Africa House Future Forum Davos 2025

Daniel Barankin is the founder and CEO of 6ix, a financial technology company on a mission to unlock social mobility on a global scale by empowering anyone from anywhere to invest in anything. Their flagship product, 6ix Events, has networked more than 100,000 investors with more than 400 companies since 2016.

Coralie LOLLIOT is the Director of Women Working for Change – WFC, the leading network and platform of top female business leaders in Africa (powered by Jeune Afrique Media Group. Since its creation in 2015, WFC has been a catalyst and trusted partner, in the lives of +4200 African Top businesswomen, Directors and CEOs, hungry for change and driven to succeed.

Gina Din-Kariuki is a Kenyan businesswoman specializing in strategic communication and public relations in Kenya. She is best known as the founder and executive chair of Gina Din Corporate Communications, which she started after leaving her job as a Communications manager at Barclays Bank of Kenya in 1997.

Thebe Ikalafeng is a Hall of Fame global African branding authority and THE leading advocate for a brand-led African renaissance. He is a trailblazing marketer who has been recognized as one of the Most Influential and Reputable Africans. Since being awarded a Marquette University American Marketing Association for marketing excellence upon graduation in 1992 in the United States, he has made a sustained, distinguished and consequential contribution to branding and in reframing the African narrative for over 30 years. He is the founder of Brand Leadership Group, a multi-disciplinary branding advisory group at the intersection of strategy, creativity and intellectual property law; and Brand Africa, the seminal non-profit pan-African movement for a brand-led African agenda, and pioneer of the ‘Brand Africa 100: Africa’s Best Brands’ initiative, widely referenced as the definitive barometer of brands in Africa. He has been recognized with Lifetime Achievement awards by Financial Mail AdFocus (2021) and the Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa (2022) for his contributions to marketing, branding and communications, and received a Special Recognition award for ‘extraordinary contributions to branding and Africa at the 7th EMY Africa (2023) in Ghana and was honoured as an “Industry Icon” at the GQ Men of the Year awards in 2023. He has been conferred with Honorary Doctoral degrees (PhD)(Honoris Causa) by the University of Johannesburg and the University of South Africa for exceptional contributions to the industry, branding and Africa. He has been to every country in Africa and every continent in the world from Cape to Cairo, and the North Pole in Greenland to the South Pole in Antarctica.

Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli is the President/CEO of the ONE Campaign. She has over 25 years of international development experience and has been deeply involved in fostering impactful solutions in the global social innovation landscape, with a focus on Africa. Ndidi started her career at McKinsey & Company’s Chicago office and returned to Nigeria in 2000 to serve as the pioneer Executive Director of the FATE Foundation. She is the founder of LEAP Africa, a non-profit committed to developing dynamic, innovative and principled African leaders and African Food Changemakers, which provides support for African entrepreneurs to start and scale resilient and sustainable agribusinesses. She is also the co-founder of Sahel Consulting Agriculture & Nutrition Ltd. and AACE Foods Processing & Distribution Ltd.

Sahar Albazar is an Egyptian Member of Parliament and currently serves as the Deputy Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee at the Egyptian House of Representatives. Recently elected as Chair of Women Parliamentary Council, representing 190 countries. Previously, Sahar held the prestigious position of President at the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) forum of young parliamentarians. She is also the Head of the Harvard women in defense, diplomacy, and development, focusing on initiatives and challenges pertinent to Sub-Saharan Africa. In 2022, Sahar was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, and In the same year, Yale University honored her as a World Fellow. Sahar holds a Master of Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School.

Yann Le Pallec is President of S&P Global Ratings and a member of the Company’s Executive Leadership Team. He has ultimate responsibility for all aspects of the business, including commercial, analytical, control and operations functions. He is based in Paris and heads the S&P Global Ratings Operating Committee. Mr. Le Pallec chairs the Board of CRISIL Ltd, a global provider of benchmarks and analytics for the financial community that also owns CRISIL Ratings, a leading credit rating agency in India. CRISIL Ltd is listed on BSE (formerly Bombay Stock Exchange). Previously, Mr. Le Pallec was the Executive Managing Director and Head of Global Ratings Services which oversees Analytics, Research, and Operations, encompassing more than 2,200 analysts and support staff across 28 countries who cover more than one million outstanding ratings on entities and securities across a range of sectors, including governments, corporations, financial institutions and structured finance. Since joining S&P Global Ratings in 1999, Mr. Le Pallec has held a diverse array of roles, including Head of Global Corporate Ratings, leading a group of 500 analysts responsible for coverage of more than 4,000 non-financial corporations worldwide. Before that he led S&P Global’s credit ratings business in EMEA, managing a team of more than 900 ratings analysts and support staff across a dozen offices. Previously, he was Head of EMEA Corporate and Government Ratings, after serving in various managerial and analytical positions in the Insurance and Sovereign & Public Sector groups. Mr. Le Pallec is the S&P Global Executive Sponsor for the Company's PRIDE People Resource Group, which is dedicated to maintaining a supportive work environment for LGBTQ+ colleagues. Prior to joining S&P Global, Mr. Le Pallec worked for nine years at Paris-based auditing and financial services firm Salustro Reydel. Mr. Le Pallec holds a master's degree in Business from the Ecole Supérieure des Sciences Economique et Commerciales (ESSEC) in France.

Maryam Khansari, born in 1984 in Tehran, serves as the Managing Director of Herison Company, one of Iran's foremost construction firms with a rich history spanning over sixty years. The company has been instrumental in a variety of infrastructure projects, including industrial sites, power stations, refineries, sports complexes, sewage treatment plants, residential buildings, roads, and bridges. Additionally, Maryam holds a pivotal role as a board member and International Relations Manager at the Syndicate of Construction Companies of Iran, the oldest syndication in the country. She plays a key part in advocating for the private sector's rights in engineering and construction. Maryam is also a Global Member of the Trilateral Commission, reflecting her engagement and influence in international affairs. Committed to a sustainable future, Maryam aspires to integrate eco-friendly practices within the construction industry, fostering environmental stewardship. She is also an advocate for gender diversity, actively supporting the empowerment of women in business leadership.

Moky Makura was born in Nigeria, educated in England and has lived in London, Johannesburg and Lagos. She has been a TV presenter, producer, author, publisher and a successful entrepreneur in her own right. She is currently the Executive Director of Africa No Filter, a donor collaborative focused on shifting the African narrative. Moky started her media career as the African Anchor and field reporter for South Africa’s award-winning news and actuality show – Carte Blanche. She conceptualized, co-produced and presented a lifestyle TV series for the pan African pay TV channel MNet called “Living It”, which focused on the lifestyles of the African continent’s wealthy elite. She also played a lead role in the groundbreaking and popular MNet Pan-African drama series Jacob’s Cross. Her book Africa’s Greatest Entrepreneurs with a foreword written by Richard Branson, featured on the top 10 best-selling business books in South Africa when it launched. Moky has since compiled and published a number of non-fiction titles under her imprint MME Media. Titles include South Africa’s Greatest Entrepreneurs, Going Global which tells the stories of South Africa’s most successful global companies and a biography of one of its top entrepreneurs; Herman Mashaba, called Black Like You. Moky started a fiction book series called Nollybooks aimed at getting young Africans to read, and then adapted the series for television co-producing over 21 television movies for the South African TV station etv. The books are available on Worldreader, and Okadabooks.

Ozwald Boateng is a fashion designer. Born in Ghana in the late 1960s and brought up in north London, Boateng studied computing before dropping out to pursue fashion. He began making bespoke suits in 1990, and is widely credited with introducing Savile Row tailoring to a new generation. The first tailor to stage a catwalk show in Paris, Boateng's many clients include Will Smith, Laurence Fishburne, Jamie Foxx, Samuel L. Jackson, Keanu Reeves, and Mick Jagger. While studying computing at Southwark College, he was introduced to cutting and designing clothes by his girlfriend at the time. With the help of his mother, who was an excellent seamstress, he started selling his mother's designs to passers-by along Portobello Road. At twenty-three, disllusioned with a mundane job in IT, he had set himself up full-time in business. Keen to learn the best of traditional tailoring, Boateng would find out who best stitched buttonholes, who set sleeves the best way, who made the best linings and so on, at the same time developing his own style and look. Boateng sees himself as more than a tailor, and more than a designer, so he coined the term 'bespoke couturier'. He was appointed creative director of Givenchy menswear in 2003. On June 22, 2006, the Sundance Channel began airing a reality television series called House of Boateng which follows Boateng's efforts to launch his Bespoke Couture line in the United States. Boateng lives with his wife and two children in central London, and was recently named one of the 100 Great Black Britons by The Voice and the Greater London Authority. He was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2006 Queen's New Year's Honours.

