David Bikhado Ofungi, a senior adviser to the Uganda Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has been appointed a member of the World Chambers Federation (WCF), a governing body that brings together all Chambers of Commerce from around the world.
The president of the International Chamber of Commerce World Chambers Federation, Nicolas Uribe Rueda, announced the appointment, along with the appointment of other members of the General Council for the period 2023-2025.
The WCF is a critical institution that strengthens the institutional capacity of Chamber of Commerce organizations to support micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) worldwide.
The Council is committed to addressing four of the world’s most pressing issues: women’s empowerment, digitalisation, sustainability and facilitating access to global markets for small businesses.
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Commenting on Bikhado’s appointment, WCF President Nicolas Uribe said: “Bikhado’s profile is very strong and the representation of the African continent in the Council is vital. Ofungi’s appointment will bring greater representation to regions of the world that have traditionally been under-represented.”
Bikhado expressed his gratitude for the appointment and stressed the responsibility of tapping into a global network of more than 45 million companies covered by the ICC/World Chambers Federation. He also highlighted the opportunity to showcase Uganda’s investment potential to the world.
“This appointment brings with it a tremendous responsibility to help Uganda’s myriad companies tap into a global network of more than 45 million companies covered by the ICC/World Chambers Federation and to provide the tremendous investment opportunity that we have. land to the world,” said David Bikhado.
Uganda Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Olive Kigongo praised Bikhado’s appointment and noted that he is a useful resource for the Chamber.
As a senior advisor to the Chamber, he has been instrumental in shaping the organisation’s strategy as they embark on a new chapter in their journey.
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She further emphasized Bikhado’s commercial interests, focusing on financial consulting, conferences, industrialization, public-private partnerships and innovation.
His firms have completed extensive projects for the European Union, UNCDF, Agriculture Business Initiative, the Government of Uganda and numerous private sector companies.
David Bikhado is a member of the Uganda Public Private Partnership (PPP) Board under the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.
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He is also a member of the National Steering Committee on National Research & Innovation Program under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, and a member of the Innovation Panel of Uganda’s National Social Security Fund (NSSF).
The new board member has previously consulted for development partners in the Ugandan market, focusing on non-bank equity and debt – for organizations such as the European Union, the International Finance Corporation, the African Development Bank and UNCDF.
He is founder and curator of the Mkutano series of conferences which aims to collect actionable views from high level private and public sector players on sustainable economic development.
In addition, he was East Africa Director for Blue Financial Services between 2012 and 2016.
Ofungi holds a degree in Chemical Engineering and a Diploma in Industrial Studies from Bradford University, UK and a PGDip in Management from Nottingham Business School, UK.
The appointment is expected to strengthen the WCF’s ability to better serve the interests of MSMEs globally, promote sustainability, empower women and facilitate small business access to global markets.
He expected to leverage his position to highlight Uganda’s potential for foreign investment and tourism destinations given exposure to such a global network.
His experience and expertise in the field will undoubtedly contribute to this.
