Mr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah is a Ghanaian businessman, diplomat and politician. He is one of Africa’s preeminent public servants and an authority on mass communications, having held several high profile positions in the field.
Mr. Spio-Garbrah is currently Ghana’s Minister for Trade and Industry after parliamentary confirmation. He is the former CEO of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) based in London. Mr. Spio-Garbrah is also a former Minister of Communication of the Republic of Ghana, one-time Ambassador of Ghana to the US and Mexico, Minister of Education, Minister responsible for Mines and Energy and a member of UNESCO’s Executive Board in Paris. Mr. Spio-Garbrah served in the cabinet during the democratic regime of Jerry John Rawlings between 1994 and 2000.
Previously, Mr. Spio-Garbrah worked for the International Finance Corporation in Washington, D.C., the African Development Bank in Abidjan, Southwestern Bell Corporation on the East Coast of the US, and Hill and Knowlton, Inc in New York City.
Mr. Spio-Garbrah was, until recently, a member of the board of directors of Telkom South Africa and Vodacom. He serves on the Board of AngloGold Ashanti (Ghana) Ltd, and is Chairman of African Business Media and the African Cancer Organization. He is also a member of the International Advisory Board of the African Press Organization (APO).