The role of administrative professionals in Africa took centre stage with the official launch of the African Institute of Personal and Executive Assistants (AIPEA) during the 2025 PA Conference.

Held from July 17–18 at the La­badi Beach Hotel, the fifth edition of the conference brought togeth­er over 200 delegates under the theme: ‘Growth for Cross-Border Relevance.’

For the first time, the event ad­opted a two-day format, enabling deeper engagement, focused workshops, and stronger regional collaboration.

Declaring the institute officially launched, Professor Robert Ebo Hinson, Visiting Lecturer at the University of Johannesburg and newly appointed member of the AIPEA Governing Council, described AIPEA as a “long-over­due institutional backbone for a profession central to organisation­al success.”

Maame Ekua Gaisey, Managing Partner of FiveSixFive Ltd, un­derscored AIPEA’s mission to em­power administrative profession­als through targeted interventions, including seminars, workshops, and the annual conference.

“Our goal is to elevate their status to that of strategic ex­ecutive partners—not just task managers,” she noted. AIPEA will also operate an open membership policy to support assistants at various career stages.

Day one featured expert-led sessions. Professor Hinson opened with “Building a corpo­rate image from the unseen seat,” highlighting visibility and influ­ence.

HR expert, Bunmi Pratt, followed with “Managing the Multi-Dimensional Needs of an International Executive,” focusing on the diverse skill set required of modern assistants. Consultant Kojo Amissah presented “Posi­tioning the PA/EA for Global Ap­peal,” while Papa Arkhurst spoke on “Public Speaking: A Relevant Cross-Border Skill for Success.”

The second day maintained momentum with a strong focus on career growth and well-being. Nix­on Amoah-Awuah, Head of HR at Ecobank Ghana PLC, spoke on “The Career Path of Personal and Executive Assistants,” encouraging long-term planning.