Tshwane, 28 May 2019 - The International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation (IASP) rang in a new era when it elected Hauwa Yabani as its latest Africa Divison President and the first female President of the Division.

Yabani was elected to the role at the IASP’s Africa Division Workshop hosted by The Innovation Hub, Gauteng’s Innovation Agency, where the role of Science and Technology Parks (STPs) and Areas of Innovation as enablers for economic development was highlighted.

A Nigerian citizen, Hauwa Yabani is currently the CEO of the Abuja-based premier STP Management Company, ATV FZ Co. Backed by its Special Economic Zone status, the STP seeks to provide a balanced lifestyle environment where its target tenant firms operate with competitive advantage.

Prior to the position, Yabani provided technical advisory and support services in areas such as policy formulation, programmes design & implementation management and, entrepreneurship development. She is the World Business Angels Investment Forum’s High Commissioner for Nigeria and Founder of a number of initiatives including angel investing, youth support and women empowerment.

Hauwa is an alumnus of the Universities of Reading, Warwick and the London School of Economics and Political Science, United Kingdom with degrees in Accounting & Finance and, the Analysis, Design & Management of Information Systems.

Concluding her address on the final day of the Workshop, Yabani said that she was looking forward to her term as President and to working with different stakeholders to bring true development to the innovation ecosystem of the African continent. She also mentioned she would be hands-on in her new role and thanked past Presidents for their great contributions to the IASP Africa Division.

Outgoing IASP Africa Division President and Botswana Innovation Hub CEO, Alan Boshwaen thanked The Innovation Hub for hosting this event and said the Fourth Industrial Revolution is upon us. “The transformation to a knowledge economy is an important theme and this is on the lips of our leadership collectively across the continent,” he stated. Concluding, Alan said the Africa we all want is one that is confident enough, that will help us lead initiatives such as those that we are currently initiating.

In his address at the workshop, The Innovation Hub CEO, Adv. Pieter Holl said he was extremely proud to host this event in collaboration with IASP. “This event is one of the many workshops that are being held globally leading up to the main IASP Conference that will be held in France later this year,” he said. Adv. Holl also mentioned that Africa’s youth population is at an advantage in being able to create their own employment. “This can be done through leading the conversation and implementing policies that promote innovation in the area of the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” he concluded.

ENDS

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About The Innovation Hub

The Innovation Hub, the innovation agency of the Gauteng Province is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency.  It was established in 2001 by the Gauteng Provincial Government through its Department of Economic Development to promote economic development and competitiveness of Gauteng through innovation. The Innovation Hub offers several programmes in the Bio-economy (agro-processing and pharmaceutical), Smart Industries (ICT and advanced manufacturing) and Green Economy (Water purification, waste management and renewable energy). In addition, as an innovation agency, The Innovation Hub operates a range of Skills Development and innovation enabling programmes both in the science park and throughout the Gauteng region. For more information visit www.theinnovationhub.com