Inter Region Economic Network (IREN) is proud to announce that James Shikwati, Founding Director and President of IREN , CEO of The African Executive online magazine and Country Director of Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE Kenya) has been named a Young Global Leader 2008 by the Forum of Young Global Leaders, an affiliate of the World Economic Forum based in Geneva, Switzerland.
James Shikwati who was recently ranked among the top 100 most influentual Kenyans by The Standard Group (a leading Kenyan media house) also runs IREN, a think tank that was ranked among the Top Go-To Think Tanks in the World by the Think Tanks in Civil Societies Program (TTCSP) for bridging the gap between knowledge and policy.
Shikwati facilitates numerous workshops for high schools, Universities, journalists, farmers, policy makers and think tanks (among others) to inculcate entrepreneurship, market economics dynamics, awareness on topical issues, inform policy and attract investment.
Shikwati has been published in both local and international newspapers and magazines such as The Times, The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Sydney Herald, Der Spiegel, Daily Nation, Daily Monitor and The East African Standard among others.
Shikwati now joins 245 leading executives, public figures and intellectuals – all age 40 or younger – chosen from around the world
The young Global Leader 2008 honor is bestowed each year by the World Economic Forum to recognize and acknowledge the top 200 – 300 young leaders from around the world for their professional accomplishments, commitment to society and potential to contribute to shaping the future of the world. The Young Global Leaders for 2008 include 121 business leaders, as well as leaders from government, academia, media and society at large from 65 countries. The new class represents all regions, including East Asia, Europe, Middle East and North Africa, North America, South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.
Drawn from a pool of almost 5000 candidates, the Young Global Leaders 2008 were chosen by a selection committee of 31 eminent international media leaders, including Thomas H. Glocer, Chief Executive Officer, Reuters, United Kingdom; Arthur Sulzberger, Chairman and Publisher, the New York Times, USA; Robert Thomson, Publisher, Dow Jones & Company and The wall Street Journal, USA; and Hisashi Hieda, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Fuji Television Network, Japan. The selection committee is chaired by H.M. Queen Rania Al Abdullah of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
Established in 2004 by Professor Klaus Schwab, The Forum of Young Global Leaders is a unique multi stakeholder community of the World’s most extraordinary young leaders, who dedicate a part of their time to jointly address global challenges and work towards a better future. As part of their engagement, the Young Global Leaders give their time to task forces to initiate, develop and drive innovative solutions on important, globally – oriented issues, including health, education, the environment, global governance, security, development and poverty.
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