Reine Mbang Essobmadje

Reine Essobmadje (born Cameroonian) is the founder of Evolving Consulting in Cameroon and France and the Co-founder of the NGO Digital Coalition in Cameroon, France, Germany and Gabon.
She is passionate about gender, STEM and entrepreneurship. She advocates for ICT as a powerful tool to achieve inclusive and sustainable development. Under her leadership, Digital Coalition has developed several programs:
– The ICT days under the brand name “ICT days Africa 4.0” launched in Cameroon in 2010,
– the Hack4Cause series including (Hack4Afrik and Hack4Girl)
– the WoMentor Program which has connected 160 girls with top executives in Cameroon. The program is about to be rolled out in several other countries (Gabon, France…)
– the African Digital Woman Award patroned by Dr Hamadoun Touré former ITU SG.
To date, those different activities and programmes have benefited to more than 5000 people.
Her company, Evolving Consulting is leading major digital transformation projects for African governments funded by the World Bank and The African Development Bank.
She is a renowned expert in digital working both for African Union and European Union on digital programs
On top of her different obligations, she is actively involved in various business councils and scientist and women organizations. She is:
▪ President of the Digital Economy Committee at the Cameroonian Business Council named GICAM (Groupement Interpatronal du Cameroun) and also member of Women CEO Committee
▪ Board member at GICAM (Cameroonian Business Council) and former board member at Air e-Go (West Parisian Business Council)
▪ Member, WIE Committee (WomenInEngineering) at WFEO (World Federation of Engineering Organizations)
▪ INWES Africa – Chair of Advocacy committee
▪ Member of Club 21e Siècle / Diversity

Reine holds a Global Executive MBA from IE Business School (Spain) with an additional program in Ethics & Corporate Governance from SMU Singapore. She is also an Engineer by training, graduated in 2004, from ECE Paris (she has been introduced in the School Hall of Fame) including an additional program in Management from Stafford University in UK.

She wrote the Entrepreneur Alphabet as a mean to share secrets for success available here https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/entrepreneurs-alphabet-share-your-secrets-success-reine?trk=pulse_spock-articles

How did IE help you get to where you are today?

In 2012, 3 years after starting my own company, I felt the compulsory need to boost my knowledge and capacities . I therefore decided to apply to the IE Executive MBA program, one of the top ranked MBA programs in the World.

In which way do you think your work is impacting women’s lives?

In Africa with the Digital Coalition in Gabon and Cameroon where we are setting up mentoring programs (WoMentor) for teenage girls and students at university.
The first step is to bridge the gap prior to A-Level and get more girl in STEM at University
The second step is to get appropriate coaching and mentoring from professional women in STEM field so they could manage efficiently their careers
I actively influence young women to embrace career in STEM and stand up for women and youth entrepreneurship, workforce diversity, diaspora role in development and women in STEM.
In The rest of the World with INWES (International Network of Women Engineer and Scientists) and WFEO WIE committee (World Federation of engineering organizations – Women in Engineering) where we learn from best practices, create programs and measure at a national level the statistics of women in STEM and the positive effect of our initiatives.

Where do you see the future of women?

Taking back our role and leadership in all spheres of the society.