Meet Our Speaker

Somachi Chris-Asoluka is the Chief Executive Officer of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, the foremost philanthropy dedicated to empowering young African entrepreneurs across all 54 African countries. As a transformative leader, Somachi spearheads initiatives that foster economic growth and innovation through the Foundation’s distinctive approach of identifying, training, mentoring, and funding African entrepreneurs. Before her role as CEO, Somachi served as the Foundation’s Director of Partnerships and Communications, forging collaborations with globally influential institutions, including the European Union, UNDP, and Google. These partnerships have extended the Foundation's reach and amplified its impact in catalyzing entrepreneurship on the continent. Beyond the Foundation, Somachi holds prominent roles in global philanthropy and development. She is a Board Director and Treasurer of WINGS, a global network committed to maximizing philanthropy's potential for social progress. She also serves on the Advisory Board of the Michigan State University Alliance for African Partnership and actively contributes to the World Economic Forum EDISON Alliance. Academically, Somachi has a strong foundation in economics, graduating Summa Cum Laude from Saint Mary’s College of California, where she earned the prestigious Adam Smith Award. She furthered her education with a Master’s in International and Development Economics from Yale University. Her exceptional expertise and leadership continue to inspire economic empowerment and innovation across Africa.