M-Net's MD makes Young Global Leaders 2012 list

Biola Alabi

"M-Net is very proud of her achievement which she's earned through her commitment to Africa, her passion for making a difference and her ongoing dedication to those around her," said M-Net CEO Patricia van Rooyen of Alabi on the recent honour

"She is an example to others that you can be a business person with compassion, a leader with insight, and most of all, a woman with vision," she added.

Alabi was one of the 192 young leaders from 59 countries that were honoured for their outstanding leadership, professional accomplishments and commitment to society. She also made it to the list of 18 from sub-Saharan Africa selected from a variety of sectors such as business, government, academia, media, non-profit organisations and arts and culture.

Biola inspired to contribute more

Alabi herself said she was both pleased and humbled by the honour, which is bestowed each year by the forum.

"To be named a Young Global Leader by such a prestigious and respected forum is both an unexpected but deeply appreciated honour, and a truly humbling experience," she said before thanking the World Economic Forum for this accolade which she says will inspire her to contribute more as a global citizen.

"I wish to use this remarkable opportunity to learn from the other members of this community in order to grow and develop, not just myself but my country, my continent," says Alabi.

She says she always believes that as an African woman, she has a responsibility to improve the world, by making a difference every day by what she does and how she does it.

"We're all facing great challenges currently and the reality is that it's what Africans do today that will pave the way for generations to come," she says.

Founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, Klaus Schwab, says in the last few years the world has seen the biggest recession in almost a century and is now faced with daunting global challenges.

"Recovery and innovation will require new, unique ideas and an environment where the best minds, ideas and leadership can thrive. The most important determinant of this will be how we use human talent. Within the World Economic Forum community, the Young Global Leaders represent the voice for the future and the hopes of the next generation," explained Schwab.

"I am particularly proud of this year's honourees, who I believe will address the challenges we face in a meaningful way through fresh thinking and true multistakeholder engagement," he added.

Objective of shaping a better future

A statement released by MultiChoice Malawi says YGLs engage in initiatives that address specific challenges of public interest with the objective of shaping a better future before dwelling on who Alabi is.

The statement says Alabi is an international business expert, who joined M-Net three years ago. Within this short period, Alabi has been hailed for leading the company's initiatives to increase the quality and quantity of African programming available to DStv audiences.

"She's been at the forefront in the expansion of the AfricaMagic channels, the hosting of a glittering Face of Africa Finale Live in Lagos and three successful editions of the popular Big Brother Africa reality series," says the statement.

How it started for Biola

Alabi started as a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council on the Future of Entertainment and her global work experience includes time at the non-profit educational organisation behind the TV series, Sesame Street, where she was involved in corporate sponsorship and educational strategy.

Previously she was marketing and campus relations manager at Daewoo Motors America and regional marketing manager at Bigwords.com. Alabi holds a degree in publisc health and marketing from the University of Cincinnati in the United States.

She's currently a fellow at the Nigeria Leadership Initiative, and serves on the board of Hospitals for Humanity, a non-profit organisation that specialises in taking medical missions to the neediest around the world.

"She is also a mentor at AIESEC, an organisation which actively contributes to the training and development of tomorrow's leaders through mentoring and training programs," says the statement.

Drawn from several thousand candidates, the 2012 YGLs were chosen by a selection committee, chaired by H.M. Queen Rania Al Abdullah of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

The forum has established a comprehensive selection process for identifying and selecting the most exceptional leaders 40 years of age or younger. The 2012 honourees will become part of the broader Forum of Young Global Leaders community that currently comprises 713 outstanding individuals.