Mr. Abdoulie M. Touray widely known as Abdoulie Baax Touray, Chairman of Sahel Investment is our special guest in this edition of The Personality Of The Week column. Mr. Touray was recently appointed as Ambassador of Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) for The Gambia.
GEN is the largest organisation of Entrepreneurs from around the world operating in over 200 countries.
Abdoulie Baax Touray is an entrepreneur and a fine gentleman of the highest standard. He has made significant contributions to many sectors of national development and has served as a role model for many Gambians and non-Gambians. Below is his profile:
ABDOULIE M. TOURAY – BA (ECONS), MBA
Born in Banjul – The Gambia Mr Abdoulie Touray, started his education career at the then Malfa Infant School and moved to Wesley Primary School. He successfully passed the Common Entrance Examinations and was admitted to Gambia High School and transferred to form 3 at Armitage High School where he completed his GCE ‘O’ Level education.
He trained as a Teacher at the then Yundum College now Gambia College before obtaining a scholarship to study at Truett McConnell College in Cleveland, Georgia where he obtained an Associate Degree in Business Administration (cum Laude) in 1974. He moved to Morehouse College and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics cum Laude in 1976 and proceeded to Atlanta University and obtained his Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) in 1979. He did his post-graduate at Harvard University and Georgetown University in the United States of America.
He returned home in 1980 and joined the National Investment Board as a Development Economist and role through the ranks to become Chairman and CEO in 1989 a position he held up to 1994. In that capacity, he served on the Board of Directors of several notable institutions including telecommunications company, ports authority, insurance and banking corporations to name but a few.
He is the Founder and current Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sahel Invest Management International. He was appointed as the First Chairman of the Gambia Investment Promotion & Free Zone Agency (GIPFZA) from 2001 to 2003. He also served as Chairman of Public Utilities Regulatory Authority and Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of the Gambia. He is President of the American Chamber of Commerce (Gambia) and Founder President of the West African Chartered College.
His key qualifications are:
▪ Private Sector Development and Privatization
▪ Investment Banking
▪ Financial Management
▪ Public Enterprise Management
▪ Human Resources Development
▪ Economic Management and Capacity Building
His community and sporting activities included serving as Chairman of Marina International School for two consecutive terms from 1995 – 2001.
He also served as President of the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry for two consecutive terms from 2001 to May 2006.
In the sporting arena, he played for the national basketball team and was elected Secretary General of the Gambia Basketball Association in 1982. He was the Coordinator of the Zone II Basketball Tournament hosted by the Gambia in 1985, which was won by the Gambia thus making the Gambia Basketball Team the first team sports to have won the coveted West African Zone II Tournament.
In 1989, he was elected President of the Gambia Basketball Federation for two consecutive terms. He was also elected for three consecutive terms as Secretary General of the Gambia National Olympic Committee. He was decorated by the International Olympic Committee with a Centennial Gold Medal in recognition of his valuable services to the promotion of sports and the Olympic Ideal and inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame of the Gambia. He was decorated with the ANOC Merit Award in 2008. He was decorated by the President of the Republic of The Gambia with the Insignia of MRG.
He served as Chairman of the Marketing Commission of the African Association of Olympic Committees of Africa, and is currently the Regional Vice President for Africa of the Commonwealth Games Federation and President of Gambia Cycling Association.
The testimonial on this gentleman from the USAID Mission summarizes it best and reads as follows:
Mr. Touray has a commanding leadership presence and a style characterised by maturity and forward-thinking, illustrated in particular by his efforts to create a national vision for The Gambia as the Gateway to Africa. Finally and most importantly, he possesses a refreshing modesty which makes him easy to relate to.”
▪ Former Chairman/ CEO – National Investment Board (NIB)
▪ Former Chairman- Board of Governors- Marina International School
▪ Former Chairman- Board of Governors- University of The Gambia.
▪ Chairman- Board of Governors, West African International School (WAIS)
▪ Chairman- Board of Governors- West African Chartered College (WACC)
▪ President- MG University
▪ Former Chairman- Board of Directors, Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA)
▪ Former Chairman- Gambia Investment Free Zones Agency (GIPFZA) now (GIEPA)
▪ Managing Director- Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) USA
▪ President- Africa 2 America 2 Africa LLC- USA
▪ Former President- Board of Directors, Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI)
▪ Former Chairman- Board of Directors- American Chamber of Commerce (The Gambia)
▪ President- Gambia China Business Council (GCBC)
▪ Former Vice President- Commonwealth Games Federation (Africa)
▪ Former Secretary General- Gambia National Olympic Committee (GNOC)
▪ Former President- Gambia Basketball Federation
▪ Former President- Gambia Cycling Federation.
▪ Former Chairman- Gambia Radio and Television Service (GRTS)
▪ Former Chairman- Gambia Tourism Board (GTBOARD)
Mr. Touray is keenly committed to the Commonwealth virtues and ideals of HUMANITY, EQUALITY, AND DESTINY.
