Trevor Ariho, Chief Executive Officer of the League of East African Directors (LEAD), has been appointed to chair the Internal Planning Committee for the 6th Bi-Annual Presidential CEO Retreat.
Ariho will steer preparations for the three-day gathering set for September 9–11, 2025, at the Mountain of the Moon Hotel in Fort Portal Tourism City, where President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni will deliver the keynote address as Chief Guest.
Hosted by the Presidential CEO Forum (PCF) in collaboration with the Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife & Antiquities, this year’s retreat is themed “Transforming Uganda into a Preferred Tourism Destination: Enhancing public-private sector investment in infrastructure, Conservation, digitalisation, product diversification, marketing, and tourist safety.”
The edition arrives at a pivotal moment as Uganda seeks to harness tourism as a driver of jobs, foreign exchange, and community transformation.
By situating the retreat in Fort Portal, delegates will be immersed in some of the country’s most prized tourism assets, from Kibale National Park and the mystical Rwenzori Mountains to the iconic Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Why Trevor Ariho?
Ariho’s selection underscores government and private sector confidence in his reputation for meticulous planning, attention to detail, and unmatched mobilisation.
At LEAD, he has been instrumental in strengthening corporate governance and elevating boardroom practices across East Africa, credentials that made him the natural choice to steer the retreat’s internal planning.
His mandate is to bring together Uganda’s top CEOs to craft actionable resolutions that align private sector innovation with the government’s tourism development agenda.
In the build-up to the retreat, a series of high-level stakeholder engagements will run throughout August to shape priorities and consolidate commitments.
Irene Mwoyogwona: Beyond the Numbers – How Pride Bank's Award-Winning CFO Combines Profitability and Social ImpactThese include a Tourism Investors’ Roundtable hosted by Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia at Speke Resort Munyonyo; an MDAs Stakeholder Engagement convened by the Prime Minister with top government agencies; a special forum for Uganda’s leading creative industry actors shaping tourism experiences; and sector-specific sessions with tourism operators and innovators across the country.
Since its inception, the Presidential CEO Retreat has evolved into a trusted platform for policy-to-business alignment, fostering cross sectoral partnerships and showcasing private sector-led solutions to national challenges.
While previous editions have addressed manufacturing, agriculture, infrastructure, and ICT, the 6th edition is fully dedicated to tourism, a sector projected to be a central pillar of Uganda’s Vision 2040.
The program will feature a CEO Run in Fort Portal to promote sports tourism; panel dialogues featuring Uganda Airlines, Uganda Wildlife Authority, National Planning Authority, Uganda Tourism Board, and private sector leaders.
Tooro Kingdom will also host a Royal CEO Banquet graced by King Oyo, and special awards event will be held to recognise CEOs advancing sports tourism and sustainable tourism ventures.
The icing on the cake is the Tourism Investment Expo complemented by cultural showcases that will spotlight Uganda’s creative and cultural wealth.
The retreat will climax with President Museveni’s keynote address, setting the tone for implementation as the Chief Guest.
With Trevor Ariho at the helm of planning, the 6th Bi-Annual Presidential CEO Retreat promises to be not just a gathering of minds, but a game-changing platform to unlock Uganda’s tourism potential and cement its role as a cornerstone of national development.
