and members of the council’s executive committee whose role involves promoting sustainable private sector growth.
Every member country nominates four people to the executive committee while the chairperson is elected annually by partner states. The EABC board of directors has 22 members.
EABC holds the AGM once each year where it appoints the chairperson, receives the annual report of the work the secretariat does, and guides the secretariat in accordance with the strategic plan and the interests of East Africa’s business community.
Speaking at the AGM, EABC Founding Chairperson Dr Manu Chandaria encouraged the private sector to be committed to the EAC integration and to promote the complete inclusion of EABC into the EAC as a constituent member. He also noted there is a need for concerted efforts to strengthen the private sector’s advocacy abilities at the regional level.
“As the private sector, our interest should be one East Africa and not our country,” he added.
