LAGOS, Nigeria, March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), Africa's leading philanthropy empowering young entrepreneurs, today announced three distinguished new members of its Advisory Board:
- Professor Paul Gompers, Harvard Business School – a preeminent scholar of venture capital and entrepreneurship.
- Per Heggenes, former CEO of the IKEA Foundation, with about a two-decade track record in global grant-making and sustainable development.
- His Excellency Badr Jafar, CEO of Crescent Enterprises and Special Envoy for Business and Philanthropy for the United Arab Emirates.
Commenting, Tony O. Elumelu, Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, said:
"Entrepreneurship is the most powerful engine for Africa's long-term prosperity.
We welcome H.E. Badr Jafar, Per Heggenes and Professor Paul Gompers to our Advisory Board.
Badr's experience in championing innovative solutions and strategic philanthropy will be instrumental, as we scale our mission and bridge Africa with global partners who share our commitment to economic inclusion. Per's career experience will be invaluable as we continue to scale our impact and strengthen institutional capacity in support of African entrepreneurs. Professor Gompers' long-standing academic engagement with the Tony Elumelu Foundation, including his Harvard Business School case study on TEF's work, reflects the global recognition of entrepreneurship as Africa's most powerful development catalyst."
The appointments reflect the Foundation's ability to convene global voices and champion African solutions.
Commenting on his appointment, H.E. Badr Jafar said: "It is a privilege to support the Tony Elumelu Foundation's work, at a time when Africa's entrepreneurial energy is reshaping the future. The UAE has emerged as a global platform for innovation and cross-sector collaboration, and I look forward to helping build bridges between regions, sectors, and generations to drive sustainable impact at scale."
Commenting on his appointment, Per Heggenes said:
"The Tony Elumelu Foundation has built one of the most ambitious and impactful entrepreneurship platforms in the world. I am pleased to join at a time when Africa's young entrepreneurs are increasingly central to solving global challenges. I look forward to supporting the Foundation's mission to strengthen entrepreneurship as a pathway to economic independence, resilience, and inclusive growth."
Commenting on his appointment, Professor Paul Gompers stated:
"Entrepreneurship is a critical driver of innovation, job creation, and economic transformation. The Tony Elumelu Foundation has demonstrated what is possible when capital, training, and long-term commitment are aligned. I am delighted to join the Advisory Board and contribute to the Foundation's mission to deepen Africa's entrepreneurial ecosystems and expand opportunity at scale."
To learn more: TEF Annual Report and Impact Report.
Contact: moyo.awotile@tonyelumelufoundation.org
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The Tony Elumelu Foundation Appoints Three New Advisory Board Members
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VICTORIA, Seychelles, March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- In the wake of International Women's Day, MEXC, —the fastest-growing global cryptocurrency exchange redefining the user-first approach to digital assets through true zero-fee trading—released its inaugural women in the workforce data. The figures span representation, leadership, hiring growth, technical contribution, and retention.
Women make up 43% of MEXC's total workforce — some 15 percentage points above the global technology industry average of 28%. At the management level, 40% of roles are held by women, with 15 in senior leadership positions. The distance between broad representation and decision-making authority — often where equity commitments quietly dissolve — is narrow at MEXC.
The hiring trajectory reinforces this: female hires have grown 49% year-on-year over three years, across 411 employees spanning APAC, EU, MENA, and LATAM. This is not growth concentrated in any single market or function — it is consistent, global, and accelerating.
Perhaps the most telling figure is the 85% post-maternity return-to-work rate, In an industry where research shows only 13% of mothers consider a full-time return after maternity leave viable, it points less to policy than to infrastructure — an environment where career continuity is the norm, not the exception.
Within the technical workforce, 195 women hold core roles in engineering and product. The platform ties this to the wider shortage of STEM and blockchain education pathways and says it will target the problem with dedicated research and financial literacy programs.
MEXC is committed to going further. Formalising wage equality confirmation and expanding visibility for women at global industry forums are priorities on its active agenda — the next markers on a trajectory that the data published today has begun to chart. The data published today is a baseline, not a verdict, and forms part of a commitment to annual disclosure.
The digital asset industry is still at a stage where its norms are being written. MEXC's view is that equitable access to opportunity, resources, and advancement within that industry should not be contingent on gender. The work that underpins that view is ongoing.
The full Workforce Report is available here.
About MEXC
Founded in 2018, MEXC is committed to being "Your Easiest Way to Crypto." Serving over 40 million users across 170+ countries, MEXC is known for its broad selection of trending tokens, everyday airdrop opportunities, and low trading fees. Our user-friendly platform is designed to support both new traders and experienced investors, offering secure and efficient access to digital assets. MEXC prioritizes simplicity and innovation, making crypto trading more accessible and rewarding.
MEXC Official Website｜ X ｜ Telegram ｜How to Sign Up on MEXC
VICTORIA, Seychelles, March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- In the wake of International Women's Day, MEXC, —the fastest-growing global cryptocurrency exchange redefining the user-first approach to digital assets through true zero-fee trading—released its inaugural women in the workforce data. The figures span representation, leadership, hiring growth, technical contribution, and retention.
Women make up 43% of MEXC's total workforce — some 15 percentage points above the global technology industry average of 28%. At the management level, 40% of roles are held by women, with 15 in senior leadership positions. The distance between broad representation and decision-making authority — often where equity commitments quietly dissolve — is narrow at MEXC.
The hiring trajectory reinforces this: female hires have grown 49% year-on-year over three years, across 411 employees spanning APAC, EU, MENA, and LATAM. This is not growth concentrated in any single market or function — it is consistent, global, and accelerating.
Perhaps the most telling figure is the 85% post-maternity return-to-work rate, In an industry where research shows only 13% of mothers consider a full-time return after maternity leave viable, it points less to policy than to infrastructure — an environment where career continuity is the norm, not the exception.
Within the technical workforce, 195 women hold core roles in engineering and product. The platform ties this to the wider shortage of STEM and blockchain education pathways and says it will target the problem with dedicated research and financial literacy programs.
MEXC is committed to going further. Formalising wage equality confirmation and expanding visibility for women at global industry forums are priorities on its active agenda — the next markers on a trajectory that the data published today has begun to chart. The data published today is a baseline, not a verdict, and forms part of a commitment to annual disclosure.
The digital asset industry is still at a stage where its norms are being written. MEXC's view is that equitable access to opportunity, resources, and advancement within that industry should not be contingent on gender. The work that underpins that view is ongoing.
The full Workforce Report is available here.
About MEXC
Founded in 2018, MEXC is committed to being "Your Easiest Way to Crypto." Serving over 40 million users across 170+ countries, MEXC is known for its broad selection of trending tokens, everyday airdrop opportunities, and low trading fees. Our user-friendly platform is designed to support both new traders and experienced investors, offering secure and efficient access to digital assets. MEXC prioritizes simplicity and innovation, making crypto trading more accessible and rewarding.
MEXC Official Website｜ X ｜ Telegram ｜How to Sign Up on MEXC
** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
MEXC Women in Workforce Data: Leading with 43% Female Representation and 49% YoY Growth
