Philomena Desmond-Ogugua

Member

Philomena Desmond-Ogugua is an international development professional who promotes US-Africa trade and investment and advises investors and companies on doing business in Africa. Ms. Desmond, well known to the highest level of political and business circles, particularly in West Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, has successfully built relationships and strategic partnerships between US investors and companies interested in exploring the African market. She is an accomplished executive with over twenty years of experience in Africa market entry, project and deal identification, investment facilitation, and in-depth work in infrastructure, energy, agribusiness, financial services, healthcare, and the education sectors.

Ms. Desmond has a global corporate and government clientele that ranges from Nigerian State governments to clients in the United States, India, Nigeria, Guinea, Congo, Togo, Mali, DRC, and Angola. In her business development capacity, she is responsible for driving the development of new business opportunities through creating strategic relationships and joint ventures through integration and cooperation. She previously was a Senior Consultant for the Business Women Network on International Business, where she headed their international product strategy, including global product research, brand development, and market entry strategy implementation. She was a member of the private sector coalition that worked on and lobbied for the passage of the Africa Growth and Opportunities (AGOA) Act into law during President Jefferson Clinton's administration. She was appointed as the liaison and representative of the International Cooperation Platform, Turkey (ICP), the organizers of the Bosphorus in Summit for Africa and the United States of America. She serves on the Virginia African America Advisory Board appointed by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Glenn Youngkin, and also on the Boards of the League of Minority Voters, BPUR International (A Global organization working to enact an “International Treaty to Ban the Political Use of Religion”) and also on the Advisory Board of Anouar Association of Marrakesh, Morocco. She received her undergraduate degree from Rowan State University in Glassboro, New Jersey, with a concentration in Microbiology. She has a master's degree in Business and Public Administration with a concentration in International Business & Public Administration from Southeastern University in Washington, DC, and also did graduate work at George Washington University Washington, on Public Health and Howard University on Microbiology.