Mohamed Ibrahim, Celtel founder
Position: 21 Last year: Not ranked
Why? For championing economic development in Africa
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Sudanese-born Mo Ibrahim has done more than most to bring modern communications to the continent of Africa.
Originally a BT Cellnet executive, Ibrahim left to set up Celtel International, a mobile carrier serving 15 African countries, supporting one-third of the continent's population. He established base stations in such remote areas that they needed to be powered by oil-burning generators.
In 2005, Celtel was sold to MTC Kuwait for $3.4bn, making it one of Africa's most successful commercial ventures.
The panel praised Ibrahim's efforts as a fine example of how developing economies are side-stepping the issue of building costly infrastructures by going straight to mobile communications.
Ibrahim now chairs the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, which was set up to promote good governance and government accountability in Africa and to reward African leaders for good government once they have retired.
Ibrahim holds a PhD in Mobile Communications from the University of Birmingham. He is a member of the Africa Regional Advisory Board of the London Business School.
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