On Friday, December 6, 2024, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu nominated Mr Mark Okoye as the first Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the South East Development Commission (SEDC).
Until his appointment, Okoye is the MD/CEO of the Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency (ANSIPPA).
Okoye’s appointment has been described as one of the best by President Tinubu by a cross section of the public.
Dr Somto Udeze, Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, in a congratulatory message said Okoye’’s appointment was well deserved as he had contributed exceptionally to Anambra and the Southeast region.
According to Udeze, “I have confidence in Mr Okoye’s ability to bring transformative progress to the Southeast, he is a round peg in a round hole.”
On his part, Chief Akai Egwuonwu, a stalwart of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) said Okoye had performed well as a former Commissioner and was also doing marvelously well as the MD/CEO of ANSIPPA.
Egwuonwu in a message described Okoye as an exceptional ‘boardroom guru’ while thanking President Tinubu for nominating one of Igbo finests for the task of rebuilding the region.
According to him, Okoye earned the position through hardwork and long time experience, his appointment until SEDC is befitting.
Okoye, 38, has had 12 uninterrupted public service life, working under three governors and four administrations in Anambra from 2012 to date.
He was first appointed into the government of Anambra state by Mr Peter Obi as a Senior Special Assistant from Afrinvest West Africa where he worked as an Investment Banker.
Chief Willie Obiano after his election appointed him as a Senior Special Assistant on Investments and also as Executive Director at the Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency (ANSIPPA).
At 28, Okoye headed the Ministry of Economic Planning, Budget and Development Partners as a Special Adviser and confirmed Commissioner after attaining the age of 30 in 2016.
At the expiration of the Willie Obiano’s administration in March 2022, Okoye bowed out of service to Anambra government
“I have had the rare privilege of representing Dunukofia in government for 10 years, so I am stepping down, so that other people who are equally endowed can serve,” Okoye aid.
Okoye was called back by Prof. Chukwuma Soludo in 2022 to oversee affairs at ANSIPPA as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ANSIPPA, a position he actively and credibly holds till date.
Under him, ANSIPPA had been able to drive the Industrialisation agenda of the Soludo’s administration with conceptualisation and initiation of landmark projects including the Anambra Mixed-Use Industrial City, Anambra Intra-City Rail, Onitsha New City, Awka New City, Awka Shopping Mall, Awka ICC Hotel
ANSIPPA also attracted investment in various sectors including agriculture, real estate, infrastructure, transportation, technology, tourism/hospitality and retail market.
Under his watch, ANSIPPA has had two editions of the Anambra Investment Summit which attracted millions of dollars investment from Development Finance Institutions, Corporate and private individual investors to Anambra State.
Okoye is a recipient of numerous national and international awards and honours including 2023 Public Servant of the last Decade, Anambra Man of the Year Awards 2022, Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council 2019 and the Obama Leaders Africa Programme from Obama Foundation in 2018.
Mark Okoye holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from The George Washington University, USA.
He possesses Executive Certificates in Public Policy Implementation, Development Economics, Public Finance Management, Budgeting, Public Finance Management and Innovation for Economic Development all from Harvard University.
