As the Stanford Seed Network Global Summit 2025 approaches, we caught up with Brian Hammond, Chairman of the Nigeria Planning Committee, to discuss the Network's preparations for this landmark event. In this interview, Brian shares insights into the Chapter's role in the Summit, the planning process, and what attendees can expect. Let’s hear from him!

Q: Can you introduce yourself to the SSTN community? Tell us a bit about your background and your role as the Chairman of the South African Summit Planning Committee.

A: My name is Brian Hammond, and I’m currently a Director at Impact Hub Lagos, an entrepreneurship hub that inspires, connects, and enables entrepreneurs to grow and scale sustainable businesses that make a positive impact in the world. My journey with Stanford Seed began in 2018 when I joined the Stanford Seed Transformation Program (STP) as part of Cohort 9 while serving as the CEO of IMC Plantations Ltd., the largest oil palm plantation and mill in Delta State. I’m proud to share that the company was successfully sold in 2023.

From October 2020 to October 2024, I had the privilege of serving as the President of the Stanford Seed Nigeria Network. This role allowed me to work closely with our incredible members and deepen my connection with our vibrant community.

On a personal note, I enjoy reading and socializing, and my educational background includes qualifications in Mechanical Engineering, Finance, Chartered Accountancy, and Psychology—a mix that has shaped my approach to leadership and problem-solving.

As the Chairman of the 2025 Seed Summit Planning Committee (Cape Town), my primary responsibility is to lead the committee in ensuring that Nigerian participants have a smooth experience attending the summit while making sure it is a resounding success for everyone involved. This involves close collaboration with the Nigerian Seed Executive Committee, Stanford Seed Nigeria administration, and Stanford Seed Global leadership.

Some of the key responsibilities of the Summit Planning Committee include:

• Guiding network members through the South African visa application process by providing all necessary information and ensuring deadlines are met.

• Sharing details on cost-effective and convenient flight options to South Africa.

• Keeping members updated with accurate information, guidelines, and announcements from Stanford Seed regarding the summit.

• Coordinating group airport pickups in South Africa based on members’ arrival dates.

• Promoting a strong Nigerian presence at the summit by planning unique activities that showcase our chapter’s energy and creativity.

• Serving as a point of contact for any questions or concerns members may have about attending the summit.

• Fostering a sense of community among attendees by encouraging collaboration, support, and shared learning experiences during the event.

• Collecting feedback after the summit to understand members’ experiences and provide insights for future event planning.

• Encouraging attendees to leverage connections made at the summit for ongoing business development within the Stanford Seed community.

Ultimately, my goal is to ensure that every Nigerian participant feels supported throughout this process and returns from Cape Town with meaningful connections, new knowledge, and inspiration to drive their businesses forward.

Q: Organizing a summit of this scale is no small task. Can you give us a behind-the-scenes look at what the planning process has been like?

A: This year’s Seed Summit has by far the largest interest from our members (77 Members and guests), partly due to Cape Town (South Africa) being one of the most beautiful destinations in the world, and our network is so vibrant and willing to explore to meet new people and take advantage of new opportunities across Africa.

Q: Can you share any details about keynote speakers, special sessions, or networking opportunities available? 

A: Like all the previous Stanford Seed Summits, we have a great lineup of GSB faculty and speakers. Some have taught us before, like Jesper Sorensen (Prof. of Organisational Behaviour) and Sarah Soule (New Dean of Stanford GSB). We also have new speakers such as Matt Abrahams (Organisational Behaviour Lecturer) and S. Christian Wheeler (Prof. of Marketing and Prof. of Management).

Q: What advice would you give to first-time attendees on how to make the most out of the event? 

A: First-time attendees should plan in advance what they want to get out of the Summit and trip to Cape Town in general. Network members know the types of businesses they want to be introduced to, and also be open to brand new opportunities they never thought of by introducing themselves and networking with people who are not in their current sectors. Interesting collaborations in the future can cope with this.

Attending all Summit events, including the “Company Excursions in Cape Town” is also important to get the most out of the trip. The Summit Committee will communicate fun group sightseeing and other activities that we can do together after the Summit ends on Saturday 5th April.

Q: With the summit just around the corner, what’s your message to Network members and potential attendees? 

A: This year Seed Summit will be the largest ever, with over 500 attendees in total from all Network countries and California.

This is a tremendous opportunity to have world-class learning from Stanford GSB faculty, increase our business network collaboration opportunities, expand into new products and markets, and make new lifelong friendships. The whole Seed Global Network is so happy that this will be our largest and most successful Seed Summit so far, and your passionate interest in meeting new members from other countries to help grow your businesses has made this possible.

Please remember to reach out to Seed Summit Committee members if you need assistance relating to the trip, from travel arrangements to activities while we are in Cape Town.

You may also visit the official Summit website - seednetworksummit.world - for all the information about the Summit itself.

Please also book your excursions now at the Summit website, as there is limited capacity for these company visits.

The Seed Nigeria Summit Committee, Exco, and Trustees are looking forward to seeing you in Cape Town!

God bless you all and see you soon!

Committee Members:

1. Brian Hammond

2. Morenike Basharu

3. Iroghama Ogbeifun

4. Rasheed Jaiyeola

5. Funmi Babs-Dada