Open Call: Corporate Leaders Program (Africa)

The Presidential Precinct, working in partnership with Axxess, will convene the 2025 Corporate Leaders Program, April 26 – May 4 for 12 business leaders who represent African and Diasporan communities. Together, these leaders will sharpen their business acumen and refine their business models for international trade and investment.

While in Charlottesville, Corporate Leaders share their knowledge and successful ventures with entrepreneurs, international trade specialists, and community members through curated networking and welcome events. The principal part of this program is a custom-built master class in business and executive leadership, presented by the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia.

Corporate Leaders also attend the Corporate Council on Africa’s U.S-Africa Business Summit, where they connect with decision makers driving bilateral and regional business partnerships. This annual summit convenes more than 1,500 U.S. and African public and private sector executives including Heads of State, international investors, U.S. and African government officials, and multilateral stakeholders.

Eligibility Criteria

• The Presidential Precinct will select twelve CEOs of small to medium sized enterprises to participate in the 2025 Corporate Leaders Program.
• The ideal applicant will oversee an enterprise in operation for at least 2 years with 50-200 employees, investing $15-20M USD in bilateral trade or investment in African countries, and generating at least $1.5M USD in annual revenue in 2024. International applicants must be proficient in English and possess a visa to travel to the United States.
• We expect applicants to have demonstrated their commitment to public or community service, volunteerism, or mentoring, and to share their passion for tackling the pressing issues in their countries or communities from both a local and global perspective.

For more information, visit Presidential Precinct.