Thomas Ermacora is a regeneration architect, tech-for-good entrepreneur and futures thinker focused on urban sustainability and community resilience. Having worked with key iconoclasts in urban futures such as Frank Gehry, Jan Gehl, and John Norquist, he stands as one of the new strategic leaders helping transition cities towards more socially inclusive and resource intelligent designs - paving the way for increasingly distributed and open source societies. Author of Recoded City, published by Routledge in 2015, he is the founder and creative lead of Limewarf.org Cultural Innovation hub, MachinesRoom.Org circular economy Fablab in London, and Clear Village tactical urbanism agency. Ermacora speaks and lectures in numerous conferences on maker culture, social innovation, and industry 4.0 districts. He is a LEAD fellow of Clinton Global Initiative, contributing member of Nationswell, TED and a founding partner of Fabcity with the MIT Bits and Atoms Center.

Daniela Herrmann is a tech, business, and financial industry leader who is passionate about innovation for global good. Investing in businesses that have global reach and significant impact, she brings a wealth of experience in growing and scaling small and midsize companies set to change the future. Daniela is the Co-Founder of Dynex, the world’s first Quantum-as-a-Service solving real-world problems at scale. She is also the Mission Leader of Dynex Moonshots, which is part of the Dynex Ecosystem and invests in companies, research programs, and grant initiatives with a mission to accelerate ‘moonshot’ solutions for the betterment of the world and beyond. Daniela is also the president and founder of the Topan® Ecosystem (2011), including Topan® and Mapufin®, a group of innovation-driven companies across business, finance and investment management, focused on developing Economic, Ecological and Ethical values (Triple-E® tech). Topan® (2011), provides growth and scale companionship along with Triple-E® implementation and measurement. Mapufin® (2019), is a data-science and AI-driven proprietary FinTech company that designs quantitative sustainable investment strategy solutions for structured products. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of St. Gallen and an MBA from the University of Zurich. She held an executive role with the leading European asset manager in the Socially Responsible Investing (SRI). Daniela was a finalist at the Enterprising Women of the Year Awards in 2014, and a nominee for the 'Woman in Tech Award 2020'.

John Kamara by heart is a Tech Entrepreneur with over 20 successful years of experience working in new market acquisitions across various technology verticals in Europe, America, Asia and Africa. John is one of Africa’s leading experts on how businesses can leverage key technology trends, instantly transform organizations and drive competitive advantage for impact in industries including finance, agriculture, health, education, gaming and startup enterprises. Having founded and successfully sold his first company Spade Social – a lifestyle and entertainment-focused tech startup (2009 – 2012), John dedicates his time to sharing his extensive knowledge, experiences and networking with up-and-coming entrepreneurs in tech and beyond fueled by his passion to see more successful tech-driven companies launch out of Africa

Oshiorenoya is the founder & CEO of Koniku Inc., the world’s first neuro-computing company. Koniku is building next generation computational platforms with actual biological neurons or wet neurochips. Oshiorenoya and his team view real biological neurons as a material to be engineered - just like silicon. “We have engineered silicon for the last 60 years and exhausted that value. Building with biology, the most advanced technology known to man, is the next step,” he says. For the past 15 years, Oshiorenoya has worked in robotics, optics, computational neuroscience, and bioengineering. He led a cross-disciplinary team to develop an in vitro reflex arc for modelling implantable neural chips and completed a design for a peripheral nerve implant. Oshiorenoya is a theoretical physicist by training and earned a PhD in Computational Neuroscience and Bioengineering at the Imperial College in London.

Expert strategist with a global outlook, dedicated to promoting sustainable innovation and facilitating impactful investments with strategic insights. Tarisai leads investments for Cultiv8.

Ameer Ibrahim is from Glasgow, Scotland. He formerly served as the firm’s climate investments advisor and Head of Strategy at Carbonbase, a climate tech firm working on carbon registry built on blockchain technology. He previously worked as an Investment Banking Analyst at HSBC and PWC in London. he is a board member and trustee at Edinburgh University and the Clinton Global Initiative University. he has been a delegate at COP 26, 27 and 28.

Twitter Liesbet Steer is a Senior Advisor at Systemiq and Board Chair at ODI Global. Previously, Steer served as the President and CEO of the Education Development Center, where she led a team of 1,400 professionals working on learning, health, and youth and workforce development, helping to drive the organization’s strategy, growth, diversification, and impact in the United States and around the globe. Prior to that, Steer served as the Director of the Education Comission, where she oversaw the implementation of the Commission’s recommendations, including the design of the International Finance Facility for Education (IFFEd), the introduction of reform and results based approaches in Pioneer Countries, a new Education Workforce Initiative and the development of global accountability measures. She has more than 20 years of experience in international development research and policy. Steer was a Fellow at the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution and Director of the Overseas Development Institute’s (ODI) flagship program on Development Progress, financed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. As a fellow of ODI’s Centre for Aid and Public Expenditure, she also worked on issues of development finance, aid effectiveness, and the production and use of impact evaluations. Between 1997 and 2007, Liesbet lived and worked in Vietnam, Indonesia, Laos and Cambodia. She directed the economic reform program for the Asia Foundation in Indonesia, a technical assistance and research program on local economic development and growth. She also worked with the World Bank and IFC on private sector reform and the design and evaluation of SME development programs in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

Seema is the EY Global Immigration Leader for Government Affairs and Financial Services and the EY EMEIA Immigration Leader. She works with global governments on transformative immigration policy, driven by environmental, social and governance (ESG) values. Seema supports EY clients on global immigration, cross-border remote work, strategic global talent location, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), risk, compliance and multi-jurisdiction private client cases. She leads on geostrategic and climate migration. Seema has spent 20 years at the leading-edge of immigration law, practicing at leading chambers in complex immigration, extradition and international law cases before moving to corporate practice. She has co-authored award-winning reports on immigration policy and remote working and was the Consultancy Lead for Talent and Skills in the UK’s landmark Kalifa Review of Fintech.

Daphne Kis is the President of WorldQuant University focusing on advancing its global reach. Originally a member of WQU's advisory board, she served as the University's CEO and as Board Director from 2016 through 2023, building the University from a concept to a fully accredited online institution that has impacted tens of thousands of students across the globe with its quantitative and technical skills programming. To further this mission to make education globally accessible to qualified learners, she is also a member of the World Economic Forum’s Skills First Alliance, which has developed a skills taxonomy that can be globally applied to close skills gaps. As a dynamic entrepreneur and leader, Kis has been at the forefront of identifying, chronicling, and transforming trends in technology, education, and business for over 30 years.

​Ludovic Claude is the founder of Aquaful. Aquaful is an early-stage social enterprise on a mission to deliver equitable and sustainable access to safe drinking water to vulnerable urban populations in Francophone Africa. Aquaful is currently designing its business model, fundraising in order to implement a pilot for this impactful and exciting venture. Ludovic previously worked at Citibank in London focusing on Fixed-Income and Equity for the Euronext markets. He also worked as a financial advisor on infrastructure projects for consultancy firms such as Deloitte in Gabon, and BDO in London. He is a keen tutor both in French, Finance and Math during his spare time. With an innovative finance-focused MBA degree from the University of Oxford, coupled with a CFA level I passed with flying colours, and more than 8 year-experience in sustainable finance, he has been able to make a lasting difference in people's lives, on business's bottom lines and on the planet. He is passionate about water and development. Ludovic can speak French and English fluently, and Spanish proficiently. His unique skills and diverse cultural background are key assets for his new venture Aquaful given his proven track record through consistent results on sustainability-focused projects.

