Obi Ozor
{{Short description|Nigerian technology entrepreneur}}{{Infobox officeholder
| office = Commissioner for Transportation
Incumbent
| country = Nigeria
| governor = Peter Mbah
| education = Harvard Business School, Wharton School of Business
| occupation = Public servant and Entrepreneur
| awards = CNBC Africa All Africa Business Leaders Awards (AABLA, 2019 Disrupter of the Year by the Africa CEO Forum, World Economic Forum Young Global Leader
| state = Enugu state
}}
Obi Ozor is a Nigerian entrepreneur, business executive, and public servant. He co-founded Kobo360, a Lagos-headquartered digital logistics platform whose investors include Goldman Sachs, the International Finance Corporation, and Y Combinator.{{Cite web |last=Gerretsen |first=Isabelle |date=2020-04-16 |title=Trucking app Kobo360 wants to halve delivery times across Africa {{!}} CNN Business |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/16/tech/kobo-360-trucks-spc-intl/index.html |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=CNN |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=The Problem-solver |url=https://www.ifc.org/en/types/stories/2020/obi-ozor |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=IFC |language=English}}{{Cite web |title=Kobo360 raises $30mn funding: Interview with Co-Founder Obi Ozor |url=https://www.cnbcafrica.com/media/6073649201001/ |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=CNBC Africa |language=en}}
In 2023, Ozor was appointed Commissioner for Transportation in Enugu State by Peter Mbah, the governor of Enugu State.{{Cite web |last=Oladunmade |first=Muktar |date=2023-08-12 |title=Obi Ozor appointed commissioner in Enugu |url=https://techcabal.com/2023/08/12/obi-ozor-enugu/ |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=TechCabal |language=en-US}}
Background and education
Ozor was born and raised as the last of eight children in the farming town of Abor in Enugu State, Nigeria.{{Cite web |last=Owoeye |first=Fikayo |date=2018-07-28 |title=Meet Obi Ozor, the man changing Nigeria's logistics space |url=https://nairametrics.com/2018/07/28/obi-ozor-the-co-founder-of-kobo360/ |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=Nairametrics |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Ugwuede |first=Kay |date=2019-10-16 |title=My Life In Tech: In Obi Ozor's world, audacity is king |url=https://techcabal.com/2019/10/16/my-life-in-tech-in-obi-ozors-world-audacity-is-king/ |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=TechCabal |language=en-US}} He studied biochemistry at the University of Michigan before graduating from the Wharton School of Business.{{Cite web |title=Obi Ozor |url=https://www.weforum.org/people/obi-ozor/ |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=World Economic Forum |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Unger |first=Adedoyin Amosun and Deborah |title=Keeping African goods moving |url=https://www.strategy-business.com/article/Keeping-African-goods-moving |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=Strategy+business |language=en-us}}
Ozor is also an alumnus of the Harvard Business School, having completed its Owner/President Management program.{{Cite web |date=2023-05-08 |title=Obi Ozor |url=https://refinedng.com/obi-ozor/ |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=RefinedNG |language=en-US}}
Career
Prior to founding Kobo360, Ozor worked as an investment banker at J.P. Morgan & Co. and in operations at Uber Nigeria.{{Cite web |last=Oluwole |first=Victor |date=2021-03-10 |title=Kobo360 CEO Obi Ozor Joins World Economic Forum (WEF) Young Global Leader Class of 2021 |url=https://africa.businessinsider.com/local/leaders/kobo360-ceo-obi-ozor-joins-world-economic-forum-wef-young-global-leader-class-of-2021/n8wbfxk |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=Business Insider Africa |language=en}}
At Kobo360, he served as CEO & Board Chair before stepping down in 2023 to focus on his appointment as the Commissioner for Transportation for Enugu State.{{Cite web |last=Michael |first=Chinwe |date=2023-08-18 |title=From COO to CEO, Cikü Mugambi leads Kobo360 |url=https://businessday.ng/companies/article/from-coo-to-ceo-ciku-mugambi-leads-kobo360/ |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=Businessday NG |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2023-08-12 |title=Kobo360 Founder, Obi Ozor, joins Enugu State cabinet as Commissioner for Transport |url=https://techpoint.africa/2023/08/12/obi-ozor-enugu-commissioner/ |access-date=2023-08-28 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Kobo360 CEO Obi Ozor Becomes Enugu Transport Commissioner {{!}} |url=https://businesspost.ng/auto/kobo360-ceo-obi-ozor-becomes-enugu-transport-commissioner/ |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=Business Post Nigeria |language=en}}
