Emeka Okonkwo

Managing Director

Emeka is a proven management, technology and strategy consultant; a seasoned public policy expert; a trusted executive coach; and an entrepreneur with over 20yrs international experience in both public and private sector. Prior to founding APPI, he was a Managing Consultant at IBM Global Services where he successfully led multi-cultural and cross functional teams to implement complex multi-million-dollar transformation projects across industry sectors in the United States, Canada, Asia Pacific, and 17 countries in Africa.

Prior to IBM, he was an IT Policy Specialist at The United States Congress – Government Accountability Office (GAO) in Washington DC, where he reviewed government policies, programs and performance. He provided policy options to Congress and the heads of federal executive on ways to make government more efficient, effective, ethical, equitable and responsive to citizens. He won numerous United States Comptroller General performance awards. Prior to GAO, he was a Systems Engineer at IBM where he developed and applied innovative solutions for clients’ complex business challenges globally.

Emeka holds a master’s degree in Public & International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh, USA, with specialization in Global Political Economy and Security & Intelligence Studies. He attended post graduate studies on national security and project management at the United States National Defense University in Washington DC. He has bachelor’s degrees in information technology and business administration from Texas, USA. He also holds baccalaureate degree in philosophy and theology from Pontifical University in Rome, Italy. He enjoys exercising, cooking and eating.

Marie Vandenabeele Muzigirwa

Executive Director

Marie brings over 15 years of experience as a process and performance consultant, trainer, and a business development expert. Marie has successfully advised small and medium sized companies, coached micro-entrepreneurs, and has successfully performed organizational change and transformation. Her experiences span roles in project management, business development, quality management, financial management, organizational planning, human resource planning, logistics, supply chain management, community relations and risk management.

During the last 10 years, Marie was responsible for standing up several private-sector European international businesses in various African locations. She has successfully enabled start-ups and has established a number of public-private partnerships (PPP) to impact local economies positively. She is a firm believer in developing economies by empowering local entrepreneurs and citizens in the private sector. Her experience spans multiple industries including construction, banking, automotive, industrial, consulting, transport, hospitality and tourism. Her client portfolio prior to co-founding API includes Thomas & Piron, BMW, OPEL, Jaguar/Land Rover, Peugeot, Knauff, and Banking Company of West Africa (CBAO).

Marie has lived in Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Rwanda, Kenya, and has worked across Africa. Prior to this, she lived in Belgium, France, and Luxembourg, and has worked across Europe. She has a firm belief that culture is fundamental and tantamount to achieving business success. Having first–hand experience in these cultures, Marie has the ability to apply and implement global industry best practices into the local contexts and make them operational and effective.

Marie holds masters in Business Administration, specialized in logistics and transport, Hautes Etudes Commerciales (HEC) Liège, Belgium and Bachelors in Business Administration, Hautes Etudes Commerciales (HEC) Liège, Belgium. Marie speaks English, French, and Dutch.

Felix Okoh

Executive Director, Consulting

Felix is a co-founder and the Executive Director for Programs at African Process & Performance Institute (APPI). He brings over 18 year of international experience spanning multiple industries, including government, healthcare, mining, technology, entertainment, security, and finance.

Felix spent 10 years at IBM in various capacities. He served as an Information Technology consultant for IBM Systems and Technology Group (STG) developing strategies and implementing complex solutions for IBM clients on lab based services. Prior to that, he was Business Control Program Manager IBM Global Business Services where he led a global team responsible for maintaining audit readiness, risk management, disaster recovery, security audits, and all business controls requirements for IBM pSeries systems. Prior to that he serves as a software engineer technical lead managing multi-cultural human resources, complex projects, and technical support for pSeries Systems worldwide.

Felix is also the founder and chairman of a group of successful companies he built from the ground up including: AccuID Biometrics Ghana Ltd; Rackus Entertainment Ghana Ltd; Nofok Group; Living Waters Home Healthcare; Mineral Mining; Micro-finance bank; health and fitness centers. As a seasoned executive, investor, and a serial entrepreneur, Felix has an incurable optimism and sees each challenge in Africa as an opportunity to create jobs, spur economic growth, and improve standards of living of citizens. He has successfully created 750 jobs to date. Felix accredits much of his business success to implementing an organizational culture of process and performance and standing firm on strong organizational governance.

Felix has a master’s degree in information Systems (MIS), from University of Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, USA and B.Sc. in Computer Information Science, from Oswego State University of New York, Oswego, NY, USA.

Susan Esibia Wamae

Executive Consultant & Coach

Susan is a seasoned Consultant with over 20 years experience whose experience spans across market segments from private and public sector in East Africa. Susan has a strong passion for coaching, entrepreneurship and personal productivity; with extended periods working with a diverse community, comprising C-Level Executives to Operational Resource in East and Southern Africa. She is a Master ScanCoach® and an accredited Business Partner with Clarity 4D®; behavioral tools that create self-awareness, enhance collaboration and effectively put forward an individual’s psycho-emotional position and perception of one’s environment; creating linkages to personal performance and well- being.

She enjoys engaging New Generation Leaders and innovators in Africa, in transition into the job market, entrepreneurship, and fulfilling their mission. Her main areas of competence include: leadership, emotional intelligence, team dynamics, performance improvement, performance coaching, mentoring, talent development, culture and customer orientation.

Susan is also an Adjunct faculty with Strathmore Business School (SBS), Kenya School of Government, and an Associate Facilitator for Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE).

Susan holds MSc Global Human and Resource Management from the University of Liverpool, United Kingdom. Her credentials also includes certifications in Executive Coaching for Managers from Strathmore University; Start and Improve Your Business (SIYA) from ILO; Leadership and Motivation from Dale Carnegie; Faculty Development Program from Strathmore Business School; and International Management Training from Crestcom®.

Susan enjoys sports, reading, traveling, music & entertainment