Prior to his appointment at Imperial, he served as Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Bristol from 2015 to 2022, and President of University College Dublin (UCD) from 2004 to 2013. A graduate of UCD, Professor Brady trained in general medicine and nephrology, and was awarded PhD and MD degrees for research in renal physiology and molecular medicine, respectively. His academic career as a physician-scientist included positions at Harvard Medical School, the University of Toronto and UCD. He is an international authority on the pathogenesis of renal inflammation and diabetic kidney disease. Professor Brady is a recipient of an Honorary Doctorate of Science from the Queen’s University Belfast, Honorary Fellowships from the Royal College of Anaesthetists in Ireland and Royal College of Physicians London, and the Robert Menzies Medal from the University of Melbourne. Professor Brady is a member of the Royal College of Art’s Council, and the League of European Research Universities (LERU) Rectors' Assembly. He was non-executive director of Kerry Group plc from 2014 to 2024 and non-executive director of ICON plc from 2014 to 2022. He chaired Ireland’s Public Health Reform Expert Advisory Group, and served as a member of Ireland’s Higher Education Authority.

Dr. Peter Drobac is the inaugural CEO of Crucible, a startup unlocking Africa's human potential by launching a network of secondary school leadership academies for the continent's most talented teenagers. An educator, doctor and social entrepreneur, Peter is the former Director of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at the University of Oxford. Previously, he co-founded and led the University of Global Health Equity, a new university in Rwanda that was recently ranked the fourth best university in Africa by Times Higher Education.

Paul Russo is the Chief Executive Officer of KCB Group PLC. He is a member of the Boards of KCB Group PLC, KCB Bank Kenya and BPR Bank Rwanda Plc. He is also a member of the Kenya Bankers Association Governing Council, the banking industry lobbying arm. He steers one of the largest banks in the East African region with assets of over $10 billion and a market capitalization of over $1.1 billion. With presence in Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and a Representative office in Ethiopia, the Bank serves over 30million retail and corporate banking customers primarily through digital channels and over 495 branches. The Bank has a wide network of correspondent relationships with over 200 institutions across the globe. Paul is responsible for overseeing the transformation of KCB Group into the undisputed leader in the financial services sector and a customer focused financial powerhouse. He has extensive experience in banking, strategy, operational and people management. Paul has been involved in the running key strategic assignments within the Group, including serving as receiver manager for Chase Bank (in Receivership), Managing Director leading NBK’s turnaround strategy, and the Regional Businesses Director looking after the KCB Group’s international subsidiaries. He is passionate about wholehearted customer service, defining a culture of collaboration and engagement, driving execution, and creating a sense of urgency towards writing the next chapter in the Bank’s history.

He promotes digital inclusivity through his investment in MetroFibre Networx, which provides reliable and high-quality fibre internet connectivity. To date, more than 301,481 households in South Africa have been connected to fibre networks by MetroFibre. During COVID-19 pandemic, he assisted a Community in South Africa by donating 75 temporary units. These units provided safe housing for 300 people during the crisis. He is involved in a few startup businesses, supporting Green Riders, a last mile mobility delivery business and aims to create 50,000 green jobs over the next 5 years. He recently invested in a kickboxing league SFL in South Africa and preparing the youth for the 2028 Olympics. Together with his wife they are the founding donors of the Global Surgery Foundation, and they have supported an educational bursary program that benefited 60 students in Africa.

Alloysius Attah is the Co-Founder and CEO of Farmerline. He launched Farmerline in 2013 to transform millions of farmers into successful entrepreneurs. This mission was inspired by his own 15 years’ experience on the farm, which exposed him to some of the biggest challenges small-scale farmers go through to access information and services to produce and sell more food. Today, the company has profiled and served over 200,000 farmers and mapped 700,000 hectares of farmland across 11 countries. Mr Attah leads the overall strategy and vision of Farmerline and also focuses his efforts on business development and product design. He has received numerous awards for his work, including CBNC Africa’s Young Business Leader Award in 2017. He also became a laureate of the King Baudoin African Development Prize in 2017. Farmerline won the FT/IFC Transformational Business Award for Achievement in Sustainable Agriculture in 2016.

Amer has almost 20 years experience as a trusted advisor and investor to entrepreneurs and wealthy families, guiding them on growing and preserving their wealth. He has deep expertise across all aspects of investing - from private equity (venture capital to growth), corporate finance (M&A) through to banking and wealth management. He has a solid understanding of the issues facing family businesses, their dynamics and knows first-hand the complex needs of global entrepreneurial families who seek to preserve wealth alongside family values, and to establish financial security alongside social responsibility, thereby creating an impact for responsible generations to come.

Mr. Roble is a resourceful and renowned Economic and Financial Analyst with extensive experience in Somalia’s socioeconomic and development environment. In his tenure at the National Economic Council, Mr. Roble devised various policies on revenue mobilization, tackling Somalia’s trade deficit, and creating a sustainable post-HIPC development architecture that promotes both domestic and foreign direct investment in Somalia’s productive sectors. He currently serves as the Director General of Somalia’s Development and Reconstruction Bank.

STEPHEN MEADE is an American entrepreneur, executive and business founder who is passionate about creating companies that make a difference in the world. He has the ability to catapult an idea from pure concept to the creation of a thriving business. In the past 20 years, he has created, incubated and architected nine (9) successful technology-based companies. He is a seasoned business advisor and leader who frequently speaks on the art of networking at executive leadership conferences and startup communities (i.e. executives, entrepreneurs, start-up founders, co-founders, students) around the world. In 2005, he founded Big Bamboo, LLC to serve as the incubator for ideas that are worth building a team around and bringing to market. Currently, all ideas come solely from the Founder and the company does not take on or incubate outside business or services. He is currently the CEO of MonetaPro.IO, which is a FinTech Blockchain company for Global Companies to participate in Corporate Trade. MonetaPro.IO competed in and won the Silicon Valley d10e Global ICO contest, which to date was the largest ICO competition in the World featuring 32 companies. MonetaPro has placed in the following competitions: Fintech Zurich (1st Place), Los Angeles Crypto (1st Place), Malta (2nd Place), South Korea (3rd place), and more! Meade is also the CEO of MagMo, Inc., a B2B Platform focused on technology around Media, Entertainment, and Influencers. MagMo (which stands for Magic Moments) is a photo sharing tool primarily for major brands to create stories and share it with their existing audience. MagMo can provide monetization for social media audiences of the brand through a patent pending process known as the “back cover.”

Harrow educated, Brunel Uni BSc and Middlesex Uni BA graduate, Lee had a successful career after university starting his finance career at Prebon Yamane as an FX broker, then moved as Head of FX Swaps Broker at Harlow Butler Ueda for 6 years. Continued on in the city as a trader and to manage funds in reverted back see the world was in need of change in the way we trade both ethically and consciously for a sustainable net zero economy and so decided to setup VOY, a business who strives for ESG fintech in trade finance blockchain set to change the way we see banking, trade finance and sustainable lending through ESG scoring to enable net zero planet.

Collins Nzekwe is the Chief Strategist Office at Diakahos Global Concept Limited, currently an MBA candidate at Schulich School of Business, York University, Tanna H. Schulich, Toronto Canada. Founder and Managing Partner Lex Consulting LLC. Founding member of ThinkAfrica, a nonprofit organization located in the Washington DC metro area with a mission to connect young professionals in diaspora to Africa one country at a time; through trips, events, content, and contact sourcing. ThinkAfrica is a strategic/media partner for Africa business conferences for Harvard Business School, McDonough School of Business, Georgetown University, and London Business School. Co-founder of a tech startup medicare, which has brought a fast, convenient way for patients to receive healthcare consultation and get the best treatment from doctors in Nigeria. Cofounder and Conveyer of the Nigeria Diaspora Engagement Program (NGDEP) which serves as a channel for engagement with the Nigeria Diaspora community that is interested in making impact in Nigeria governance and seeks to engage directly with the activities of the government. The goal is to fulfill business development needs and increase partnership roles that increase various initiatives. In his spare time, he volunteers in programs that impact young professionals and entrepreneurs. Member of World Bank/IMF Young Africa Society and Forbes Fellow.

Tomi Davies is a Nigerian British investor, speaker, author, entrepreneur, philanthropist and advisor to technology companies. He is the chief executive officer of TVCLabs, a technology business accelerator based in Lagos, and the founding president of the African Business Angel Network (ABAN), a network of individuals and organisations who invest in and mentor African startups. He has a wealth of experience in IT, consulting, and innovation, and has worked with global brands such as IBM, Marks & Spencer, Ernst & Young, and Sapient. He is also a public speaker who inspires audiences with his insights, stories, and strategies for driving business success in Africa.

