The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Development Company (GTDC), Professor Kobby Mensah, has been named among the 2026 “Twelve Leaders Shaping Place Branding Right Now” by The Place Brand Observer (TPBO).
The annual list, unveiled on April 28, 2026, is curated by TPBO’s expert community to recognise practitioners, policymakers and researchers driving innovation and impact in the field of place branding. Prof. Mensah is the only West African tourism development executive featured in this year’s selection, alongside leaders from The Gambia, Estonia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Chile, Thailand, Sierra Leone and the United States.
TPBO described Prof. Mensah as a leader who “represents a convergence of academic insight and applied leadership in destination development,” noting that his appointment to lead GTDC reflects a broader shift in Ghana’s tourism strategy towards an integrated model linking investment, innovation and experience design.
With the recognition, he joins the TPBO “Who’s Who in Place Branding,” a peer network of more than 500 global professionals operating at the intersection of place, strategy and leadership.
Recognition of Ghana’s tourism reset agenda
Prof. Mensah was appointed CEO of GTDC by President John Dramani Mahama, bringing to the role a strong background in marketing, political communication and digital engagement.
He is a Professor of Marketing at the University of Ghana Business School and a Chartered Marketer (CIM, UK), widely recognised for his work on political marketing, digital strategy and brand positioning in Africa.
He is also credited with pioneering digital tourism education in Ghana through the Destination Legon Tourism Marketing Exhibition, launched in 2014. The initiative challenges students to use Virtual Reality, Artificial Intelligence and immersive storytelling tools to enable travellers to “experience” destinations before arrival.
Since assuming office at GTDC, Prof. Mensah has consistently emphasised the integration of academic knowledge with practical industry leadership, promoting innovation, sustainability and collaborative stakeholder models within Ghana’s tourism sector.
Board reaction
Commenting on the recognition, GTDC Board Chairman Ben Ohene Aryee described the honour as a collective national achievement.
“This is not Prof. Mensah’s trophy alone; it is bigger than that. It is Ghana winning, and proof that the reset agenda of His Excellency, John Dramani Mahama is working,” he said.
He added that the recognition underscores a growing global understanding that tourism is no longer a standalone sector, but a cross-cutting driver of investment promotion, cultural diplomacy, youth employment and place experience.
Global peers on the 2026 list
Prof. Mensah was profiled alongside several global leaders, including:
- Abdoulie Jobe, Minister of Tourism, The Gambia
- Andres Kask, City of Tallinn, Estonia
- Klara Enbom Burreau, Kiruna Municipality, Sweden
- Nabeela Farida Tunis, Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Sierra Leone
- and other leaders from Chile, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States.
TPBO recognition framework
TPBO’s “People to Watch” initiative identifies individuals whose work advances place branding beyond communications into policy influence, economic development and long-term value creation. Past honourees include ministers driving national repositioning, city leaders aligning tourism with talent attraction, and scholars developing measurable frameworks for reputation and soft power.
About GTDC
The Ghana Tourism Development Company Limited is mandated to promote and mobilise resources for investment in tourism ventures, facilitate equity participation in joint ventures with local and international investors, and provide financial and technical support to small and medium-sized enterprises within the tourism sector.
Post Views: 60
Discover more from The Business & Financial Times
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
