Sherif Ghali steps down as CEO of Ghana Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs
Sherif Ghali has stepped down as Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs (GCYE), bringing an end to his 10-year leadership of an institution he founded to support young business owners across Ghana.
Ghali established the Chamber in 2015 with just 15 entrepreneurs. Over the past decade, the organisation has grown into a major player in Ghana’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, with a membership of more than 19,000 young entrepreneurs.
However explaining his decision to leave the position, Ghali said it was time for him to make way for new leadership while pursuing other areas of work within the youth and entrepreneurship space.
“A good dancer knows when to leave the stage,” he said. “That time has come for me to step aside and focus on other things.”
Ghali, however, stressed that his decision did not mean he was leaving the entrepreneurship ecosystem.
He said he would now focus more on the Ghana Youth Federation, where he is a founding member and currently serves as President.
He said his goal was to build the Federation into a strong institution, just as he had developed the Chamber.
“I built the Chamber from nothing into an institution,” he said. “I want to do the same for the Federation. Young people need structures that outlive the people who start them.”
He also intends to continue working to attract investment, partnerships and policy support for Ghana’s entrepreneurship and start-up ecosystem, while helping Ghanaian businesses gain access to international markets and capital.
“The ecosystem is still young,” he said. “Founders need capital, markets and policy that works for them. That is where I will keep putting my energy.”
Under Ghali’s leadership, the Chamber was registered with the Registrar General’s Department in 2016.
It became a member of the Private Enterprise Federation in 2017 and joined the Commonwealth Alliance of Young Entrepreneurs Africa in 2018.
The organisation subsequently introduced several programmes aimed at supporting young entrepreneurs. These included the Young Entrepreneurs and Start-ups Support Fund, the Young Female Entrepreneurs Programme and the Students Entrepreneurs Programme (STEP), all launched in 2023.
However in 2024, the Chamber opened yecSpace, a co-working facility designed specifically for young entrepreneurs. This was followed by the National Business Agenda in 2025.
The Chamber further provided business development services to more than 4,000 entrepreneurs, organised over 100 training seminars across the country, supported more than 200 youth-owned businesses and mobilised over GH¢10 million for youth-focused programmes.
It also played an active role in policy advocacy, including efforts that contributed to tax waivers for young entrepreneurs. The Chamber further helped about 70 per cent of its members access government and donor support and funding and became one of the prominent voices advocating for Ghana’s Start-up and Innovation Bill.
Ghali’s contribution to youth entrepreneurship has also earned him several awards. In 2025, he received the Young Achiever of the Year award from the Head of State.
He also received the Royal African Young Leaders Award and the National Youth Authority’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2024.
He has participated in more than 80 engagements around the world, including a meeting with King Charles at Buckingham Palace.
Following his departure, Agnes Anyawen has taken over as Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber.
Ghali said the transition had been planned and that he would remain available to support the new leadership.
He will continue to serve on the Board of the National Youth Authority and the Ministry of Youth Advisory Board, while also serving as Chairperson of the Commonwealth Alliance of Young Entrepreneurs Africa. He will further remain a member of the Chamber’s Governing Council.
For the thousands of entrepreneurs who have known Ghali as the Chamber’s only chief executive since its establishment, his departure marks a significant change in the organisation’s history.
The Chamber he leaves behind has grown from a small group of 15 entrepreneurs into an institution with a nationwide presence, established programmes, a strong policy record and a membership base of more than 19,000.
“The work was never about me,” he said. “It was about proving that young people in this country can build institutions, not just businesses. That is done. Now somebody else takes it further,” he added.
Sherif Ghali has stepped down as Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs (GCYE), bringing an end to his 10-year leadership of an institution he founded to support young business owners across Ghana.