Dr.John Kobina Richardson (1936-2010) was a Ghanaian industrialist who was chairman and managing director of Pioneer Tobacco. Richardson was President of the

Association of Ghana Industries Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) is the umbrella body that regulates the activities of industries in Ghana. The body also lobbies the Government of Ghana on issues that affect industries in the country. Industrial conference in China The ass ...

from 1987 to 1993.

Early life and education

Richardson was born in 1936. He had his secondary education at

Accra Academy Accra Academy is a Non-denominational Christianity, non-denominational Day School, day and Boarding School, boarding Single-sex education, boys' school. It is located at Bubuashie near Kaneshie in the Greater Accra Region. The school was establishe ...

completing in 1955. He graduated from the Kumasi College of Technology and continued to the

University of Ghana The University of Ghana is a public university located in Accra, Ghana. It the oldest and largest of the thirteen Ghanaian national public universities. The university was founded in 1948 as the University College of the Gold Coast in the Br ...

, from which he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in

Economics Economics () is the social science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and intera ...

in 1962.

Career

In the period immediately after his

university education Higher education is tertiary education leading to award of an academic degree. Higher education, also called post-secondary education, third-level or tertiary education, is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after completio ...

, Richardson joined the Pioneer Tobacco Company. Richardson rose in rank from a number of senior positions to become the company's managing director and later, combined the position of managing director and chairman. He was the first Ghanaian to take over the running of a large multinational corporation. Richardson was a member of the advisory council of the Ghana Employers Association and the

School of Administration A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compulsor ...

of the

. He was the First Vice President of the

before becoming President of the Association from 1987 to 1993. In 1989, Richardson helped set-up the

Ghana Stock Exchange The Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) is the principal stock exchange of Ghana. The exchange was incorporated in July 1989 with trading commencing in 1990. It currently lists 42 stock, equities (from 37 company, companies) and 2 corporate bonds. All type ...

by serving on a ten-man national committee for its establishment. Richardson was made Chairman of the University Council of the

, Legon from 1991 to 1997, becoming the first alumni of the university to take up the role of chairman of the University Council. Richardson served as chairman of

Merchant Bank A merchant bank is historically a bank dealing in commercial loans and investment. In modern British usage it is the same as an investment bank. Merchant banks were the first modern banks and evolved from medieval merchants who traded in commodi ...

from 1990 to December 2002. He was Chairman of Leaseafric Ghana, an asset finance and leasing company. In June 2002, Richardson was appointed as chairman of the Interim Management Committee for the

Tema Oil Refinery The Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) is one of two crude oil refineries in Ghana. History The refinery is in Tema, the most industrialized city in Ghana. It is from Accra, the capital of Ghana. The refinery was first named the Ghanaian Italian Petroleum ...

. A year later, Richardson was named as chairman of the board of the

Ghana Civil Aviation Authority GCAA or Ghana Civil Aviation Authority is the civil aviation authority and regulatory agency of the Republic of Ghana for air transportation in the country. It has its headquarters in Kotoka Airport in Accra.1936 births Alumni of the Accra Academy University of Ghana alumni 2010 deaths {{Ghana-bio-stub