Tony Elmel, founder and group chair of Heirs Holdings, has been appointed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to the Advisory Committee on Entrepreneurship and Growth, convened by IMF Managing Director Christarina Georgieva.
Elmel, the most important advocate for African entrepreneurship, has funded, mentored and trained over 25,000 African entrepreneurs since 2015 through his foundations.
The statement describes him as a “home-built entrepreneur,” emphasizing that his commitment to entrepreneurship is deeply rooted in the notion of African capitalism.
According to a statement released last night, the philosophy has driven Elmel to make long-term investments that create both social and economic value.
The statement further noted that the advisory board consists of global business leaders, policymakers and academics who have been committed to identifying and tackling regulatory barriers to entrepreneurship. Its mission is to propose policies that improve resource allocation, stimulate innovation and catalyze sustainable private sector-led economic growth.
Elmel is expected to play a key role in ensuring that the potential of African entrepreneurs is at the heart of global economic policy decisions.
Other members of the Council include Professor Uhuk Aksigit, Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago. Saudi Arabia Ambassador and HRH Ambassador Reema Bandar Al-Saud. So does Salesforce Chairman, CEO and co-founder Marc Benioff.
Also working on the council is Anna Botin's executive chair at Banco Santander. Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Group. Margherita Della Valle, CEO of Vodafone Group. Robert Smith, founder, chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners. and Federico Starzengenger, Minister of Deregulation and National Change in Argentina.
At the first meeting of the advisory committee on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, IMF Managing Director Christarina Georgieva highlighted the importance of insights from members shaping macroeconomic and monetary policy to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and productivity.
“The Council brings together a group of key thinkers and practitioners in business, finance, academia and policy-making to share opinions and experiences on how macroeconomic and monetary policy can provide a supportive environment for innovation, entrepreneurship and productivity.
