The Private Equity Women Investor Network, a worldwide organization dedicated to connecting and promoting senior women in private equity, recently expanded with a new chapter in Nigeria. Guardian Nigeria discusses the importance of gender diversity in private equity, as well as how the group will be a boon for women as well as the country.
guardian.ng – The Private Equity Women Investor Network (PEWIN), a global networking organisation for senior women in private equity, has expanded its operations to Nigeria.
The group, with chapters in the United States, Europe, Africa and Asia, made the move, following its formal entry in Africa earlier in the year, in South Africa.
The invitation-only members organisation, which was founded in 2007, in the United States, has been expanding internationally, opening London and Hong Kong chapters in 2015, in its first international expansion move.
Future expansion on the continent will include Cote d’Ivoire and Kenya.On 10 November 2016, PEWIN hosted an Africa Institutional Investor Roundtable in Lagos, Nigeria.
This event was attended by nearly 30 senior women investors, representing pension fund administrators, fund managers, development finance institutions, insurance companies and other stakeholders focused on private equity.
The purpose of the event was to bring into focus the role of private equity, not only as a developmental tool for the country at large, but also for women in Nigeria.
The theme of the roundtable discussion was, “Will Private Equity Save Nigeria?” and speakers included Mrs. Titi Lawani, Chief Executive Officer of Progress Trust CPFA; Ms. Eme Essien, Country Head, IFC; Ms. Abimbola Sulaiman, Head of Investments, PAL Pensions PFA; and Mrs. Ijeoma Agboti-Obatoyinbo, a senior private equity advisor.
PEWIN’s expansion in Africa comes as the investment management and private equity industries are increasing their focus on how to boost the number of women working in the industry, which is one of the most male-dominated areas of financial services.
