PATRICK OKEDINACHI UTOMI. BA; MPA, MA, PhD, DBA is a member of faculty at the GOTNI Leadership centre. Born 6 February 1956 in Kaduna, raised in Jos, Maiduguri, Kano, Gusau, Onitsha, Ibadan, Lagos and attended Universities at Nsukka (UNN) Bloomington IN (Indiana University) with Executive Education and Post-Doctoral work in Boston, (Harvard Business School), Fontainebleau France, (INSEAD); Evanston IL, (Kellogg School, Northwestern-University); and scholar in Residence in Washington (American University, and SAIS, of Johns Hopkins University.

UTOMI, noted Political Economist, Professor of Entrepreneurship, who served as Director of the Centre for Applied Economics at the Lagos Business School, is also a celebrated Boardroom veteran. He serves on the Board of the Africa Practice of Leading Global Professional services firm, Deloitte; as one of only two non-executives on the Africa Board; has been a top executive in manufacturing, as Chief Operating Officer for Volkswagen of Nigeria, and in the social enterprise sector as founder of the Centre for Values in Leadership and Chairman of the boards of several highly regarded social enterprises such as PIN, Women Arise; and NUTRA (Nigerians United To Resist Anarchy). He has served in Government at a Presidential Advisory position at age 27, and Chairman of Boards of Parastatals including the National Manpower Board.

Much regarded for the ease with which he traverses several sectors of economic activity and bridges the ‘Knowing- Doing’ gap. He has been at the basement in the founding of several iconic brands and path finding Nigerian enterprises, including the country’s first internet service provider; Linkserve, Platinum Bank, and Business Day. As business angel and Entrepreneur, he has been a business Angel in the founding of several well-regarded startups and at home in praxis as he is in teaching and research.

Utomi who was voted by the Nigerian public in a Vanguard Newspapers/ Silverbird television poll as one of Nigeria’s top ten Living Legends, in 2009, is considered one of Nigeria’s top academics, a leading Corporate Executive and Entrepreneur, civil society icon and politician. He was nominated twice as candidate for office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He is a Fellow of several Professional Bodies, including the Institute of Management consultants of Nigeria, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations. He has served on the councils of all the leading organized private sector bodies including the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Nigeria Employers Consultative Assembly (NECA), and the Lagos Chamber of Industry (LCCI). Celebrated as one of Ola Ndigbo, the Igbo global best 50; and named by the Delta State Government as one of the 20 leading Deltans in history when Delta state turned 20.

Just like his hero and namesake, Patrick Daniel Moynihan who was celebrated by Newsweek magazine with the code name GLA (The Greatest Living American) and in a book the intellectual in public life, by his former students at Harvard, after a life of service from University Professor to member of US Cabinet, and the Senate, Patrick Okedinachi Utomi bridges the world of intellect and theory with the arena of praxis, like few ever have, with seamless comfort. Warm with the weak, poor and dying, in his work in civil society, Firm and focused as manager and executive in industry; and entrepreneur in enterprise. Pat Utomi is at home with kings and statesmen.