Mr Louis Watum joined Ivanhoe Mines in December 2014 as General Manager of the company’s operations in the DRC. In March 2015, he was appointed to an additional position as Managing Director of Kamoa Copper SA. Currently, Mr Watum is the lead manager of Ivanhoe’s mining development activities for the discovery of the Kamoa copper mine and the Kipushi zinc-copper-silver mine, both located in the DRC. Before joining Ivanhoe Mines, between 2010 and 2014, he successfully led the development and commissioning of Randgold’s Kibali project (Randgold’s interest in Kibali was then sold to Barrick Gold), following its launch of Moto Gold Mines’ Moto project from 2006 to 2009. He was in charge of operations at the Yatela gold mine in Mali from 2001 to 2005.

Accomplished and experienced partnerships leader with a 15-year strong track record of scoping and delivering large transformational projects in Sub Saharan Africa and Europe. Extensive experience in the financial services and oil and gas sectors, bringing a professional background in strategy and transformation from work within Africa and Europe. Founder of Impact Tank -Namibia's first social impact venture builder, working in the impact investing sector since 2019.

Hassan accepted a position as an instructor and trainer at the Lafole Technical Secondary School. He later joined the Somali National University-affiliated Technical Teachers' Training College in 1984. In 1986, he became the department's head. When the civil war broke out in the early 1990s, Hassan remained in Somalia and acted as a consultant with various NGOs, UN bureaus, and peace and development projects. He worked as an education officer for UNICEF in the central and southern parts of the country from 1993 to 1995. In 1999, he also co-established the Somali Institute of Management and Administration (SIMAD) in the capital. The institution subsequently grew into the SIMAD University, with Hassan acting as dean until 2010. Hassan entered Somali politics the following year, when he established the independent Peace and Development Party (PDP). PDP members unanimously elected him as the party's chairman in April 2011, with a mandate to serve as leader for the next three years. In August 2012, Hassan was selected as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the newly formed Federal Parliament of Somalia. Besides academic and civic work, he is also a successful entrepreneur.

A hacker, inventor and technology futurist with a unique ability to distill complex technology into practical tools. Always building the future, his projects include cryptocurrency in the 1990s; AI for stock market trading; building spaceships at Blue Origin for Jeff Bezos; the world’s smallest PC and 3D printers at Makerbot. Pablos helped Nathan Myhrvold start the Intellectual Ventures Lab to do a wide range of invention projects, including a machine to suppress hurricanes; a nuclear reactor powered by nuclear waste; and a machine that can shoot mosquitoes out of the sky with lasers – an impact invention project to eradicate malaria with Bill Gates. Pablos has over 100 patents

Born in Lagos, Tolullah completed her medical training at University College London, a Masters degree in Public Health at the University of Cape Town, and a doctorate in Epidemiology from Imperial College London, UK. Her global practice-informed research at the interface of population health, urbanisation and climate change adopts a transdisciplinary systems approach to co-design and co-produce urban health research for healthy sustainable cities that help to prevent diet and activity-related NCDs focused on air pollution, built environments and food environments in rapidly growing cities globally.

Bill has been funding companies as a Venture Capitalist since 1991 and has had 22 companies he backed at the early stage grow to become listed companies. He has served on 8 public company boards from his portfolio. He is the Founding Chairman of Treasure Data (acquired by ARM / Softbank), Founding Chairman of IPInfusion (Tokyo:48130), Chairman of NASDAQ (HUT) listed HUT8 Mining, and is a lead seed investor in Canva, Dapper Labs, Safety Culture, and Zoom Video where he was 1st to commit as a backer. He was the founding CEO of Internet Data Center company iAsiaWorks (IPO via Goldman Sachs & Morgan Stanley) and founder of Tradebeam, a leader in SaaS-based Global Trade Management. He has been involved in the digital asset ecosystem since 2010 and has been involved as a catalyst in the creation of Bitfury, Fluidity.io, Gigaverse.com, OneOf, Metagood (Chairman), and Powerledger. After earning a BSEE with honors from the University of Illinois, he joined LSI Logic, a startup formed by the CEO of Fairchild Semiconductor. He then earned an MBA at Harvard Business School. Returning to Taiwan, he was issued Badge #A001 just after the formation of TSMC. Afterward, he established the semiconductor practice for Alex. Brown & Sons, driving IPOs of Atmel, Adaptec, Cirrus Logic, Dallas Semi, Exar, and Zilog before becoming a venture capitalist. He was granted a PhD from Curtin University, where he is an Adjunct Professor focused on “Innovation and Economic Development” and Chairman of ACTAI Global – a 501(c)3 uniting Athletes, Conservationists, Technologists, Artists & Innovators supporting ‘active conservation’ of our environment and economic empowerment via entrepreneurship through projects such as the Extreme Tech Challenge, Necker Blockchain Summit, and West Tech Fest.

Dr. Console Battilana is a young entrepreneur and economist specializing in game theory and interest groups. She holds a Ph.D. from the Stanford Economics department and has taught graduate students as a Visiting Professor at Bocconi University, as well as speaking at major US universities such as Harvard, Caltech and Berkeley, as well as universities in Turkey, China, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Italy, Mexico and Spain. Her co-authors include Harvard Professor Kenneth Shepsle and Stanford Professor Douglas Bernheim, and her entrepreneurial experience began during graduate school, when she successfully started a C-corporation in the higher education industry. Silvia is also very active in the Silicon Valley, organizing networking events that bring together experienced entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, engineers, and start-up rookies. She has co-founded Auctionomics with Dr. Milgrom. Together they have worked on implementing software for complex auctions. She has acted as project manager on several high stakes auctions across the globe including the U.S., Canada, Australia and many European countries as well as Africa and Latin America. She has devised bidding strategies for many auctions projects including the Canadian 700 MHz, 2500MHz and AWS spectrum auctions, the Dutch and British CCA spectrum auctions as well as the Brazilian spectrum auction in 2012 and many others. Silvia has also been part of various auction design teams and was part of the US FCC Incentive Auction (which grossed over $19 billion) design team. Silvia also advised bidders in spectrum auctions in Morocco (2014), Czech Republic (2012), Romania (2011), France (2012) and Spain (2010). She has deep knowledge of all major auction formats and has worked across multiple industries, such as spectrum, oil, gas, procurement and financial markets, including the 2014 Canadian GCNET WAN auction, the 2011 Colombian gas auction, the Australian VAGO auction and the Chilean fishing auction in 2009. Silvia also lead the creation and development of the platform for online consumer auctions for non trained bidders.

Olivier Oullier, PhD, is a neuroscientist, entrepreneur and investor. He is the founder and CEO of Inclusive Brains, a company building AI's first Neural Foundation Model to empower machine to adapt and serve everyone regardless their abilities. In 2023, with other Young Global Leaders of the World Economic Forum, he founded the Assistive Tech & Artificial Intelligence for Inclusion Impact Initiative to support, fund and scale tech solutions that improve inclusion at school and in the workplace . Olivier is also the Chairman of the Institute for Artificial Intelligence by Biotech Dental. He is the former President of EMOTIV, the global leader of portable brain sensing neurotechnologies, and the former Global Head of Strategy in Health and Healthcare and Member of the Executive Committee of the World Economic Forum A Full Professor of Behavioral and Brain Sciences at Aix-Marseille University, he also taught at the Universities of Oxford and Geneva's executive education programs. From 2009 to 2012, he was the director of the Neuroscience and Public Policy Program at the French Prime Minister's Center for Strategic Analyses. A former expert at the European Commission's DG SANCO, he sat on France's Parliamentary Office for Science and Technology (OPECST) and High Council for Strategic Education and Research (CSFRS). Olivier has (co-)authored more than 250 scientific, medical, business and mainstream publications including "The Science of Engagement (2012), "The Science of INgagement" (2014) and the first ever market report on Pervasive Neurotechnologies (2015) and their impact on business. He studied at the Universities of the Mediterranean, Cincinnati, the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales and Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. He moonlights as a DJ under the stage name of Jacques LAVOISIER, and founded DJs4good an organization leveraging the global community of DJs to support and fund charities, research and social impact projects on inclusion, disability and mental health. In 2012, he premiered The Neuromix, the first neurotech-powered live performance combining electronic generative visual arts and music generated in real-time from his brainwaves.

