The Chief Executive Director of MAB International Hospital, Opare Akuamah-Boateng, has been named a winner at the 10th anniversary edition of the Forty Under 40 Ghana Awards.

Mr Akuamah-Boateng was recognised for his leadership and contribution to the growth of MAB International Hospital, where he began his career as an Estate Manager before rising to become Chief Executive Director.

The award was presented at a ceremony held at the Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel in Accra as part of activities marking the 10th anniversary of the Forty Under 40 Ghana Awards.

The ceremony brought together award recipients, their families, and other stakeholders to celebrate young professionals and business leaders who have made contributions across various sectors.

A total of 44 individuals received awards across different categories, while honorary awards were presented to 16 individuals for their contributions to the development of the awards scheme over the past decade.

The Forty Under 40 Ghana Awards is an annual initiative established to recognise professionals, entrepreneurs, business leaders and other individuals under the age of 40 who are making an impact in their respective fields.

The awards cover sectors including banking and finance, energy, agriculture, technology, family business, fashion, media and social enterprise.

The ceremony also saw the Chief Executive Officer of Premier EL Consult, Dr Marian Bokor, receive the People’s Choice Award.

Chief Executive Officer of Xodus Communications Limited and founder of the Forty Under 40 Awards, Richard Abbey Jnr, described the 10-year journey as a significant milestone for the initiative.

He said the awards had provided a platform for identifying and celebrating young talents while encouraging them to develop their leadership and entrepreneurial potential.

“Forty Under Forty is value-driven and process-focused, and we are proud to give this huge platform for many people to launch their potential,” he said.

Mr Abbey said the achievements and ideas of award recipients over the years offered opportunities for young professionals to contribute to addressing some of Ghana’s development challenges.

He said the initiative had also expanded beyond Ghana through Forty Under 40 Africa and Forty Under 40 Global, with programmes extending to countries including South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States.

According to him, the initiative now has more than 600 alumni, about 200 winners and has spotlighted more than 2,000 nominees.

Looking ahead, Mr Abbey said the organisation was seeking International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) certification within the next decade and was also working towards a franchise model that could allow other countries to operate the initiative.

Board Chairman of Forty Under 40, Prof David Atta-Peters, said the initiative had established a network of young professionals and entrepreneurs over the past decade.

He urged award recipients to continue demonstrating leadership and innovation in their respective fields.

Prof Atta-Peters also encouraged young people to pursue entrepreneurship and develop solutions to national development challenges.

Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of KAB-FAM Ghana Ltd, Charles Antwi-Boahen, called on young entrepreneurs and business leaders to embrace technology and innovation as the business environment evolves.

He said the growing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other technologies meant businesses needed to adapt their operations to remain competitive.

Mr Antwi-Boahen said technology could help businesses overcome operational barriers and create opportunities for Ghanaian entrepreneurs to connect with markets across Africa and beyond.