Currently, as CEO at the Tony Elumelu Foundation, Africa’s leading philanthropic organisation based in Lagos, Nigeria, Parminder oversees the strategic development and implementation of its key programmes and activities. Inspired by the Founder, Tony Elumelu’s vision to institutionalise luck and democratise opportunity to create a generation of African entrepreneurs, she joined the Foundation in April 2014 to help operationalise this vision. She designed, developed, and has implemented one of the most ambitious entrepreneurship programmes on the continent - the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme, a 10-year, $100 million commitment to identify, train, mentor, and fund 10,000 entrepreneurs from across the continent. Under her leadership, the Foundation has cemented its role as principal advocate for African entrepreneurs both on the continent and globally and empowered thousands on their path to economic and social transformation.
Prior to joining the Foundation, Parminder has enjoyed a distinguished career as an awarding winning film and television producer with BBC and Carlton Television, and as the CEO of her independent production company, Formation Films. As a private equity investor in film and media with Ingenious Media Investments and Goldcrest Films where she advised on the investment of a £20m capital fund which included investments in Oscar-winning and critically acclaimed feature films; and founder of three successful media and consultancy companies.
She has served as a Board Director of several private and public-sector boards including the UKTI Asia Task Force, UK India Business Council, Non-Executive Director of Goldcrest Films, Department for Culture Media and Sports, the UK Film Council, and The Indus Entrepreneurs UK.
Parminder has received numerous industry awards including the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her services to the Broadcasting and Film industry in 2002 and an honorary Master of Arts, in recognition of contribution to international film industry by the University for Creative Arts in 2010.