A robust response to COVID-19 comes from the World Business Angels Investment Forum to support entrepreneurs and SMEs. WBAF’s Ethical Governance, Standards of Excellence and Quality Leadership Committee announces 1 president and 5 government ministers as new board members. The new board proposes an action plan to ensure that high standards of ethics, excellence and quality are effectively reinforced during these troubled times, in order that these values may not be threatened by the anticipated financial crisis resulting from the Covid19 pandemic.
(WBAF) As an affiliated partner of the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI), the World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF) is committed to collaborating globally to empower the economic development of the world by fostering innovative financial instruments for startups, scaleups, innovators, entrepreneurs and SMEs and by promoting gender equality and women’s participation in all sectors of the world economy.
WBAF accomplishes its mission through various channels and parties. These include 359 high commissioners, senators and international partners from 105 countries; 7 country offices on 5 continents; the WBAF Business School and its 45 faculty members from 32 countries; and 5 international working committees.
Fadi Saab, President of the Ethical Governance, Standards of Excellence and Quality Leadership Committee, says, ‘Our dedicated working group shares a strong conviction that, for any enterprise to be sustainably prosperous, it must have not only positive financial results, but more importantly, it must be committed to upholding ethical governance in the regulation of all operational endeavours, to adhering to standards of excellence in every aspect of every activity, and to ensuring quality leadership that will guide executive decision-making. These values will be even more crucial in the post-pandemic business environment’.
The WBAF Ethical Governance, Standards of Excellence & Quality Leadership Committee was established to provide a common set of honourable personal behaviours and best business practices that are essential if a company is to triumph in today’s competitive global economies and promote sustainable development.
The Committee shares a collective conviction that, in order for any enterprise to be sustainably prosperous, it must not only achieve positive financial results, but more importantly, it must be devoted to upholding the components of a virtuous circle of trust. The foundations promoted by the Committee are (a) a global platform based on ethical governance that is regulated by an upstanding code of conduct; (b) a focal operating process for applying the highest standards of excellence that are inspired by admirable core values; and (c) an ecosystem of dedicated people who are guided by quality leaders and motivated by exceptional behaviour drivers.
Baybars Altuntas, WBAF’s Executive Chairman says, ‘With the world now in the throes of a deep recession, one thing is clear: helping countries recover from COVID-19 will require billions of dollars to revive jobs and value chains, tackle systemic inequalities and promote a green reconstruction. This will present significant opportunities for investors to innovate and to finance projects that will contribute to sustainable and inclusive long-term growth. Responsible finance and impact investors will be the driving force of this new investment ecosystem. Public and private partnerships (PPP) will be crucial in creating a path to recovery and reconstruction. Ethical governance will be an important value to be shared with all stakeholders of the world economy who will be responsible for recovery from the pandemic. Therefore, I believe, that the Ethical Governance, Standards of Excellence and Quality Leadership Committee will play an instrumental role in the ‘new normal’.
President of the Committee:
Fadi Saab, President of the Ethical Governance, Standards of Excellence and Quality Leadership Committee Fadi.Saab@wbaforum.org
Board Members of the Committee:
- Ivo Josipović, 3rd President of the Republic of Croatia
- Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Attiyah, Former Deputy Prime Minister and Former Petroleum & Industry Minister of Qatar
- Antonio Couto dos Santos, Former Deputy Prime Minister and Former Education Minister of Portugal
- Eduard Shalsi, Minister of State for the Protection of Entrepreneurship of Albania
- Noomane Fehri, Former Digital Economy Minister of Tunisia
- Routouang Mohamed Ndonga Christian, Minister of Youth and Sports of Chad
- Narong Sirilertworakul, President of the National Science and Technology and Development Agency (NSTDA), Thailand
Executive Committee:
- Head International Collaboration: Ilkay Demirdag, Head Investor Relations, Enerjisa Enerji AS
- Head Legal & Regulatory: Katarina Strandberg, CEO, the Swedish Villa
- Head of Content Development: Prof. Enriko Ceko, Dean of Economics and Social Sciences, University College Wisdom, Albania
- Head of Outreach & Communication: Sharesz T. Wilkinson, Executive Communication Coach; Forbes Coaches Council Member 2020, USA
- Head of Scaling & Development: Israel Pons, President of the WBAF Angel Investment Fund, Mexico
- Head of Sustainability: Ingrid Vasiliu-Feltes, Chief Quality and Innovation Officer, MEDNAX, USA
- Emine Erdem, President of the Women Entrepreneurs Association (KAGIDER), Turkey
- Mario Diel, President, Economic Development Commission on Hospitality
- Mario Ottiglio, President, Global Coalition on Aging Europe, Italy
- Matt Gamser, CEO of the SME Finance Forum, World Bank Group / IFC
- Zsolt Katona, Former CEO of the Budapest Stock Exchange and CEO of Solus Capital, Hungary
Committee Members:
Akshay Shinde, Aleksandar Celeski, Arc Ajalie Raphael, Armagan Onder, Ayşe Kasikci, Bolarinwa Ojo, Cem Bulent Unal , Collins Nnabugwu, D. R. Sara, David Lanre Messan, Dimitri Bontinck, Eddie Lee, Enrico Fiore, Etienne Kouadio Doh, Eythor Jonsson, Ezgi Ucaner-Flor, Fikri Syaryadi, Firas Jaber, Funda Ibraimi, Gagik Makaryan, George C. Dimitriou, Gautamkumar Chheda, Gladys Mawoneke, Guy G. Beaudry, Habibou Djibo Amadou, Hind Ziane, Hugo Mendes, Ingrid Orozco, Isabelle Chaquiriand, Istiaque Doza, Jacob Vorsø Pedersen, Jelena Plavanski, Joyce Kibet, Joynicole Martinez, Juliano Almeida Lopes, Justin Ho Guo Shun, Kal El-Wahab, Kassoum Coulibaly, Mariana Kou, Martien Provoost, Mondher Khanfir, Navalayo Osembo, Nikhil Agarwal, Nisha Kohli, Olusoji Amusan, Patricia Hajali, Paul Babila Bengyella, Peter Rudge, Pietro Lanzarini, Prateek Jain, Qurrat Ul Ain Naveed, Ram Kumar Varma P, Rose Maghas, Salim Msangi, Samir Idrissi Kassimy, Sanville Moses, Septi Bukula, Sertac Oral, Tajul Islam, Thitapha Smitinont, Tunç M. Berkman, Tuti Mwambenja, Valentina Di Milla, Varis Sayed, Vinav Bhanawat, Viviana Angulo, Wan Fara Ayu W. Ahmad Washaya Washaya, Yacine Keddou, Yolanda Mabuto, Yulia Stark, Zahid Haque.
About the World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF)
An affiliated partner of the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI), the World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF) is an international organisation aiming to ease access to finance for businesses from start-up to scale-up, with the ultimate goal of generating more jobs and more social justice worldwide. It is committed to collaborating globally to empower world economic development by creating innovative financial instruments for innovators, start-ups, and SMEs. The Forum interacts with leaders in all areas of society, first and foremost in business and political spheres, to help assess needs and establish goals, bearing in mind that the public interest is of paramount importance. WBAF engages a wide range of institutions, both public and private, local and international, commercial and academic to help shape the global agenda.
About GPFI
The Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI) is an inclusive platform for all G20 countries, interested non-G20 countries, and relevant stakeholders to carry forward work on financial inclusion, including implementation of the G20 Financial Inclusion Action Plan endorsed at the G20 Summit in Seoul. Queen Maxima of the Netherlands is the Honorary Patron of the GPFI.
