ALEX OKOSI WINS “UP AND COMING FUTURE LEADER OF THE YEAR” AWARD.

Lagos| NIGERIA: Media executive Alex Okosi, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Africa has been awarded the prestigious “Up And Coming Future Leader Of The Year” Award at the 2014 Ai Investment & Business Leader Awards in Washington DC, USA.

Okosi, who heads up Viacom International Media Networks’ pan-African business, received the award at a reception at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Washington, DC on 9 October 2014 in recognition of his contribution towards transforming and translating Africa’s attractiveness as a competitive investment destination.

The Africa investor (Ai) Investment and Business Leader Awards were established in 2005 by leading international investment and communications group, Investor (Ai), to shed light on Africa’s many investment and business leader success stories, rewarding exceptional business practices, economic achievements and investments across Africa, and recognising the institutions and individuals improving the continent’s investment climate. The awards are part of the Africa investor CEO Investment Summit, held in association with the World Bank Group during the World Bank-IMF Annual Meetings.

Other notable individuals recognized at the awards included Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Minister of Finance, The Federal Republic of Nigeria (Finance Minister of the Year), Bob Diamond, co-founder of Atlas-Mara (International Business Leader of the Year) and Dr Michael Gondwe, Governor, Bank of Zambia (Central Bank Governor of the Year).

Okosi is based in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he is responsible for developing and driving the growth of VIMN's multiplex of iconic kids, youth, music, comedy and general entertainment brands on the African continent, including MTV, MTV Base, VH1 Classic, BET International, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Nicktoons and Comedy Central. The channels’ collective footprint reaches 50+ territories in sub-Saharan Africa, serving over 100 million viewers via DTH, DTT, CATV, IPTV and terrestrial branded block broadcast services, and four dynamic online destinations (www.mtvbase.com, www.nickelodeonafrica.com, www.mtv.co.zaand www.comedycentralafrica.com).

A staunch champion of Africa’s capability and promise, Okosi has focused on cultural interventions and is committed to creating programming, events and initiatives that positively showcase African talent and creativity. He has also been the driving force behind pro-social campaigns that have impacted the social and cultural landscape of urban Africa. 

In March 2013, Okosi was selected by the World Economic Forum (WEF) as a 2013 Young Global Leader (YGL) and in November 2013, he was named as one of the 100 Most Influential Africans by New African magazine. In April 2011, Okosi was honoured as “New Champion for an Enduring Culture” by the editors of Thisday newspaper for his contribution to Nigerian arts and culture.