Yale School of Management - Togbe Afede XIV (James Akpo '89)

"Two years at Yale SOM have helped develop my critical thinking and analytical abilities. I also learned to take a detailed and scientific approach in business decision making. But perhaps most importantly, I acquired the positive attitude and self-confidence needed to take the initiative in community, public, and private business activities."

Togbe is the founder and CEO of SAS Finance Group Ltd, an investment banking firm, and Strategic Initiatives Ltd, a private equity and portfolio investment firm. He founded SAS in 1994 after he left Databank Financial Services Ltd, which he
co-founded with Ken Ofori-Atta '88 in 1990.

Togbe is also a member of the economic advisory council of the president of Ghana, after serving as a member of the government transition team and chairman of the committee on the economy, from January to March, 2009.

With the support of Hank Lin '89, Togbe led a 22 member business delegation to China in 2005, and subsequently, in collaboration with his Chinese partners, initiated the US$600 million Sunon Asogli independent thermal power project which will inject of 560 megawatts of energy into Ghana’s power supply system in 2010. In December 2008, Togbe secured a license from the World Trade Centers Association to build the Accra World Trade Centre, which he is pursuing with other Chinese partners as part of his US$1.55 billion Gold Coast City Project.

Togbe is working on other projects including, a major multi-million dollar project to provide a common mobile telecommunication platform for West Africa, and another to provide the first broadband-over-power line communication (PLC) infrastructure in West Africa.

Togbe currently serves on the boards of Aluworks Ltd, an aluminium rolling mill, Accra Hearts of Oak Sporting Club Ltd, Ghana’s premier soccer club, Bank of Ghana, Ghana’s central bank, China Africa Co. Ltd (chairman) an international trading and business representation firm, Pioneer Kichenware Ltd (chairman), an aluminium hollowware manufacturer, SAS Finance Group Ltd, Strategic Initiatives Ltd (chairman), Sunon Asogli Power (Ghana) Ltd; and Trans Africa Telecom Ltd.

Togbe’s accomplishments convinced the kingmakers of Asogli State, a pre-colonial kingdom in Ghana, to choose him as successor to Togbe Afede Asor II. On October 4, 2003, he was inaugurated the fourteenth king of Asogli State.

Togbe has won major national awards. These include: Personality of the Year, at the 2005 Millennium Excellence Awards; Planters of Seed Award, at the 2006 Ghana Top 100 Businesses Awards; and Member of the Order of the Volta, at the 2008 National Republic Day Awards.

Togbe holds an MBA from Yale SOM and a BSc administration (accounting option) from the University of Ghana.