Mr. Nwoko Friday

Date of birth: 04/10/1943 Address: 12420 Pretoria Drive, Silver Spring, Montgomery, USA, 20904 Telephone: 301-572-7078 Fax: Email: fchikwenwoko@aol.com Nationality: Nigerian Marital status: maried Children: none Health: very good Position required: International Business development / Representative - Permanent Rate: Qualifications/skills: CV Friday C. Nwoko 12420 Pretoria Drive, Silver Spring, MD. 20904, USA (301) 572-7078 Home fchikwenwoko@aol.com Jan. 24, 2008 CAREER OBJECTIVE. In search of a challenging management position that requires strategic thinking and multidisciplinary approach to problem solving. The following skills would be utilized to maximum effect. • Outstanding negotiation skills. • International diplomacy and multilateral cooperation. • International development cooperation and technical assistance management with specific references to the United Nations Organization, African Union, Economic Community of West African States, Economic Partnership Agreement, Cotonou Agreement and, regional integration issues and International non Profit Organizations. • Export promotion and international marketing management. • Advanced knowledge of international business. • Conflict prevention/ resolution and post conflict confidence building. • Extensive private sector management and, project management coordination. • In-depth knowledge of political, economic and cultural dynamics of Africa and the challenges of regional integration. STRENGTHS. Assertive and highly result oriented former career diplomat and, international management professional with more than eighteen years of: • Outstanding coalition building and collaboration/networking capabilities. • Strong articulate communicator, oral and written skills (English and French) and, graduate of English and French speaking universities. • Proven project manager, capable of producing high level performance through management of people and resources. • Proficient in management and implementation of new tools within project timelines and deliverables. • People-oriented leadership and team player. • Proven outstanding work ethic, reliability and, flawless integrity. • Eight years of continuous international marketing and trade promotion experience. WORK EXPERIENCE • Online Marketing Manager – Black Star News. Manhattan, New York (2004 – Present) • Establish and maintain professionally rewarding networking relationships with media houses in Africa, African diplomatic missions in the USA and other relevant industry contacts. • Develop strategic marketing and sales plans by diversification which generated 200% increase in circulation of the paper within two years of assuming position. • Lead a co-operative team that tripled the paper’s revenue base from commercial advertising. Membership Director – United States Chamber of Commerce Washington, DC (2002 – 2003) • Built and maintained strong and loyal relationships with corporate members of the United States Chamber of Commerce in Washington, DC. • Conducted workshops with company executives and prospective members of the Chamber to explain how their organizations could avail themselves of the services of the Chamber for growth. • Consistently exceeded quotas of the Chamber’s annual fundraising goals and membership drive by more than 47%. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Abuja, Nigeria 1974-1994 Held senior management and political desk positions in the Nigerian diplomatic service. Nigerian Embassy, Washington DC., DC (1992-1 Minister/Consul, Nigeria Consulate General, NY (1990-1992) and Minister/Head of Political and Economic Affairs Division. • Managed and expanded Nigeria’s export promotion drive in the United States. • Coordinated and resolved numerous consular matters affecting members of the Nigerian community in the United States. • Successfully organized the participation of Nigerian companies in several trade shows in the USA. • Organized and hosted trade delegations and Nigerian Chamber of Commerce officials to the United States. • Identified and initiated projects which improved bilateral economic and trade cooperation with the United States. • Maintained active liaison with the US State Department, other US government agencies and representatives of the private sector in order to sustain mutually beneficial cooperation on a wide range of international issues of common interest to Nigeria and the United States. • Director, West African Affaires Department 1987-1990 Senior Counselor, East and Central African Affairs Department (1984-1985) • Served in policy monitoring, compliance and enforcement committees of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), • Played pivotal diplomatic and technical roles in several regional conflict prevention / resolution and confidence building initiatives in West Africa with particular regard to Liberia, Sierra Leone, Senegal V. Guinea, Bissau, Senegal V. Mauritania and, Mali V. Burkina Faso. • Also as director of West African Affairs Department, supervised Nigeria’s emergency relief program to Liberia and, was primarily instrumental to the successful resolution of the lingering question of post draught resettlement and right of passage of Mali’s itinerant nomads in West Africa. • Prepared draft policy/position papers, executive correspondence, briefs and other back ground materials for the Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs. Directly supervised and trained 10-12 midlevel diplomatic officers. • As secretary to the