Driving prosperity between Europe and Africa

APO chairman, Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard.

The EurAfrican Forum, an action-oriented platform that aims to foster stronger collaboration between Europe and Africa, announced the appointment of Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard to its Advisory Board.

Pompigne-Mognard is the founder and chairman of APO Group, the leading media relations consultancy and press release distribution service in Africa and the Middle East. He will use his expertise in business and media relations to support the forum in its initiatives to uncover new commercial and social impact investment opportunities.

A former journalist for online Gabonese media Gabonews, Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard created APO Group from nothing in 2007, using his own savings. The company now works with more than 300 prestigious clients - including 57 of the biggest public relations agencies operating in Africa.

Previously, he served as deputy-director of the French regional daily newspaper Le Petit Journal and as parliamentary assistant at the French parliament (Assemblée nationale (France). In December 2018, Pompigne-Mognard stepped down as CEO and became chairman of APO Group.

The move has allowed Pompigne-Mognard to focus on the development of an investment fund dedicated to Africa.

The EurAfrican forum is an annual event where prominent and influential attendees come together as active participants. For this edition, it is confirmed António Vitorino, director general for the International Organization for Migrations – UN Migration Agency (IOM) for a keynote address about the migration dialogue between Europe and Africa.

The 2019 EurAfrican Forum will be held on July 4-5, 2019, and will focus on the theme, Partnership of Equals: Sharing Values, Sharing Prosperity – a new approach and paradigm for the relationship between Europe and Africa, changing the narrative for both continents to create an ‘accountable’, prosperous and sustainable future together.

Associates of the EurAfrican Forum Advisory Board offer a combination of strategic and innovative advice, knowledge, expertise and unique perspectives on topics concerning the platform. Whilst its main aim is to promote collaboration and encourage the development of sustainable growth and prosperity between Europe and Africa, two future challenges have been proposed: To establish a EurAfrican Community and Network; and to give voice to the new generation of young leaders.

“Using communication to aid development is at the heart of our work and success at APO Group, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to share my experiences as well as apply similar methods in helping the EurAfrican Forum board fulfill its mission,” said Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard.

The EurAfrican Forum Advisory Board integrates: Christian Kamayou, founder of MyAfricanStartup; Christophe Fonseca, author, director and producer; Kola Karim, Founder and CEO of the Shoreline Group; Manuel Mota, CEO of Mota-Engil Africa; Pauline Mujawamariya Koelbl, Innovation Catalyst, PROWAH Co-Founder and Angel Investor; Sophia Bekele, founder and CEO of DotConnectAfrica Group; and Ziad Oueslati, managing director and co-founding partner of AfricInvest, alongside Pompigne-Mognard.