Dr. Marga Gual Soler is a champion of science diplomacy recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. She is a high-level advisor in science diplomacy and science-policy interfaces, specializing in building scientific bridges between nations facing diplomatic tensions. She is best known as a pioneer of science diplomacy education and for helping rebuild research ties between the United States and Cuba after the diplomatic normalization of 2015. Marga is the founder of SciDipGLOBAL, an international strategy, advisory, research and training consultancy helping governments, scientists, NGOs and multilateral organizations strengthen the links between science, technology and international affairs to address common challenges and navigate global transformations. She helped design the science diplomacy strategies of many Latin American governments, Spain, and the EU, and in 2016 became the youngest member appointed to the Research, Innovation, and Science Experts (RISE) advisory group to former European Commissioner for Research & Innovation Carlos Moedas. She currently advises the EU-Horizon 2020 Science Diplomacy Cluster and The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) and is an associate researcher and professor at UNAM Mexico. Born in a Mediterranean island and trained as a molecular biologist in Spain, Australia and the US, Marga entered the world of multilateral diplomacy at the United Nations, where she helped elevate the role of science in the lead up to the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. As Arizona State University faculty and Senior Project Director of the AAAS Center for Science Diplomacy, she was a pioneer in science diplomacy education, strategy and capacity building around the world. Marga is an associate editor of the AAAS Science & Diplomacy journal and a high-profile speaker and media analyst on the science diplomacy dimensions of current affairs. She has received many honors and awards, including 100 Spanish experts in innovation, Huffington Post 40 Under 40 Latinos in Foreign Policy, Aspen Ideas Festival Scholar, Georgetown University Global Competitiveness Leadership Fellow, and WEF Young Global Leader. She is passionate about developing the next generation of science diplomats and has developed innovative training methodologies including improvisation and experiential learning. She co-founded the first Science Slam in Latin America in partnership with UNESCO. In 2019 participated in the largest all-women expedition to Antarctica to promote women's leadership in science diplomacy and climate action.

Diana Barrero Zalles is Director of Research at the Global Blockchain Business Council. She is also co-author of the book Transparency in ESG and the Circular Economy: Capturing Opportunities Through Data, which discusses the importance of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues for today’s connected world, and the role of emerging technologies to uphold sustainability. From a lens of ESG, Diana has advised on governance frameworks and product management strategy, as well as capital raising and M&A for blockchain implementations. She is also Senior Contributor for Forbes covering Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) and Stablecoins, in addition to having published industry research and best practices for various topics related to digital assets, including market integrity for crypto trading platforms, market infrastructure, and decentralized finance (DeFi). She previously advised the Parliament of Cyprus to establish a regulatory framework for digital assets and a national anti-money laundering/countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) risk assessment. Diana also managed cross-border transactions with the investment banking offices of the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank in Washington DC. She is an alumna of the University of Notre Dame and has an MBA from Yale, where she founded and still runs a blockchain discussion forum. She was born in Bolivia and is a native Spanish and English speaker.

Yalda Aoukar is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Bracket Capital, a leading private markets investor based in Los Angeles, which she co-launched in 2017. Bracket Capital pursues a value-driven strategy in growth and late-stage technology companies via primary and secondary transactions. Aoukar is also President of Bracket Foundation, the philanthropic venture arm of Bracket Capital. She is a fierce advocate of technology for social good, particularly as it relates to solving the world’s most pressing challenges. Since inception, Bracket Foundation has been striving to make the internet safer for children by combating online child sexual exploitation and abuse. Aoukar is a champion of women’s empowerment and entrepreneurship in venture capital and other financial sectors where women are traditionally underrepresented. She sits on the board of the UN’s A.I. for Safer Children initiative, which she helped to establish, as well as the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) Accelerator. Aoukar holds a Master’s in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and a degree in Economics from the American University of Beirut.

Nell Daly is a Senior Level Executive Leader in Venture, M&A, Consumer Brands, Content, and Global Business Development having worked 20+ years across a variety of sectors, spanning from Wall Street to news media, beauty, fashion, beverage, sports and entertainment. She has facilitated raising over 200+m in capital for startups, holding groups and international funds from HNWI, SFOs, and institutions. Currently, Nell is the Co-Founder of Revenge Capital Limited, a New York and London based boutique venture fund. Revenge's current portfolio includes brands such as: Glassette, Pimentae, Mother Made, Co-Brand and Circle of Style. Past roles include Capital Strategist and Partner of London based MatCap Ventures which founded The Together Group, a global creative agency rollup, (she remains a silent equity partner). She was the second employee and first female hire of TG, eventually taking on EVP of Sports, Talent, & Entertainment for the group. Besides working in international finance, Nell is also a highly trained psychotherapist, journalist and the former Chief Content Officer of FQ. For 20+ years Nell has worked as a TV news commentator and freelance journalist and has been featured across numerous outlets including: CNN, CNBC, Fox News, HLN, ABC Radio, Entertainment Tonight and top ranked podcasts. She covers stories in medicine, mental health, social, human rights, politics, and finance. Her advice has been featured in major magazines such as Elle, Glamour, Men's Health, and Time Out New York. Nell has also worked with some of the world's most influential brands and NGO's such as: Google, iHeart, Spotify, Facebook, TED, and F1. She's moderated panels with dignitaries, celebrities and Senior Level Executives at conferences such as WEF, CES, Sundance Film Festival, Makers LA and many more. She's given keynotes at major academic institutions and hosted corporate events. As a former social worker, Nell has devoted much of her career to bringing visibility to female entrepreneurs and socially conscious organizations by uniting with global leaders and influencers to advance equality, equity, increase diversity in the workplace and improve mental health access and education to women and children including working in the fields of maternal health and HIV/AIDS. Nell holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from NYU, a Master's of Fine Arts from Columbia University. She's completed additional coursework at Harvard University and Cornell Weill Medical College. She's a graduate of Trinity College, Hartford, CT.

Valerie Neim is the founder of The Invictae Private Community. An idea born from countless conversations she had with high-net-worth women, who like her had succeeded in reaching the top of their industries in Africa, yet still found foreign direct investment inaccessible. guillments “The problem is nobody knows that we have proven track records, that we have built sustainable heavy industries, or that we have been brave and savvy enough for 10 lifetimes to be where we are. But the biggest thing they don’t know is that we are far from done.” This is Valerie’s message as she rallies members and partners throughout the world, who are sick and tired of waiting for private-sector investment on our continent to change.

Francesca leads the External Affairs team, seeking to position the Women’s World Banking brand globally and build greater awareness for all Women´s World Banking activities and initiatives that advance women´s financial inclusion and economic empowerment. After more than two decades of experience in the international financial sector and driven by her commitment to social responsibility, Francesca has transitioned into and is applying her deep expertise in global branding, marketing, business development, partnership and relationship management in the non-profit sector. Prior to joining Women´s World Banking she was a Managing Director at Credit Suisse and responsible for the global sustainability partnership strategy and engaged with senior leaders, global experts and organizations across the ESG ecosystem. Francesca has served in various marketing roles in financial services, tech and consumer goods including leading the Group Marketing and Global Branding function at Credit Suisse. Francesca holds a Master´s degree in Economics and Business Management from Zurich University. Based in Zurich, Switzerland she is an active impact investor, sits on the Board of Trustees of the Foundation “Solidarität mit der Welt” and is a speaker, moderator, coach and mentor to young and female talents.

