1 From humble beginnings of showcasing talent, the GPA (Now Global  Professional Achievers) Awards have emerged as an unparalleled Professional  Development Organisation targeting Ghanaian Professionals and Entrepreneurs in the United Kingdom and Diaspora. Through dynamic projects and Leadership  Development Programmes, the GPA contributes to harnessing business and  professional skills leading to capacity building and growth. From impacting and  initiating the UK community with excellence, it also offers a vehicle for  identifying and promoting positive role models for aspiring young people of the  African Diaspora.   Since inception in 2001, the GPA awards have emerged as an unsurpassed  annual calendar event for Ghanaians and Africans in the United Kingdom. It is  regarded not only as a prestigious and “cutting-edge” event cutting across the  divide, but also a platform highly sort after by Ghana’s UK professionals and  entrepreneurs. The GPA’s reputation is that of arbiter of quality as well as the  forum for “bridging the Gap” between Ghana and British citizens with Ghanaian  Heritage. Dubbed The “Ghanaian Oscars”, The awards have been instrumental  in highlighting achievement leading to previous award recipients securing  multimillion contracts with international organisations and mainstream UK  business.  Read More As founder, Emelia brings to the Awards immense experience from the PR and Marketing fields spanning nearly 2 decades in various communication capacities from management to director level. With keen interest in seeing executives and businesses positioned on what she terms the ‘global recognition map’, she is passionate about highlighting African achievement and recognising business and professional excellence. Ms. Bartels holds a degree in Economics and Law (KNUST) with and MBA (International marketing) from Huron University, UK. She is also a trained counselor with Diploma in Christian counseling.Emelia spearheaded several initiatives under GPA including GPA Business Class,a highly-subsidised entrepreneurship programme targeting buzzing and aspiring entrepreneurs to make them investment ready. The GPA Knowledge-is a global think-tank and network of past GPA Awards winners, leading entrepreneurs and professionals, who come together to share their knowledge, challenges and successes with other registered members. The GPA Africa Policy Group -brings together Africans who share in the goal of transforming the African continent into the new frontier of business and sustainable development.  The GPA Conference, Launched in 2007, is annual forum to discuss pertinent leadership, Business and Social issues facing a growing continent to compete in the Global village. She is also Founder and executive director of the GPA Foundationand the GPA Capital. EM Batels (CEO) Emelia has presented on TV, a personal brand strategists, she is an avid trainer and speaker at Conferences and Seminars on Public Speaking, Personal Branding, Sponsorship and Event Management as well as women in leadership. Her syndicate TV programme on sky digital network in the UK- “Business Profile” highlighted black achievement and showcased the movers and shakers in the black community.  She has received several awards in the UK for her contribution to excellence in the Black community. Emelia received The PR and Marketing Award from the Black Women In Business (BIBA) EFBWBO Awards. In 2007, Ghana’s Jubilee year, Emelia was named by the New Nation Newspaper as one of the Fifty Top influential Ghanaians in the UK.