GRACE LABONG
CEO, Vantage Communications Group
MS. GRACE ACHIRE LABONG: AFRICAN WOMAN ENTREPRENUER
20 years of work experience in organizational and enterprise development with special focus on, leadership, investment management, business optimization, stakeholders’ engagements, public awareness and marketing communication.
Grace is a founding owner of Vantage Communications Group, an established and one of the first truly professional PR Agency in Africa with operations in East and Central Africa (ECA). Expanded into the digital arena providing digital transformation services and solution Arxia Romania East and Central Africa regional office.
A banker and investment analyst turned communication expert; Grace holds an MBA from ESAMI/Maastricht Business School. She also holds Executive Master in Communication Science with Universita della Svizzera (Lugano, Switzerland) in partnership with UCLA and Singapore Management University (SMU) 2016/2017. She is an accredited PR practitioner by PRCA UK (MICPR).
An entrepreneur, Grace is drawn to innovation, pioneering and often trying things way ahead of time. Her focus is contribution to creation of mutually beneficial relationships, organizational optimization, community engagement, leadership and communications for change in a Volatile; Unpredictable Changing Environment (VUCA) that requires informed understanding through research to design to strategic interventions.
Passionate about African Renaissance, actively engaged in business and market development for partners looking into the Sub-Saharan African Market, Special focus is on public and marketing of services/technologies for B2B or B2G. She has participated in several initiatives by CBI, NTF/ITC to develop and promote the IT sector in Uganda and EAC.
Board Roles and Membership in Professional Societies in the IT ecosystems Vice Chairperson, Advisory Committee, National Information Technology Authority (NITA-U), Current Vice Chairman and Treasurer, Alliance for Trade Information & Technology and Services (ATIS). She has sat on Boards of several institutions like; Uganda Free Zone Authority, Uganda Women Entrepreneurs Association Ltd (UWEAL), and Equity Bank.
An advocate and active member of several networks and platforms for professionals’ groups in marketing, IT, private sector, women in business, youth empowerment, and public initiatives.