Leading Edge Announces Strategic Appointments

The Leading Edge Consulting Group has announced the appointment of Dr. Franklin Ngwu and Ms. Cynthia Egwidu as members of its Advisory Board.

These appointments which have the endorsement of the Chairman of its Advisory Board, Dr. Christopher Kolade, have already taken effect, according to the Founder and CEO of the Group, Dr. Ije Jidenma.

The group disclosed this in a statement.

Ngwu is the Director of Lagos Business School (LBS) Sustainability Centre and an Associate Professor of Strategy, Corporate Governance and Risk Management. He has a PhD in Law and Economics of Banking Regulation; an MSc

in Economics and a Post-graduate Diploma in Development Economics from University of Manchester, United Kingdom. He also has an MSc in Comparative Political Economy from Cardiff University, United Kingdom as well as a BSc in Sociology which he obtained from University of Lagos, Nigeria.

“Ngwu has consulted extensively over the years, for both local and international organisations. These, include companies in the financial services including some Nigerian banks, insurance, microfinance banks, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the African Development Bank, some FMCG companies and faith-based organisations.

“He is the author of two Corporate Governance handbooks: ‘Corporate Governance in Developing and Emerging Markets’ (Routledge, 2016) and ‘Enhancing Board Effectiveness-Institutional, Regulatory and Emerging Markets’(Routhledge,2019) and ‘Corporate Social Responsibility in Developing

and Emerging Markets ‘ (Cambridge University Press).

“Also, he is the Co-chair, Private Sector, Advisory Group Board on UN sustainable Development Goals (SDGS), Advisory Board member, E-Waste Producer Responsibility Organisation of Nigeria (EPRON) and Expert Network, World Economic Forum. He is also a member of the Society of Corporate Governance Nigeria among so many others professional organisations,” it added.

Also, the statement revealed that Egwidu is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at the Free Global Investments Limited Nigeria, the Special Purpose Vehicle & Investment promotion subsidiary of Nigeria’s Oil & Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA).

OGFZA is Nigeria’s apex government agency set up to regulate the Nigerian Oil& Gas Free Trade Zones. She was, prior to this, the Special Adviser to the Director General of the Securities

and Exchange Commission, Nigeria. She represented the DG on the multi-agency Financial Inclusion Technical Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria, hon policy formulation advocacy and implementation of the regulatory reforms.

“Egwidu has close to three decades of combined experience in the public and private sectors in the UK and in Africa, generally. Her work experience traverses financial inclusion, trade investment advisory, inter -government relations, business reputation/ethics & corporate governance.

“A Chartered Accountant, she had trained at the Hugill & Co London and Andersen Consulting, England and worked in the investment sector at Sunlife UK Ltd as well as at the Citibank, Uk. Ms Egwidu is a Doctoral student in Business Administration and had acquired a Master of Laws (LLM) degree in International Commercial Law from University of Salford Manchester, England, Master of Business Administration from London School of Business & Finance as well as a B.A Economics & MSc Economics degrees from University of Leicester, England,” it added.