AFRICA – The HEINEKEN Africa Foundation has announced the appointment of Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola as Chair of the Board of Trustees, taking over an organization that is committed to building sustainable communities since 2007.
Born and raised in Nigeria, Ms. Adebiyi-Abiola brings to her position as Chair a distinguished track record in waste management and recycling in the developing world.
She succeeds Guus Lubsen, who since January 2014 successfully scaled up and accelerated the Foundation’s activities.
Bilikiss brings along 14 years of experience in social entrepreneurship, public sector leadership, and software development.
“The appointment of Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola is an exciting moment in the history of the foundation as she brings to the HEINEKEN Africa Foundation an impressive combination of entrepreneurial and public sector leadership in Africa,” said Suzanne Giele, General Manager of the HEINEKEN Africa Foundation
The appointment comes at a time when Ms. Adebiyi-Abiola holds the position of Director-General of the Lagos State Records and Archives Bureau.
Prior to the position in the bureau, she was General Manager of the Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency from 2017 to 2019.
In 2012, she co-founded and was the CEO of Wecyclers Corporation, a recycling company in Nigeria serving densely populated urban neighborhoods.
The Heineken Africa Foundation was created in 2007 with the purpose to improve the health of people living in sub-Saharan Africa.
In 2020 and 2021, the Foundation executed the largest grant-making program in its history, committing US$5.42 million to support water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) projects in 8 African countries as part of its COVID-19 Response Program.
In 2020, the program enabled more than 30 million people to be reached with crucial life-saving hygiene messages.
More than 1,000 handwashing facilities were installed in critical locations, including public marketplaces, giving 1.5 million people the ability to wash their hands.
On her appointment, Ms. Adebiyi-Abiola stated that she is committed to unlocking opportunities for local communities to find sustainable solutions to everyday challenges.
“I am delighted to see the great work the Foundation has done in the last two years with the Covid-19 Response Program,” said Ms. Adebiyi-Abiola.
“This shows the ambition and I am looking forward to working with my fellow Trustees to see how the Foundation can increase its impact even more in the years to come.”
HEINEKEN Africa Foundation has committed over US$10.84 million to 119 projects in 10 different countries. The Foundation is currently finishing the second phase of WASH programs in 8 countries.
Liked this article? Subscribe to DealStreet Africa News, our regular email newsletter with the latest news, deals, and insights from Africa’s business, economy, and more. SUBSCRIBE HERE
