Within a few months of his return to Nigeria from Bloomington, Indiana, United States, Pat Utomi got enlisted by the former vice-president Alex Ekwueme to provide consultancy services on some public policy papers. Soon after, he was appointed Special Assistant by former President Shehu Shagari a position he lost following the military coup of December 1983, which terminated the Second Republic.
Following the end of the Second Republic, he became chairman/chief executive officer, Utomapp Holdings Limited, 1984 – 1986, and assistant general manager, corporate affairs, Volkswagen Nigeria Lagos, 1983 – 1993.
Utomi was scholar-in-residence, American University, Washington DC, USA, 1996 and research associate, the Harvard Business School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, 1996. (Lagos Business school started operating in 1991.)
Utomi also belongs to many professional bodies. He is a member, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR, Institute of Directors, IOD, Nigeria Economic Summit Group and Nigeria Economic Society.
Utomi coordinated the establishment of several civil society groups on good governance and accountability such as Transparency in Nigeria, the Centre for Values in Leadership, the Concerned Professionals, and the Restoration Group. In the business sphere, Utomi was the vice-chairman, Platinum–Habib Bank. He is a columnist, and chairman.
Utomi has served in various private sector associations including the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), the National Council of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, he is also the chairman of Poise Nigeria Limited, and the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA). He has spoken on issues in the following areas on various international platforms; growth economics, comparative development, leadership, oil, and China’s economic surge and growing influence in Africa. He has collaborated frequently with the center for strategic and international studies (CSIS) in Washington, and Chatham House, in the UK.
Let’s welcome Pat Utomi to the GAGE Academy 2022.
