African students pursuing their Masters in Business Administration (MBA) studies in leading business schools around the world are set to enjoy exclusive internship opportunities at Kenya’s Capital Markets Authority (CMA) as part of a continental initiative to raise business management skills.
In a move which will also seek to instill corporate governance discipline, Kenya’s Capital Markets Authority (CMA) has partnered with The Tony Elumelu Foundation in Nigeria to facilitate the placement of MBA students (associates) from business schools around the world in a leadership development programme.
Speaking when she confirmed her organisations partnership, Capital Markets Authority Chief Executive Officer Mrs. Stella Kilonzo explained that the programme to be rolled out under the African Markets Internship Programme (AMIP) commences next month.
The AMIP programme, Mrs. Kilonzo added is designed to introduce some of the world’s brightest young business talent to executive suites across Africa as part of a strategic effort to improve the competitiveness of Africa’s private sector.
Students who secure internship at CMA, under the AMIP programme will enjoy hands-on experience and exposure in the regulation and development of the capital markets industry in Kenya and the East African region. As part of the intensive programme, each student will be assigned a strategic task to complete over a10-week period.
Mrs. Kilonzo explained, “AMIP is designed to give the students an opportunity to gain invaluable insights and contribute to key projects to assist in the growth of the Authority.” She went on to say, “The Authority is proud to be associated with this unique opportunity to be part of a continental initiative to create a large, diverse network of talented prospective professionals with a hands-on perspective of the job market.”
On his part, Tony Elumelu Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Wiebe Boer, described the partnership with CMA as an invaluable opportunity to provide strategic short-term opportunities for business students from Africa’s top business schools, as well as for students and graduates from top-tier business schools in Europe and the United States.
“At the Foundation, we work to ensure that entrepreneurs and indigenous businesses have what they need to thrive. We are looking at practical ways we can merge business leadership training, private sector development and public service. Working with CMA – a public sector agency with substantial influence over creating the right enabling environment for the private sector – through AMIP allows us to touch on all of these goals.”
Besides the opportunity at CMA, AMIP associates are placed in fast-growing African-owned enterprises with strong management teams. AMIP operates throughout Africa with 2011 associates placed in businesses in Accra, Lagos and Nairobi. In 2012, Dakar and Kigali will be added as host cities as well as locations in Central and Southern Africa.
The AMIP programme is expected to increase international interaction between business schools by enlarging the pool of high-quality on-the-job training programmes in business leadership and policy development available in Africa. The programme also provides access to talent pipelines for fast-growing African companies that they might not otherwise have access to.
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