Dr. Ola Brown, at the helm of the HealthCap Fund, is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of hands-on experience spanning healthcare operations and venture capital investment. Her impressive track record as a co-manager in the GreenTree fund speaks volumes: the fund achieved an exceptional IRR of 25%, a TVPI of 7x, and a DPI of 5.01x, marked by a successful exit (Paystack) among six investments executed. Before co-founding GreenTree, she founded and scaled "Flying Doctors Nigeria," a tech-enabled urgent care services marketplace that has made an impact across 45 of 54 African countries, responding to over 15,000 emergency requests and demonstrating her unwavering commitment to addressing critical healthcare needs. Dr. Ola studied Medicine and Surgery at the Hull York Medical School and obtained an (MBBS) Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery. She also holds a master’s degree in Finance and Economic Policy (Major) from the University of London and a certificate in Accounting for Decision Making from the University of Michigan in the United States. Beyond her impressive academic background and entrepreneurial success, Dr. Brown is known for her extensive network and relationships, which have played a pivotal role in her achievements. She boasts over 1 million followers on Linkedin and X (formerly Twitter) alone, underscoring her significant reach, which has proven valuable in dealing sourcing and easier access to the best founders. She has spoken at prestigious global forums, including TED Global, the European Union, the UN, the Qatar Economic Forum (QEF), and the World Economic Forum. Furthermore, her work has been featured by leading media outlets like CNN, the BBC, Forbes, and Al-Jazeera. Dr. Brown's accolades include the Mouldbreaker's Award, The Future Award for Entrepreneur of the Year, recognition as one of the Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD), and the Member of the Federal Republic (MFR) award received in 2022. Recently she was recognised by Ventures Africa in her list of women making an impact.

Tea Trumbic is the Manager for the Women, Business and the Law project in the World Bank’s Development Economics vice-presidency. She leads a multidisciplinary team to produce data and analysis on laws and regulations that impact women’s economic inclusion. She has 20 years of experience working in government and international organizations on evidence-based policy for sustainable and inclusive economic development. She joined the World Bank in 2006, working on the Doing Business project on tax and credit information regulations. She has also developed indicators focusing on agribusiness regulations. Her work has focused on regulatory framework analysis of the business environment in several countries globally, including extensive work on Eastern European and Central Asian countries. Tea also worked at the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Croatia and the International Monetary Fund. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Stanford University and a master’s degree in economics from the London School of Economics.

Shirley Yu is Director of the China-Africa Initiative at the London School of Economics, a Senior Practitioner Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School, and a Professor of Political Economy at the IE Business School. She holds a PhD in Political Economy from Beijing University and an MA in Government from Harvard University. She is a frequent commentator and contributor to global media networks, an Op-Ed contributor to the WSJ and FT, and a member of the Davos Expert Network on China, 5G, and geo-economics. She has served as a senior corporate executive and board member for multinational companies and as an expert witness for high-profile legal cases in the US. She advises global companies and policymakers on China's geo-economics and geopolitics in the emerging world. She is also an author and public speaker.

H.E. Wamkele Mene was elected by the 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of States & Government of the African Union, to the position of Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat. Prior to being elected Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, he served as Chief Director: Africa Economic Relations, at the Department of Trade & Industry of South Africa. In this role, he was South Africa’s chief trade negotiator in the AfCFTA and Tripartite FTA negotiations. During his tenure as chief negotiator, South Africa ratified both the AfCFTA and Tripartite FTAs agreements. Prior to assuming this position, H.E. Wamkele Mene occupied the position of Director: International Trade Law & Investment Law at the Department of Trade & Industry, a role in which he was principal legal counsel on international trade law and international investment law. From 2010 until 2015, H.E. Wamkele Mene represented South Africa at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva, Switzerland. He was elected to the position of Chairman of the WTO’s Committee on International Trade in Financial Services. Prior to joining the Department of Trade & Industry of South Africa, H.E. Wamkele Mene worked for Wall Street based law firms in the London and Hong Kong offices. H.E. Wamkele Mene has written and lectured internationally on international trade law, international investment law and international business law. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Law) degree from Rhodes University in South Africa, a Master of Arts in International Studies & Diplomacy (with specialization in International Economics) from the School of Oriental & African Studies (SOAS), University of London and a LL.M. (Master of Laws) in Banking Law & Financial Regulation from the Law Department of the London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE).

Rania A. Al-Mashat has been part of Egypt’s cabinet of ministers since 2018. She currently serves as the Minister of Planning, Economic Development & International Cooperation, and previously served as the Minister of International Cooperation and Minister of Tourism. She previously worked at the IMF in Washington DC as Advisor to the Chief Economist, and Senior Economist. She also served at the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) where she contributed to modernizing the CBE’s monetary policy strategy underpinned by structural reforms to formally adopt an inflation-targeting regime, a key pillar of the banking sector reform program launched in 2004. Furthermore, she participated in the country’s macroeconomic management through the design and update of the macroeconomic framework in conjunction with other ministries and government entities and was the CBE’s liaison with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Sovereign Rating Agencies.

Lawson began her career at the World Bank in Washington, DC where she worked on telecom restructuring projects in developing countries focusing on regulatory reforms. She went on to become a Manager of Corporate Strategy and Business Development at the Orange Group in New York City, and later at Alcatel-Lucent in Paris. Her initiatives as minister have included diversifying private participation in the telecoms sector, spearheading regulatory reforms for data protection and electronic transactions, setting up an innovation hub as well as pushing for the deployment of high-speed fibre broadband to link key institutions, including all public universities in the country. In 2012, Forbes magazine ranked her among the 20 most powerful young women in Africa and in 2019, Lawson became the first African woman political figure to receive the Harvard Alumni Public Service Award. She sits on the advisory board of the Digital Identity, Trade and Economy Initiative of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. She is a graduate of Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government and Sciences Po Paris.

Mr. Samaila Zubairu was appointed as AFC’s 3rd President and Chief Executive Officer in July 2018, ushering in a new era of leadership in accelerating development impact with the development and implementation of a five-year corporate strategy which at its core, addresses the urgent mandate of increasing energy access for Africans, driving sustainable development of natural resources, transport and logistics infrastructure, heavy industries, and improving telecommunications/ technology access. Key pillars of the strategy include: enhancing the capacity of the team and entrenching a high-performance culture; coherent ecosystem strategy for value-accretive beneficiation and import substitution; proactive risk and portfolio management to improve AFC’s credit profile and diversifying its funding sources. As a result of the implementation of the strategic plan under Mr. Zubairu, AFC’s total assets have grown exponentially from US$4.1 billion when he joined to $10.6 billion (2022), and Total Comprehensive Income has nearly doubled from US$118 million (2018) to US$214 million (2022) despite the economic shocks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Zubairu was the CEO of Africapital Management Limited and Chief Financial Officer for Dangote Cement Plc, as well as the Treasurer for Dangote Group. While at Dangote, Mr. Zubairu was a key leader in funding the transformation of the trading group from to a pan African industrial conglomerate. He also worked at Liberty Merchant Bank Plc (banking subsidiary of the Dangote group), FSB Plc (now Fidelity Bank), Denham Management Company and Muhtari Dangana & Co (Chartered Accountants). Mr. Zubairu is an Eisenhower Fellow and also sits on the Board of Trustees for the fellowship. He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Nigeria (FCA). He holds a BSc in Accounting from Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria.

Is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor. He is the frontman of the musical group Black Eyed Peas, which he formed with fellow rappers apl.de.ap and Taboo in 1995. The group, who released nine studio albums, saw their furthest mainstream success during their 2000s pop rap era with Elephunk (2003), Monkey Business (2005), The E.N.D. (2009), and The Beginning (2010). He served as lead vocalist since its formation, although for the albums, he did so alongside singer-songwriter Fergie—who joined the group in 2002 and departed after the latter. Outside of music, Adams founded the technology company i.am+ in 2013, and has served as a panelist and mentor on the reality competition series The Voice UK (2012–present), The Voice Australia (2014), and The Voice Kids (2017–2023). He is the recipient of seven Grammy Awards, a Latin Grammy Award, and a Daytime Emmy Award.

Akinwole Omoboriowo II (AOII) is the Chairman and CEO of Genesis Energy Group, and the Chairman Board of Directors of GEL Utility (largest licensed Commercial OffGrid company in Nigeria). He is a strategic and innovative thinker with broad expertise in conceptualising and managing the complexities of building new businesses, as evidenced by a few enterprises he has successfully built in the Oil & Gas and Power Sectors in Africa over these past 20 years. AOII works effectively both as a team member, and a leader driving initiative, as well as implementing the goals and objectives of the organisation. He has good interpersonal, communication, organisational, and customer-oriented skills. He is efficient under pressure, and works to ensure targets are met at set deadlines. The Vision of Genesis which is 'Lighting up Africa ...One community at a time' has been put in motion by AOII through the various market defining projects he has led Genesis develop across Africa in the Power & Gas Sector and Oil Sectors. AOII holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Economics from the University of Jos-Nigeria, a post graduate diploma in Strategy and Innovation from the Oxford University Saïd Business School, a certificate in Electricity Pricing and Modelling from the London Business School in the United Kingdom, and a certificate in International Oil Trading and Shipping from the Oxford-Princeton College in the United Kingdom. He serves on the Advisory Board of the Global Thinkers Forum UK, and has served on the Advisory Board of SHELL Foundation UK.

Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar was born on 12th March 1967 to the family of late Senator Abubakar Tuggar of Udubo, Gamawa Local Government Area of Bauchi State. Prior to his appointment, he was Nigeria’s Ambassador to Germany from June 2017 to August 2023. His Excellency Amb. Tuggar was sworn into office as Minister of Foreign Affairs by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on 21st August 2023. In addition to being a seasoned Diplomat, he is a successful businessman, a philanthropist, and an astute politician who has served the country in various capacities. He was a Member of the House of Representatives for Gamawa Federal Constituency from 2007 – 2011. He actively contributed to various Committees in the House of Representatives. These included House Committees on Foreign Affairs, Public Procurement; Petroleum (Upstream); Legislative budgeting; Agriculture; Public Petitions; Labour; and Interior. The Honourable Minister equally has an impressive educational background. He has a Masters Degree in International Relations from the prestigious University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations from the United States International University in San Diego, United States of America. He did his advanced-level studies at Saint Bede’s School in East Sussex, England. He had his secondary and primary school education in Kwara and Kano States of Nigeria respectively.

Dr. Jumoke Oduwole is a distinguished policy reformer and legal expert, currently serving as Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment. Appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR , she leads efforts to revitalize investor confidence and accelerate Nigeria’s economic growth. Dr. Oduwole’s leadership in trade negotiations and business climate reforms has been instrumental in improving Nigeria’s standing as a global reformer. Before becoming Minister, Dr. Oduwole served as Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu GCFR on the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) and Investment from October 2023 to October 2024. She also held senior roles under the Buhari Administration, first as the Senior Special Assistant on Industry, Trade, and Investment, and later as Special Adviser on Ease of Doing Business from November 2015 to May 2023. During this time, she and her team at PEBEC successfully delivered over 200 reforms, improving Nigeria’s business climate and advancing Nigeria’s ranking in the World Bank’s Doing Business report. Dr. Oduwole has been a key player in important reform committees, including the AfCFTA Implementation Committee and the Tax Policy Reform Committee, and was instrumental in the creation of the Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations (NOTN). She chaired the Technical Working Team for the implementation of the National Development Plan (NDP) 2021-2025. In recognition of her contributions to national development, Dr. Oduwole was awarded the Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) honor in May 2023. In 2024, she was inducted into the Hall of Fame by the Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) for her decade-long work on improving Nigeria’s business environment. Dr. Oduwole is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Jurisprudence and International Law at the University of Lagos, with research interests in international economic law and development. She is also the Vice-President representing West Africa on the Executive Board of the Africa Association of International Law. A recognized policy entrepreneur, Dr. Oduwole has served as a Senior Fellow at the Mossavar-Rahmani Centre for Business and Government (M-RCBG) at Harvard Kennedy School and as a Governance Advisor to the MIT Governance Lab in 2022 for her innovative governance reforms. Dr. Oduwole has also served on the Board of Ecobank Nigeria and worked in investment and corporate banking at FCMB and Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank). Passionate about youth empowerment, she has mentored Nigerian youth for over 15 years. Dr. Oduwole holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Lagos, an LL.M in Commercial Law as a DFID Cambridge Commonwealth Trust Scholar from Cambridge University, and a Master’s in International Legal Studies and Doctorate in International Trade and Development from Stanford Law School. She was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1999. Dr. Oduwole is also a talented photographer, with her work exhibited in Lagos, The Hague, and Leiden. Committed to development issues across Africa, Dr. Oduwole continues to inspire future leaders through her work in government, academia, and beyond.

Alanoud bint Hamad Al-Thani is businesswoman and investor, chairing TenX Ventures and other family owned businesses. She previously served as Deputy CEO of the Qatar Financial Centre Authority, where she boosted foreign direct investment and achieved remarkable growth in firm registrations during the pandemic. Alanoud’s leadership extended to Silatech, where she expanded youth employment programs across the Arab region. She is a frequent global speaker on economic development and gender diversity and has been recognized as a Forbes Most Powerful 50 Businesswomen in the Arab World, Arab Woman of the Year 2022 for Finance, among others. A Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum, Alanoud holds degrees from LSE, Oxford, Harvard Kennedy School and HEC Paris.

Adebola WILLIAMS is a Global strategist and communication expert popularly known for his exploits in Political Consulting. He has been recognised by Forbes and CNN as the man who galvanised youth voting blocs across Africa to elect a trifecta of presidents with two currently in office; Ghanas President Nana Akuffo Ado and Senegals President MackySall Passionate about the media , youth and Africas prosperity through story telling Adebola is founder and Chairman of AW Network, an investment firm focused on Media, Film and Technology changing Africas narrative with movie, music, product at a time. He is founder of leading Media Group RED, Founder of StateCraft Inc, The Future Awards Africa, amongst other thriving brands. He wrote his second book African Power Girls (a gift to his God daughters ) as an ally for gender equity and balance.

Inspired by the wisdom of his ancestors, Mamadou Kwidjim Toure believes that co-creating a better world is possible when diversity is nurtured and access to opportunities is evenly distributed. This philosophy was the driving force behind establishing Africa 2.0, a non-for-profit pan African civil society organization with the aim to create a sustainable vision for the transformation of Africa. Named one of the top 10 Most Influential Men in Africa by Forbes Magazine in 2014, Mamadou founded the Ubuntu Group in 2015 and built on his global network and investment savviness to launch socio-economic projects throughout the continent of Africa. His recent venture, Ubuntu Tribe, a digital platform promoting shared economy through tokenization of gold and other mineral ressources as a means for financial inclusion and wealth redistribution received in 2019 a distinction as finalist at the African Bankers Awards. In 2020, he was listed among the top 30 most influential in the world in blockchain technology. Over the past 20 years, Mamadou worked in instituons such as KPMG, BNP Paribas Investment Banking, IFC (World Bank Group) and finally General Electric as Managing Director in charge of Investments and Project Finance for Subsaharan Africa. He has worked on infrastructure, mining, banking, agriculture technology projects exceeding a combined value of US$ 25 billion, thus creating opportunities and hope for many people in Africa. Mamadou has been at the forefront of international high finance and remains a strong proponent for digital economy as an engine for emancipation and shared wealth creation. Mamadou is a global citizen, passionate of culture, art and avid reader of history books, he continues to advocate for a bright future for humanity through pushing the boundaries. He believes in the power of collective action to build lasting enlightenment and prosperity. Mamadou went to the prestigious High School Lycee Louis Le Grand in Paris and holds MSc in Finance from EDHEC Business School (ranked global top 10 graduate school in Finance by Financial Times) and completed two education programs at Harvard Kennedy School on « Global Leadership and Public Policy for 21st Century » as World Economic Forum Young Global Leader in 2018 and « Public-Private Partnership » in 2010. Mamadou completed program on artificial intelligence at MIT in 2020.

Obi Asika (born October 3, 1968) is the Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture, NCAC. He was appointed on Friday 12, January 2024 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Before his appointment, he is known for his involvement in the growth of Nigeria's music industry, as the founder and CEO of Storm 360 - an indigenous music label. Storm 360 has spawned a lot of Nigerian entertainers including Naeto C, Ikechukwu, Sasha P, General Pype, L.O.S., Ms Jaie, Tosin Martins, and Yung 6ix. He is a founding partner of Dragon Africa – a strategic communications firm based in London, Lagos and Accra, and the chairman of OutSource Media, a leading communications and content production company. Asika is a prominent figure in laying the infrastructure for the growth and development of the media & entertainment industry.

Vanessa Moungar supervises the global coordination of LVMH’s actions on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. She is on French President Macron’s Presidential Council for Africa and is a visiting lecturer at Sciences Po Paris. She was AfDB’s Director for the Gender, Women and Civil Society department, Senior Manager for Africa at the World Economic Forum, Director of Sales and Marketing at Terrafina, and co-founded AV Consulting to support African and Middle East SMEs.  She has degrees from INSEEC Paris and Harvard University, and was a WEF Global Leadership Fellow.

