Princess Philomena Desmond-Ogugua is an international development professional, promoting
US-Africa trade and investment, advising investors and companies on doing business in Africa.
Princess Philomena has been very successful at building relationships and strategic partnerships
between US investors and companies interested in exploring the African market.
She is an accomplished executive with over twenty years of experience on Africa market entry, project and deal identification, investment facilitation, and in-depth work in infrastructure, energy,
agribusiness, financial services, healthcare and the education sectors.
Princess Philomena has a global corporate and government clientele that ranges from Nigerian
State governments, to clients in the United States, India, Nigeria, Guinea, Congo, Togo, Mali,
DRC etc. In her business development capacity, Princess Philomena is responsible for driving the
development of new business opportunities through developing strategic relationships and joint
ventures through integration and cooperation.
Previously, Princess Philomena was a Senior Consultant for Business Women Network on International Business, where she headed their international product strategy, including international product research, brand development, and market entry strategy implementation.
She was a member of the private sector coalition that worked on and lobbied for the passage of the Africa Growth and Opportunities (AGOA) act into law during President Jefferson Clinton’s administration, and was invited by President Clinton to the White House to witness the first signing into law the AGOA Bill. She has organized numerous successful trade missions to Africa from the United States and vice versa. She was a member of the private sector delegation that travelled with then President Jefferson Clinton during his State visit to Nigeria.
She has consulted on Foreign Affairs for key politicians in Africa. She crafted their foreign policies and managed their international public relations. She has strong and indebt knowledge of the countries in Sub-Saharan Africa especially the ECOWAS, COMESA and SADC regions.
She has very strong relationships with the government of the Republic of Guinea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo-Brazzaville, Republic of Angola, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, Equatorial Guinea, Sao Tome &Principe, Republic of Liberia, Burkina Faso, Niger, Togo, and South Africa, The Republic of India and People’s Republic of China; just to name a few. She has also a very good and in-depth working knowledge of the United States of America and holds dual citizenship of The United States of America and the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Princess Philomena is an experienced leader and has led international advocacy and diplomacy groups that raised funds for various organizations through her global network. She is an experienced corporate director and is on the board of numerous companies including, Good Custodian LLC, Horizon Africa Corporation, Hudson Consulting Group, Threadstone, Desmond Global Energy, Ogugua & Sons Ltd and Friends of the Children of Angola just to name a few.
She is also a consultant to the Africa Business Roundtable and has been appointed a consultant to
the Institute of Governance and Leadership in Abuja, Nigeria. She is also a precinct chair of the
Democratic Party in Virginia (VADems, Prince William County) and appointed to lead Africans
for the National Democratic Ethnic Coordinating Council (NDECC) of the Democratic National
Committee. She was a Co-National Chair of the Biden/Harris campaign for the African Diaspora
in the United States of America. She is the Chair of the Virginia African Diaspora Committee and
Chair of the State Steering Committee of the Virginia African Diaspora Committee also.
Princess Philomena is a philanthropist and has a strong passion for helping the disenfranchised and the poor in society. She has helped raise awareness for various causes including the “Get out the Vote” campaign in various African countries and in the United States.
She has been appointed as the liaison and representative of the International Cooperation Platform, Turkey (ICP), the organizers of the Bosphorus in Summit for Africa and the United States of America. She serves on the Virginia African America Advisory Board appointed by the governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Glenn Youngkin and also on the Boards of the League of Minority Voters, BPUR International (A Global organization working to enact an “International Treaty to Ban the Political Use of Religion”) and also on the Advisory Board of Anouar Association of Marrakesh, Morocco.
She received her undergraduate degree from Rowan State University, in Glassboro, New Jersey with a concentration in Microbiology. She has a Masters degree in Business and Public Administration with a concentration in International Business & Public Administration from Southeastern University in Washington, DC and also did graduate work at George Washington University Washington, on Public Health and Howard University on Microbiology.
Affiliations:
o Virginia African Diaspora Committee
o Member of the Board of Virginia African American Advisory Council
o Member of the Board of League of Minority Voters with headquarters in Oregon
o Vice-President and Founding Member, African Business Women Network
o Member, American/African Business Women Association
o Member, Association of Women in International Business
o Member, Nigeria Peoples Forum
o Member of Believe in Africa
o Vice-Chair, Friends of the Children of Angola
o Member of the Board of Anouar Association; We Help To Improve the Life of Every
Child
o Member of the Advisory Council Board of the International Treaty To Ban The Political
Use of Religion (BPUR)
POLITICAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
1992 & 1996: Bill Clinton Campaign team in the Commonwealth of Virginia and also part of the
National Campaign team.
1999: Democratic National Committee Campaign Team for Vice President Al Gore Presidential
Election
2003: John Kerry Presidential Campaign. National Delegate to State of Ohio.
2005: President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s Campaign Team and Inauguration Planning Committee
Member.
2007 & 2011: National Democratic Committee Campaign Team in the Commonwealth of Virginia
for President Barack Obama election and re-election and Lead Campaigner of the Ethic Diaspora
Africans.
2010: Professor Alpha Conde’s Presidential Campaign Team in Conakry, Republic of Guinea.
2015: Hilary Campaign Team and National Convention Team in Philadelphia
2019: Nationa Co-Chair African Diapora for Biden/Harris, part of the Biden Campaign Orgaization.
2021: Chair Virginia African Diaspora Committee.
Presently, appointed by the Democratic National Committee as member of the National
Democratic Ethic Coordinating Committee (NDECC) of the Democratic Party in charge of the
African Diasporas.
Member of the Virginia Democratic Party and the coordinator for membership and mobilization of
the Women Caucus, Prince William County Democratic Party in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
2022: Patron Organizing for Atiku-Okowa Initiative and Doctors for Atiku-Okowa Network (For
Medical Missions).
