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Rania El Rafie Appointed to Jury Panel of the 50 Most Influential African Women in Sports Awards 2025/2026

APO Group

APO Group (https://APO-opa.com) is proud to announce that Rania El Rafie, Vice President of Public Relations and Strategic Communications, has been appointed to the Jury Panel for the 2025/2026 editions of the 50 Most Influential African Women in Sports Awards, an initiative recognising groundbreaking contributions and leadership by women across the African sports ecosystem.

Organised by Africa Sports Ventures Group (ASVG) and the Women Sports Africa Network (WSAN), the 50 Most Influential African Women in Sports Awards honour outstanding female leaders, athletes, executives, and changemakers who are reshaping the African sports landscape. The esteemed Jury Panel features professionals from across the continent and the diaspora, including Albert Kyei Frimpong, President of WBSC Africa and Board Member of the Confederation of African Olympic Sports Associations (CASOL), and Dr. Maha Zaoui, an experienced sports management expert currently serving as General Manager of Rugby Africa.

“I’m honoured to be considered for the Jury Panel of the 50 Most Influential African Women in Sports Awards for 2025 and 2026,” said El Rafie. “This platform plays a vital role in amplifying the voices and achievements of women shaping the future of African sport, and I’m proud to contribute to that mission.”

El Rafie is a seasoned public relations executive with over 22 years of experience across Africa and the Middle East. Based in Cairo, Egypt, she currently serves as Vice President of Public Relations and Strategic Communications at APO Group, where she became the first and youngest person internally promoted to this executive role in January 2024. She has led award-winning campaigns recognised by SABRE Awards, Brands Review Magazine, and World Business Outlook, and was recently awarded a Bronze Stevie® Award in the Most Innovative Woman of the Year 2025 category, and was recognised as one of Africa’s Top 50 Outstanding Women in Communications.

Her experience in sports communication spans the NFL, Basketball Africa League, International Olympic Committee (IOC), and FIFA. She has also driven pan-African communications strategy for major brands such as Canon, Nestlé, TikTok, and Afreximbank. With a degree in Business Administration from the American University in Dubai, Rania brings strategic insight, media expertise, and a passion for sports and empowerment to the jury’s mission.

The announcement coincides with the official launch of the Awards’ new digital platform – (https://apo-opa.co/3SxXj9A) – a hub dedicated to honouring and celebrating the achievements of African women in sports. The site will serve as the central point for information, nominations, and public engagement in the lead-up to the 2025 Awards ceremony, scheduled to take place on 31 July 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya. All nominations will be reviewed by an independent Selection Committee.

This joint initiative marks a landmark moment for African women in sports, aiming to increase visibility, recognition, and opportunities across administration, business, media, technology, and athletics.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of APO Group.

About APO Group: 
Founded in 2007, APO Group (https://APO-opa.com) is the leading award-winning pan-African communications consultancy and press release distribution service. Renowned for our deep-rooted African expertise and expansive global perspective, we specialise in elevating the reputation and brand equity of private and public organisations across Africa. As a trusted partner, our mission is to harness the power of media, crafting bespoke strategies that drive tangible, measurable impact both on the continent and globally.   

Our commitment to excellence and innovation has been recognised with multiple prestigious awards, including a PRovoke Media Global SABRE Award and multiple PRovoke Media Africa SABRE Awards. In 2023, we were named the Leading Public Relations Firm Africa and the Leading Pan-African Communications Consultancy Africa in the World Business Outlook Awards, and the Best Public Relations and Media Consultancy of the Year South Africa in 2024 in the same awards. In 2025, Brands Review Magazine acknowledged us as the Leading Communications Consultancy in Africa for the second consecutive year. They also named us the Best PR Agency and the Leading Press Release Distribution Platform in Africa in 2024. Additionally, in 2025, we were honoured with the Gold distinction for Best PR Campaign and Bronze in the Special Event category at the Davos Communications Awards. 

APO Group's esteemed clientele, which includes global giants such as Canon, Nestlé, Western Union, the UNDP, Network International, African Energy Chamber, Mercy Ships, Marriott, Africa’s Business Heroes, and Liquid Intelligent Technologies, reflects our unparalleled ability to navigate the complex African media landscape. With a multicultural team across Africa, we offer unmatched, truly pan-African insights, expertise, and reach across the continent. APO Group is dedicated to reshaping narratives about Africa, challenging stereotypes, and bringing inspiring African stories to global audiences, with our expertise in developing and supporting public relations campaigns worldwide uniquely positioning us to amplify brand messaging, enhance reputations, and connect effectively with target audiences.  

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APO Group is proud to announce that Rania El Rafie, Vice President of Public Relations and Strategic Communications, has been appointed to the Jury Panel for the 2025/2026 editions of the 50 Most Influential African Women in Sports Awards, an initiative recognising groundbreaking contributions and leadership by women across the African sports ecosystem.
Organised by Africa Sports Ventures Group (ASVG) and the Women Sports Africa Network (WSAN), the 50 Most Influential African Women in Sports Awards honour outstanding female leaders, athletes, executives, and changemakers who are reshaping the African sports landscape. The esteemed Jury Panel features professionals from across the continent and the diaspora, including Albert Kyei Frimpong, President of WBSC Africa and Board Member of the Confederation of African Olympic Sports Associations (CASOL), and Dr. Maha Zaoui, an experienced sports management expert currently serving as General Manager of Rugby Africa.

“I’m honoured to be considered for the Jury Panel of the 50 Most Influential African Women in Sports Awards for 2025 and 2026,” said El Rafie. “This platform plays a vital role in amplifying the voices and achievements of women shaping the future of African sport, and I’m proud to contribute to that mission.”

El Rafie is a seasoned Public Relations executive with over 22 years of experience across Africa and the Center East. Based in Cairo, Egypt, she currently serves as Vice President of Public Relations and Strategic Communications at APO Group, where she became the first and youngest person internally promoted to this executive role in January 2024. She has led award-winning campaigns recognised by SABRE Awards, Brands Review Magazine, and World Business Outlook, and was recently awarded a Bronze Stevie® Award in the Most Innovative Woman of the Year 2025 category, and was recognised as one of Africa’s Top 50 Outstanding Women in Communications.

Her experience in sports communication spans the NFL, Basketball Africa League, International Olympic Committee (IOC), and FIFA. She has also driven pan-African communications strategy for major brands such as Canon, Nestlé, TikTok, and Afreximbank. With a degree in Business Administration from the American University in Dubai, Rania brings strategic insight, media expertise, and a passion for sports and empowerment to the jury’s mission.

The announcement coincides with the official launch of the Awards’ new digital platform – a hub dedicated to honouring and celebrating the achievements of African women in sports. The site will serve as the central point for information, nominations, and public engagement in the lead-up to the 2025 Awards ceremony, scheduled to take place on 31 July 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya. All nominations will be reviewed by an independent Selection Committee.

This joint initiative marks a landmark moment for African women in sports, aiming to increase visibility, recognition, and opportunities across administration, business, media, technology, and athletics.

Per Kind Favour of APO

Africa Fact: Malian sailors got to America in 1311 AD, 181 years before Columbus. An Egyptian scholar, Ibn Fadl Al-Umari, published on this sometime around 1342. In the tenth chapter of his book, there is an account of two large maritime voyages ordered by the predecessor of Mansa Musa, a king who inherited the Malian throne in 1312. This mariner king is not named by Al-Umari, but modern writers identify him as Mansa Abubakari II.

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