Ghana Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs CEO Sherif Ghali Steps Down After 10 Years

Sherif Ghali has stepped down as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs (GCYE), bringing an end to a decade-long tenure during which he transformed the organisation from a small network of young business owners into a major institution within Ghana’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Mr Ghali founded the Chamber in 2015 with just 15 entrepreneurs. The organisation has since grown to more than 19,000 members, establishing itself as a prominent voice for young entrepreneurs and startups in Ghana.

Explaining his decision to step aside, Mr Ghali said it was time to hand over the leadership to a new generation while he focuses on other areas of youth development and entrepreneurship.

“A good dancer knows when to leave the stage,” he said. “That time has come for me to step aside and focus on other things.”

Focus shifts to Ghana Youth Federation

Mr Ghali, however, stressed that his decision does not mean he is leaving Ghana’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.

His immediate focus will be on the Ghana Youth Federation, where he is a founding member and currently serves as President. He said he intends to apply the same institution-building approach he used at the Chamber to strengthen the Federation.

“I built the Chamber from nothing into an institution,” he said. “I want to do the same for the Federation. Young people need structures that outlive the people who start them.”

He also plans to remain active in the broader entrepreneurship and startup ecosystem by helping attract investment, build strategic partnerships, influence policy and connect Ghanaian founders with international markets and sources of capital.

“The ecosystem is still young,” he said. “Founders need capital, markets and policy that works for them. That is where I will keep putting my energy.”

A decade of institutional growth

The Ghana Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs was registered with the Registrar General’s Department in 2016. It joined the Private Enterprise Federation in 2017 and the Commonwealth Alliance of Young Entrepreneurs Africa in 2018, providing Ghanaian young entrepreneurs with platforms to participate in national and continental policy and business discussions.

The Chamber subsequently introduced a number of programmes aimed at supporting young entrepreneurs.

Among them were the Young Entrepreneurs and Startups Support Fund, the Young Female Entrepreneurs Programme and the Students Entrepreneurs Programme (STEP), all launched in 2023.

In 2024, the Chamber opened yecSpace, described as Ghana’s first co-working facility specifically designed for young entrepreneurs. The organisation also introduced the National Business Agenda in 2025.

Impact on young businesses

Under Mr Ghali’s leadership, the Chamber provided business development services to more than 4,000 entrepreneurs, organised over 100 training seminars across the country, supported more than 200 youth-owned businesses financially and mobilised over GH¢10 million for youth-focused programmes.

Its advocacy efforts also became a significant part of its work.

The Chamber advocated for tax waivers for young entrepreneurs, supported efforts that enabled about 70 per cent of its members to access government and donor-partner support or funding, and emerged as one of the prominent civil society voices supporting Ghana’s Startup and Innovation Bill.

Mr Ghali’s work also attracted national and international recognition.

He received the Young Achiever of the Year award from the Head of State in 2025, the Royal African Young Leaders Award in 2024 and the National Youth Authority’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in the same year.

He has also participated in more than 80 engagements around the world, including a conversation with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace.

Agnes Anyawen takes over

Following his departure, leadership of the Ghana Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs will pass to Agnes Anyawen, who takes over as CEO.

Mr Ghali said the transition had been planned and assured that he would remain available to support the new leadership when necessary.

He will continue to serve on the Board of the National Youth Authority, the Ministry of Youth Advisory Board and as Chairperson of the Commonwealth Alliance of Young Entrepreneurs Africa.

He will also remain a member of the Chamber’s Governing Council.

For members who have known only one CEO throughout the Chamber’s first decade, Mr Ghali’s departure marks a significant transition.

The organisation he leaves behind is considerably different from the one he founded in 2015. From a 15-member group, it has grown into an institution with offices, nationwide programmes, a growing policy footprint and a membership base exceeding 19,000.

Reflecting on his decade at the helm, Mr Ghali said the organisation’s success was never intended to revolve around one individual.

“The work was never about me,” he said. “It was about proving that young people in this country can build institutions, not just businesses. That is done. Now somebody else takes it further.”