Presidential Task Force on Equatorial Guinea, prepared convincing position papers and, participated in bilateral negotiations which led to normalization of relations between Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea. • As a senior political/economic desk- officer to several African countries, provided excellent country reports and analysis for the benefit of policy makers. Nigeria’s Acting High Commissioner to the Gambia (1985-1987) • Performed all representational duties at the highest level of the host government. • Successfully managed Federal Government of Nigeria technical assistance program to the Gambia in manpower development and training, administration of justice, police and immigration, education and, the military training. • Prepared annual operational plans for the above mentioned technical assistance program. • Consistently made sound policy recommendations which improved the quality and efficient delivery of the assistance program for the benefit of the Federal Government of Nigeria. • Achieved excellent bilateral relations between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Gambia during my duty tour as head of mission. • Received one of Gambia’s national honors in recognition of outstanding service to Gambian-Nigeria bilateral relations. Charge D’ Affairs, Embassy of Nigeria, Bamako, Mali 1982-1984. • Served in Mali in a period of daunting diplomatic, political and humanitarian challenges in the West African Sub-region. • Performed all representational duties at the highest level of the host government. • Successfully managed Federal Government of Nigeria emergency relief and post draught rehabilitation program to Mali. • Made policy recommendations which led to significant attenuation of transnational economic and social problems created in the West African sub-region in the aftermath of the drought. • Recommended initiatives which guaranteed safe passage and resettlement of Malian nomad refugees trapped in neighboring countries of West Africa during the drought. • Initiated a special Mali-Nigerian bilateral trade/technical cooperation project which accelerated commercial reproduction of the country’s critically depopulated Ndama cattle in the aftermath of the drought. • The success of Ndama cattle project helped revitalize the pastoral sector of the Malian economy while the phased resettlement of the country’s itinerant nomad population contributed to the mitigation of intra-regional tension. Senior Counselor Capital Projects and Secretary, Ministerial Tenders Board, Administration and Finance Department, Ministry of Foreign Affaires 1981-198. • Successfully managed the construction of Foreign Affaires Ministry headquarters on Marina, Lagos. • Successfully managed the construction, acquisition and maintenance of Federal Government properties overseas. • As secretary to the Ministerial Tenders Board, managed all aspects of contract award in accordance with the conclusions of the board and federal government financial regulations. Acting High Commissioner of Nigeria to Trinidad and Tobago with concurrent accreditation to Guyana and Barbados and, ad hoc diplomatic assignments to other East Caribbean States with which Nigeria did not have formal diplomatic ties, 1979-1981 • Initiated several bilateral cooperation projects which helped to raise Nigeria- East Caribbean relations to the heights that generated a lot of mutually beneficial cultural and commercial exchanges. • Led a team of Nigerian aviation experts which negotiated and, signed bilateral air services agreement with the government of Barbados. • Managed Nigeria’s assistance program to Commonwealth Dominica after hurricane David 1980. • Successfully managed Nigeria’s palm plantation project technical assistance to Guyana. Senior First Secretary- Economic affaires, Embassy of Nigeria, Dublin, Republic of Ireland 1977-1979 Protocol Officer and French Translator, Ministry of Foreign Affaires 1974-1977 • Worked at the public relations department of Gecomine, the copper mining company in Katanga as an interne during two summers while I was an undergraduate at the National University of Zaire. Lubumbashi Campus. 1970 and 1971 Technical Competencies, Language and International Experience • Multicultural and international staff management skills. • Conversant with the cultural nuances of conducting business in many countries. • Advanced Knowledge of international relations and sound political judgment, • Excellent editing, preparation of briefs, executive correspondence, position papers & draft communiqué. • Good financial/budget management skills. • Proposal writing & project management skills. • Excellent political, economic, post and, annual, reporting with outstanding analytical/presentation skills. Excellent knowledge of the UN and its agencies. EDUCATION• • Master’s Degree in International Management & Marketing, University of Maryland, University College. • Diplome de Licence (B. Sc. Honors.) Political Science and Public Admin., National University of Zaire. (RDC). • Post Graduate Certificate, Multilateral Diplomacy and International Economic Cooperation, United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), Vienna, Austria • .Candidat a’ la Licence (Associate Degree in Cultural Anthropology, National University of Zaire. (RDC) • Trinity College-University of Dublin. Letter attesting to completion of 12 months coursework leading to M. Sc. Economics (International Trade &+ EU Integration) Date posted: 2008-02-08 << Back