Samson Echenim 
Tony Elumelu, founder and chairman of Heirs Holdings and eight other executives have been appointed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) into a new Advisory Council on Entrepreneurship and Growth.
The IMF in a statement on Thursday said the council members would be sharing their thoughts and experiences on how macroeconomic and financial policies could help boost entrepreneurship and productivity.
According to the IMF managing director, Kristalina Georgieva, Elumelu will join the other members of the council in identifying policies that will improve how resources are used, encourage innovation, and drive economic growth led by the private sector.
Georgieva noted that the appointment is part of the IMF’s efforts to help its 191 member countries create better macroeconomic and financial conditions for strong and durable economic growth driven by increased productivity.
Georgieva was stated to have convened an inaugural meeting with her new Advisory Council on Entrepreneurship and Growth on Thursday.
“The medium-term outlook for world economic growth is at its lowest in several decades. Much of the slowdown can be attributed to declining productivity growth.
“The Council brings together a group of leading thinkers and practitioners in business, finance, academia, and policymaking to share their views and experiences on how macroeconomic and financial policies can provide a supportive environment for innovation, entrepreneurship, and productivity—key ingredients for a thriving private sector and strong economic growth,” Georgieva said.
The council will meet approximately once every three months in structured discussions under Chatham House rules.
The discussions with the council will inform the IMF’s analytical agenda and policy research aimed at promoting macroeconomic and financial policies that are conducive to higher productivity growth and can support stronger medium-term economic prospects across its membership, the statement added.
