Rosa Whitaker is a diplomat, entrepreneur, President, and CEO of The Whitaker Group, TWG. She earned her Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees from American University and completed specialized programs in London, Italy and the US Foreign Service Institute. She has had experience serving as a former US government policy leader under the administrations of President Clinton and President Bush, and an expert on African commercial enterprise engagement. During Rosa’s time working as Senior Trade Advisor, she helped lead the implementation of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA); following its enactment in 2000, the AGOA has provided eligible African countries with duty-free access to multiple products on the U.S. market and has also contributed to employment and investments across Africa.
Rosa is very particular about empowering women, and it is unsurprising that TWG incorporates a multilingual group of diverse women from varying fields of expertise. In 2017, TWG successfully acquired shares and control over Dominion TV, a multimedia broadcasting company with a presence on DSTV, Africa’s largest satellite service.
As part of her philanthropic endeavors, Rosa worked for more than twenty years with Mercy Ships, a charity that delivers free care to those in need of medical treatment, first as a member of the International Executive Board of Directors and later as President. Her honors include the 2021 Women in International Trade’s Business Legacy Award, GUBA 2019 “Excellence in Africa Advancement” Award, and Africa Report Magazine’s “20 Most Influential Africa Lobbyists'' in 2014 among many others.
SIA-Africa names Rosa Whitaker as its Person of the Month for March 2023, for her role in advancing direct investments in Africa and for supporting women in entrepreneurship.