Ozor is also a co-founder and strategic advisor of Fig Finance, a provider of credit infrastructure for emerging markets.{{Cite web |title=Fig Finance |url=https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/502810-75#team |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=Pitchbook}}{{Cite web |last=Otta |title=Fig Finance |url=https://app.otta.com/companies/Fig-Finance |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=Otta |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Koba |first=Melchior |title=Nigeria : Obi Ozor, PDG de Kobo360, est le nouveau commissaire aux transports de l’Etat d’Enugu |url=https://www.wearetech.africa/fr/fils/tech-stars/nigeria-obi-ozor-pdg-de-kobo360-est-le-nouveau-commissaire-aux-transports-de-l-etat-d-enugu |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=www.wearetech.africa |language=fr-fr}}
Awards
In 2019, Ozor received both the Innovator of the Year and Young Business Leader of the Year awards at the CNBC Africa All Africa Business Leaders Awards (AABLA).{{Cite web |last=Anagor-Ewuzie |first=Amaka |date=2019-12-25 |title=Obi Ozor, Kobo360 boss honoured at CNBC awards |url=https://businessday.ng/maritime/article/obi-ozor-kobo360-boss-honoured-at-cnbc-awards/ |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=Businessday NG |language=en-US}} He was also named the 2019 Disrupter of the Year by the Africa CEO Forum.{{Cite web |last=Nsehe |first=Mfonobong |title=Q&A With Kobo360 Co-Founder Obi Ozor On His E-Logistics Startups's $30 Million Raise |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/mfonobongnsehe/2019/09/03/qa-with-kobo360-co-founder-obiora-ozor-on-his-e-logistics-startupss-30-million-raise/ |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=Forbes |language=en}}
In 2020, he was named one of Fortune’s 40 under 40 global technology leaders.{{Cite web |title=Obi Ozor |url=https://fortune.com/ranking/40-under-40/2020/obi-ozor/ |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=Fortune |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Gbenga |first=Ajifowoke Michael |date=2020-09-03 |title=Nigerian startup founders featured in Fortune 40 under 40 list |url=https://venturesafrica.com/nigerian-startup-founders-featured-fortune-40-40-list/ |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=Ventures Africa |language=en-US}} He was selected to join Endeavor’s global network of high-impact entrepreneurs in the same year.{{Cite web |date=2020-05-29 |title=Endeavor selects Kobo360's Obi Ozor and Ife Oyedele to join organisation |url=https://ventureburn.com/2020/05/endeavor-welcomes-kobo360-founders-obi-ozor-and-ife-oyedele/ |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=Ventureburn |language=en-ZA}}{{Cite web |last=Onwuaso |first=Ugo |date=2020-05-27 |title=Founders of Kobo360 Selected as Endeavor Entrepreneurs |url=https://www.nigeriacommunicationsweek.com.ng/founders-of-kobo360-selected-as-endeavor-entrepreneurs/ |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=www.nigeriacommunicationsweek.com.ng |language=en-US}} Ozor he was also listed as one of Africa’s New Tycoons by Forbes Africa.{{Cite web |date=2020-10-05 |title=The New Tycoons Ready For The Next Normal |url=https://www.forbesafrica.com/cover-story/2020/10/05/the-new-tycoons-ready-for-the-new-normal/ |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=www.forbesafrica.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2020-10-08 |title=Forbes Africa profiles Nigeria’s new business tycoons |url=https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2020/forbes-africa-profiles-nigerias-new-business-tycoons/ |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=CNBC Africa |language=en}}
In 2021, Ozor was named a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader.{{Cite web |title=YGL2021 Press Release |url=https://www.weforum.org/press/2021/03/ygl-class-2021/ |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=World Economic Forum |language=en}}
References
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Category:Nigerian business executives
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