Kow Abaka Essuman, Legal Counsel to  President Akufo-Addo, has been selected as part of the Young Global Leaders Class of 2023 of the World Economic Forum (WEF). 

The announcement was made on Tuesday, March 14, 2023.

The Young Global Leaders (YGL) is a community of individuals under the age of 40 who are recognised by the World Economic Forum for their outstanding leadership, professional accomplishments, and commitment to society, and for their potential to contribute to shaping the future of the world by providing inspiring leadership. 

The YGL program aims to develop and connect the next generation of leaders, empowering them to create a more sustainable, equitable, and inclusive world.

Members of the YGL community come from various backgrounds, including business, government, academia, and civil society.

Kow Abaka Essuman is a qualified lawyer, admitted to practice law in three jurisdictions: England and Wales, New York State, and Ghana.

He previously worked at Ghana's leading law firm, Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa and Ankomah, where he rose to Senior Associate in the firm's litigation and dispute resolution practice group. 

During this time, he represented several top corporate clients, including mining, telecommunications, real estate companies, and a billion-dollar hedge fund in New York in a dispute against Argentina.

Kow has also been involved in legal education and has worked with Web Legal Education and New York Bar Company to prepare candidates for the New York Bar Exam. 

He has lectured on the law of Trusts at the University of London's Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree offered by Zenith University College in Accra. He has tutored students in Advocacy and Professional Ethics as a part-time lecturer at the Ghana School of Law.

In addition to his legal career, Kow has received several recognitions for his contributions and accomplishments. 

He was selected as a Global Shaper of the World Economic Forum in 2013 and represented the Global Shapers Community at the World Economic Forum on Africa in Cape Town, South Africa, in 2015. 

In 2017, he was voted the Most Influential Young Ghanaian and was nominated as part of the Class of 2018, 100 Most Influential Young Persons of African Descent, under the United Nation’s International Decade for People of African Descent. 

In December 2019, he was presented with an Honorary Award by the President of Ghana and Chief Patron of the Head of State Award Scheme for his contributions and support towards the growth and development of young people in Ghana through the Award Scheme. 

In 2020, he won the Outstanding Achievement Award from the University of Westminster for his professional achievements.

Kow was selected as part of the Young Global Leaders Class of 2023 for his exceptional leadership in the legal profession and his commitment to promoting good governance and economic growth in Ghana and beyond. 

He is one of about 100 young leaders from 45 countries who have been chosen for this year's YGL program. 

The YGL Class of 2023 will have access to the World Economic Forum's events, networks, and knowledge resources, as well as opportunities for collaboration and impact.