Patrick E. Ngowi

Patrick Ngowi
Born	(1985-01-25) 25 January 1985 Tanzania
Nationality	Tanzanian
Occupation	Chairman & CEO HELVETIC GROUP
Organization	The Life for Life Foundation
Religion	Christian
Awards	East Africa Young Business Leader of the Year Award 2014 (AABLA)[1] Top 100 Young Economic Leaders 2014 - Choiseul Institute, Paris, France.[2][3] Top 100 Most Influential Africans 2013-2014[4]
Website	www.helvetic-group.com

Patrick E. Ngowi is a Tanzanian Businessperson, Entrepreneur, Environmentalist, Climate Reality Awareness Leader, Public Speaker, Youth Mentor, Published Columnist^[5] and Philanthropist. He is the Founder and Chairperson of Helvetic Group^[6] which has numerous subsidiaries operating across Africa^[6] He started his first business at the tender age of 15 years with only $50 and later when he turned 18 years, he received a loan of $1,800 from his parents. With a humble beginning as a trader, he has since then masterminded the growth of Helvetic into a group of diversified companies. Helvetic Solar Contractors^[7] (1st Place Winner of KPMG's Top 100 Mid Sized Companies in Tanzania Award 2012) remains one of the most popular subsidiary under Helvetic Group.^[6] Helvetic Solar was the first company to offer solar solutions in northern Tanzania.

In June 2016, Patrick Ngowi was selected and recognized by the United Nations Secretary General - Ban ki-moon; at the United Nations General Assembly, as 1 of 10 Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) Global Pioneers; inaugaural class of 2016. The recognition was for translating UN's Sustainable Development Goals into Sustainable Local Businesses.

In 2015, Patrick Ngowi was elected as Chairman of the United Nations Global Compact in Tanzania. The network houses Tanzania’s leading private sector and multinational companies. United Nations Global Compact is head quartered at the United Nations building in New York and was launched by former United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, in year 2000 in Davos Switzerland, as part of private sector participation in building responsible business practices by honoring the 10 principles related to labour, human rights, environment and anti-corruption. Ngowi sits as board director or member of various global institutions and companies including being corporate member of Tanzania Private Sector Foundation , Tanzania National Business Council (TNBC)^[8] which is a 20 private sector member council, he represents Youth and Energy on the council chaired by the President of United Republic of Tanzania, the CEO Roundtable of Tanzania (CEOrt),^[9] East Africa Business Council (EABC)^[10] and Global Philanthropy Forum (GPF).^[11]

In 2014, Ngowi was invited to speak at the World Bank^[12] and IMF^[13] Annual Meeting held in Washington DC, United States America on the Youth Dialogue panel on Inclusive Growth and Entrepreneurship through Education, Innovation and Passion. He was also invited to speak at the Harvard Africa Business Conference held at Harvard University.^[14][15] and the African Development Bank^[16] Annual Meeting in 2014 held in Kigali, Rwanda.^[17]

Helvetic Group partnered with The Climate Reality Project and Patrick spoke alongside Al Gore^[18] (Former US Vice President) at the first ever Climate Reality Leadership Corps in Africa held in Johannesburg, South Africa.^[19] In 2015, Patrick was invited to speak at the Oxford Africa^[20] Conference held at the Oxford University in United Kingdom.^[21] Patrick has also spoken at the Business School at the University of Dar es salaam, Tanzania ^[22] in 2013 and to MBA students at the London School of Economics (LSE)^[23] in 2014. Aalto University in Helsinki,^[24] Finland invited him to participate and speak at the Energy Workshop organized by PhD students in 2015.

Ngowi's inspirational story has been featured and profiled on Forbes (The Young African Millionaire Lighting Up Tanzania) and listed under Forbes list of 30 under 30 Africa's Best Young Entrepreneurs ^[25] and Forbes list of Young African Millionaires to Watch in 2013^[26] Forbes again listed Patrick in the 2014 list of Africa's Most Promising Young Entrepreneurs through Helvetic Group with networth in the millions of dollars.^[27] Patrick was named as East Africa's Young Business Leader of the Year 2014 by Forbes and CNBC,^[28] listed among Top 100 Most Influential Africans 2013-2014 by New Africa Magazine and Top 100 Young Economic Leaders 2014-2015 by Choiseul Institute of Paris, France.

Ngowi inspires many around the world, especially youth across Africa and continues to be featured and profiled extensively on various global media and news outlets including CNN,^[29] BBC,^[30] Forbes Magazine,^[31] Bloomberg^[32] KPMG,^[33] Ernest & Young, World Bank,^[12] IMF,^[13] Ventures Africa^[34] and many more.

Philanthropy

Ngowi is the founder of the Light for Life Foundation, a non-profit social enterprise of which focuses on providing free solar and small wind power systems for youth and women in rural and off-grid parts of Tanzania. The Foundation works to create sustainable economic and business development opportunities for less privileged youth and women by providing new power outlets. New business models are born in rural Tanzania through providing much needed power. In September 2013, the Light for Life Foundation received a 'Special Achievement Award' from the Government of Tanzania, Prime Minister's Office, in conjunction with the Tanzanian Private Sector Foundation after providing training and solar kits to over 1,000 women in rural Tanzania.

Career

Ngowi is the founder of Helvetic Group which has sizeable stakes in companies that operate in diversified sectors to make up Helvetic Group of Companies.

He is the founder of the Light for Life Foundation (L4L), a non- profit organisation that installs solar and small wind power systems for the less privileged youth and women in rural parts of Tanzania. The social enterprise mainly targets rural primary and secondary schools. It also works and mentors low income youth and women doing businesses in rural parts of Tanzania.

References