Patricia Obo-Nai is a Ghanaian engineer, the first Ghanaian to become Chief Executive Officer of Vodafone Ghana.[1][2][3][4] Her appointment on 19 February 2019 took effect on 1 April 2019. She is a member of the Ghana Institution of Engineers, (GHIE) and Vodafone's executive committee.[5][6][7][8] In May 2021, she was named among the top 50 Most Influential Female Leaders in Africa within the corporate and business sphere by Leading Ladies Africa.[9][10]

Patricia Obo-Nai
Born
Nationality Ghanaian
EducationSt Roses Senior High
Presbyterian Boys' Senior High School
Alma materKwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (BSc.Electrical engineering),
University of Ghana (MBA)
Kellogg School of Management
INSEAD
Occupation(s)Business and Technology Executive
Employers
AwardsGhana Women of Excellence Awards (2020)
Telecom CEO of the Year (2020)

Education

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Patricia Obo-Nai attended Bishop Bowers School for her basic education.[11] For her O-Levels and A-Levels, she attended St Roses Senior High (Akwatia) and the Presbyterian Boys' Senior High School respectively.[12] She continued at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology where she obtained a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. She holds an Executive MBA and Executive Education degree from the University of Ghana and Kellogg School of Management in USA respectively. She also acquired an Executive Education degree from INSEAD in France.[13][14][3][15]

Career

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Patricia Obo-Nai has worked in information technology and telecommunications since 1997.[16] Before her appointment at Vodafone, she worked with Millicom Ghana Limited, operators of Tigo for 14 years. In 2011, she moved on to join Vodafone as a Chief Technology Officer and a member of the Executive Committee. She was later promoted as the Director of Fixed Business and Customer Operations before she was appointed as CEO in 2019.[1][14][17][18][15]

She has served on a number of boards which includes the following: an advisory council member of the West African STEM Hub, advisory member of the Global Young Academy, Board member of the KNUST Foundation, a member of the Ghana Institute of Engineers and the Executive Women Network.[19]

Awards and honours

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For her work she has received the following awards:[20][17]

  • 2012 - Best Female Technologist Award at the annual Ghana Telecom Awards in June
  • 2017 - Distinguished Alumnus from the College of Engineering at KNUST
  • 2018 - Listed as one of the 100 most inspiring women leaders in Vodafone
  • 2019 - Won the Presec "Odade3" Honorary Torch Award
  • 2020 - Ghana Women of Excellence Awards[21]
  • 2020 National Communications Awards Telecommunications Personality of the Year
  • 2020 Sustainability and Social Impact (SSI) Awards STEM Leadership Award[22]
  • 2020 Ghana Information Technology and Telecom Awards (GITTA) Telecom CEO of the Year[23]
  • 2020 Young Professional Role Model in Women Executive Leadership Award[24]
  • 2021 Women Leadership Excellence Award at Ghana CEO’s Network Summit[25]
  • 2021 Africa’s Most Respected CEO Awards in the continent’s Telecommunications Industry[26]

Personal life

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Patricia is married with three (3) children.[27]

References

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  1. ^ a b Mensah, Jeffrey (20 February 2019). "9 beautiful photos of the first ever Ghanaian CEO of Vodafone Patricia Obo-Nai". Yen.com.gh - Ghana news. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  2. ^ "Meet Patricia Obo-Nai, the first Ghanaian to head Vodafone Ghana". www.pulse.com.gh. 1 April 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Patricia Obo-Nai Appointed First Ghanaian CEO Of Vodafone Ghana". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  4. ^ "Glitz top 100 inspirational women – Page 100 – Glitz Africa Magazine". Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  5. ^ "Vodafone Ghana appoints first Ghanaian CEO". Home | Goldstreet Business. 19 February 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  6. ^ "Vodafone Ghana appoints first Ghanaian CEO". ghananewsagency.org. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  7. ^ "Asantehene commends Vodafone for appointment of Ghanaian CEO | General News 2019-04-17". www.ghanaweb.com. 17 April 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  8. ^ Welsing, Kobina (19 February 2019). "Vodafone Ghana appoints first Ghanaian CEO | Starr Fm". Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  9. ^ "Vodafone CEO, Director of Digital Transformation make list of 50 most influential corporate women in Africa - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  10. ^ "CEO Of Vodafone wins Women Leadership Excellence Award". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 20 May 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  11. ^ webmanager (24 August 2012). "Breaking the glass ceiling". Business World Ghana. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  12. ^ World, Business (24 January 2014). "Patricia Obo-Nai". Business World Ghana. Retrieved 11 October 2019. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  13. ^ "CELEBRATING WOMEN IN STEM". The Exploratory | STEM+LOVE=A better world. 26 February 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  14. ^ a b "Vodafone Ghana appoints Patricia Obo-Nai as first Ghanaian CEO". Graphic Online. 19 February 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  15. ^ a b Otoo, Lilipearl Baaba. "Vodafone appoints first Ghanaian CEO | Business & Financial Times Online". Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  16. ^ "Vodafone Ghana appoints Patricia Obo-Nai as first Ghanaian CEO". Graphic Online. 19 February 2019. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  17. ^ a b "Patricia Obo-Nai – IAA". Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  18. ^ "Breaking News: Vodafone Ghana appoints Mrs Patricia Obo-Nai as its first Ghanaian CEO". www.pulse.com.gh. 19 February 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  19. ^ "Woman of the Moment: Patricia Obo-Nai – The most decorated telecoms CEO". GhanaWeb. 16 November 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  20. ^ Gadzekpo, Gilbert (13 May 2019). "UGBS Alumna, Mrs. Patricia Obo-Nai Is Vodafone Ghana CEO". University of Ghana Business School. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  21. ^ "24 prominent women honoured at Ghana Women of Excellence Awards for their leadership". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 13 March 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  22. ^ "Vodafone Ghana makes history by winning 15 awards over the weekend". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 17 November 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  23. ^ "Vodafone's Patricia Obo-Nai crowned Telecom CEO of the Year". MyJoyOnline.com. 17 November 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  24. ^ "Vodafone Ghana CEO, Patricia Obo-Nai receives leading role model award". MyJoyOnline.com. 9 November 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  25. ^ "CEO Of Vodafone wins Women Leadership Excellence Award". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 20 May 2021. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  26. ^ "Vodafone Ghana's CEO, Patricia Obo-Nai, adjudged Africa's Most Respected CEO in Telecommunications". Business Insider Africa. 2 August 2021. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  27. ^ "Woman of the Moment: Patricia Obo-Nai – The most decorated telecoms CEO". GhanaWeb. 16 November 2021. Retrieved 18 August 2023.