Standard Chartered Bank Ghana PLC as part of its month-long celebration of women held an International Women’s Day Entrepreneural Forum under the theme ‘Taking your business to the next level’. The Forum was attended by women CEOs and entrepreneurs in the SME space of the bank’s Business Banking segment.
Opening the forum, Standard Chartered Bank Ghana PLC Chief Executive, Mansa Nettey said: “At Standard Chartered we have a history of looking forward, and continue to drive change across Ghana’s economic sectors. This year’s theme of #BreakingTheBias aligns perfectly with the objectives of our Women In Technology Incubator initiative, which provides the platform for women-owned and led businesses to thrive in a pandemic-era world by tapping into the opportunities offered by technology adaptation. Through our Bold Stands of Lifting Participation and Resetting Globalisation, we will continue to support greater social and economic inclusion by improving access to finance and empowering diverse groups through our initiatives such as Lift by Standard Chartered”.
Angela Okai, Company Secretary-Standard Chartered Bank Ghana PLC, engaged the entrepreneurs and CEOs on the importance of corporate governance. She cited sustainability of the business, better financial performance and enhanced investor confidence as some of the benefits for SMEs taking corporate governance seriously. She encouraged the women CEOs and Entrepreneurs to register their businesses and ensure compliance with the laws which govern businesses. She proudly stated that the bank has a 46% representation of women on its management team.
The guest speaker, Dr. Ellen Hagan, Founder and Director, L’aine Services – a leading HR organisation in Ghana – shared varied experiences from human resource management and her journey as an entrepreneur. Speaking at the forum, she said:“The success of every woman should be an inspiration to all women. The best thing that we can do as women is to develop this mindset. It will be best if you had the right circle of women around you to support and motivate each other. Ultimately, start with yourself. It is vital to be your own cheerleader; blow your own trumpet, or no one else will do so”.
The female entrepreneurs who attended the forum said the session was very insightful and a fulfilling way to mark International Women’s Day. The forum also provided a networking opportunity for female business owners. During the forum, the bank also launched ‘Lift by Standard Chartered’ – a campaign that offers a unique client value proposition to support women-owned businesses and women entrepreneurs in the country grow their business to the next level.
Standard Chartered is determined to improve the lives of people and their communities by unleashing the financial potential of women and small businesses in its core markets, including Ghana. The bank stands for equitable access to financial support for women and small business.
Through partnerships and technology, we can expand the reach and scale of financial services – driving accessible banking at scale and connecting clients to opportunities that promote access to finance and economic inclusion. By developing new digital business models, we’re able to grow our business while unleashing opportunity for millions more people.