Tola Akerele is an accomplished and award-winning interior designer, who seamlessly blends her interests in African arts and culture with a distinguished career that spans over two decades. Holding a degree in Economics and Politics (BSc.) from Bristol University and a qualification from the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, she embarked on a journey in Investment Banking, contributing her expertise to renowned institutions such as Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, and BNP Paribas before returning to Nigeria in 2003. Akerele studied interior design at the Parson School of Design in New York, as well as the KLC School of Design in London and founded iDESIGN Art to help consumers discover and purchase high-quality, affordable art Having served as the Vice President of the Interior Designers Association of Nigeria (IDAN) since January 2019, her strategic leadership was previously showcased during her tenure as the Secretary-General from March 2017 to December 2019. Her visionary approach played a pivotal role in propelling the organization’s growth and development. Beyond her significant contributions to design leadership, Tola is the Owner of Bogobiri House and iDESIGN, a venture founded in November 2003. Over time, Akerele’s Bogobiri House has transformed from a small Afrocentric boutique hotel into a lively cultural hub. It now stands as a special gathering place for Nigerian art, music, food, film, and theatre.

Shanthi Annan originates from Ghana, Nigeria, India and England. She was born and raised in the UK as the eldest of five daughters. In 2006, Shanthi graduated from Oxford University having read Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE), affectionately known as The Gentleman’s Degree. She started her career in pursuit of the answer to the question ‘how do you start a business?’. Beginning as a Property Search Consultant in the property development arm of the fast-growing ChapmanBlack Group , she soon took on the role of Project Manager where she was responsible for running five concurrent residential construction projects successfully. By 2008 she had been transitioned over to the recruitment arm of the business, to act as Head of Operations. She exposed herself to all aspects of the business and was responsible for Marketing, Communications, Human Resources, Process Improvement and Technology. Her last role was to act in the capacity of Chief Strategy Officer to develop a new managed service which today is going from strength to strength as Endorsed . In 2012, Shanthi went in search of how to be a contribution in an African context. This compelled her to explore a variety of different business models which resulted in her founding Kinship of Kush ; an exciting new initiative to empower young Global Africans to freely shape the world whilst bringing together and strengthening the Global (African) Family. Shanthi is presently, an Advisor to The Uncondemned an important documentary which tells the story of three courageous women from Rwanda and the young lawyers who provoked a transformation in global justice for women everywhere. In 2017 she was appointed as an Advisor to the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust ; a new charity supported by Prince Harry as President, established in recognition of its Patron Her Majesty The Queen’s lifetime of service to the Commonwealth and her belief in young people as leaders for good in the world. It is against this backdrop that Shanthi works to raise her young family. She is the mother of two sons Xavier (3 yrs) and Josiah (3 months), the wife of Kojo Annan and the Daughter In Law of Kofi Annan.

Landry Signé is a senior fellow in the Global Economy and Development Program and the Africa Growth Initiative at the Brookings Institution. He was previously a David M. Rubenstein Fellow at Brookings. His career and research span the areas of global political economy, global governance and sustainable development, global business and emerging markets, strategic management and leadership, fragility, state capacity and policy implementation, the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Globalization 4.0, and the political economy of Africa and developing countries. He is a full professor and founding co-director of the Globalization 4.0 and Fourth Industrial Revolution Initiative at the Thunderbird School of Global Management, distinguished fellow at Stanford University’s Center for African Studies, chairman of the Global Network for Africa’s Prosperity, and senior adviser to top global leaders (presidential, prime minister, and C-suite levels) in business, policy, and international affairs. In addition, he has been on numerous boards and councils including for the World Economic Forum, the United Nations, Ampion Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Africa, and the African Union, was a co-chair of the World Economic Forum YGL Board Governance Initiative (improving board governance in leading public and private corporations, and nonprofit organizations), professor and former senior adviser to the chancellor and provost on international affairs at UAA, among others. Signé was also a visiting scholar or has taught at the universities of Oxford, Stanford, Georgetown, Montreal, Ottawa, Witwatersrand, as well as the Sub-Regional Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics in Central Africa, Mohamed VI Polytechnic University and HEC Paris School of Management. He taught an award-winning course at Stanford presenting Africa as a continent of economic opportunities (“Emerging African Markets: Strategies, Investments and Government Affairs”), winning the African Network Outstanding Visionary Leadership Award and the Stanford University’s Center for African Studies Distinguished Leadership Award “in recognition and honor of distinguished contributions to African studies, innovative teaching, outstanding mentorship, and exceptional service to the community.” . Signé was selected as a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader for “finding innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues,” an Andrew Carnegie Fellow for being one of the “most creative thinkers,” a Desmond Tutu Fellow for driving “the transformation of Africa,” a Woodrow Wilson Public Policy Fellow for “preeminent scholarship uniting the world of ideas to the world of policy,” one of JCI’s Ten Outstanding Young Persons in the World for “extraordinary achievements and dedication exemplifying the best attributes and leadership in academia,” and has won numerous academic awards, including the American Political Science Association Campus Teaching Award, the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, and the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Academic Research and Creative Activity.

Kojo Annan is a serial entrepreneur and investor, with an extensive global network and strong track record of growing new businesses across international markets. He is currently managing Vector Global, an investment holding company with interest in infrastructure, technology, sport, education and biotech. He is the Chairman and Co-Founder of Made in Africa (MIA), a technology driven apparel trading company focused on sustainable manufacturing which develops high growth early stage brands that will become market leaders and manages export supply chains for global market leaders who are moving their manufacturing base to Africa. Among the early achievements of MIA is the creation of Uniform, an African brand which currently sells at Bloomingdales. Kojo started his career in natural resources and infrastructure most notably by founding Meridian Port Services (MPS) in partnership with the Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority, Bolloré and Maersk (APM Terminals) to develop a modern container terminal in Tema, Ghana. Today, it is arguably the most efficient and technologically advanced port in the sub Saharan region. As the most important public-private partner ship in Ghana’s history, the new port of Tema will be able to accommodate next-gen eration ships (up to 18,000 TEUs) and handle the increasing flows of goods to and from Ghana and the hinterland. The new Port of Tema will significantly boost econom ic growth and trade revenues for local companies with an estimated US$ 1.1 billion rise in global value added to the Ghanaian economy and around 450,000 indirect jobs generated. From a young age, Kojo has been very much involved in sports. In the period between 1999-2003 he served as the President of Vevey Sports FC in Switzerland and through his companies undertook the marketing campaign of the FIFA U-20 World Cup 1999 in Nigeria and the African Cup of Nations in 2000 (co-shared between Ghana and Nigeria) as well as became a marketing partner to the Ghana national football team from 2000 to 2003. In 2016, he founded Africa 10 (A10), a social enterprise dedicated to developing African youth through sports and education. A10 has commenced opera tion by providing scholarships to young Africans in order to attend established sports education university programs in the UK. In 2021, Annan also founded Boardroom One, a company promoting the next-generation of conferencing that proritises user experiences and security.

In 2003, Maniam won the First Prize for English poetry in the National Arts Council’s Golden Point Award.[11] His first poetry collection, Morning at Memory’s Border, was shortlisted for the Singapore Literature Prize in 2007 and his second poetry collection, Second Persons, was published in 2018 under firstfruits publications.[12][13] His work has been featured in the online journals Stylus and Softblow; Over There, a collection of Singapore and Australian poetry; From the Window of Our Epoch, a bilingual collection of Singapore and Malaysian poetry; as well as&words and Little Things: A Poetry Anthology. In 2009, he was one of 50 poets featured in Fifty on 50, a collection to mark Singapore's 50th anniversary of internal self-government.[14] Maniam has read his poetry at the Austin International Poetry Festival and for Australia's ABC Radio. The French government invited him as a featured poet to the 35th Festival Franco-Anglais de Poésie in June 2011, and published his work in the bilingual journal La Traductiere as well as the French Journal des Poètes. In May 2014, he was one of the writers featured in the University of Hong Kong’s Becoming Poets: The Asian English Experience, which describes the creative process of a range of writers in various Asian countries. In August 2015, three of his poems were featured in From Walden to Woodlands, an anthology of interfaith nature poetry in Singapore.[15] Maniam has mentored young writers under the Creative Arts Programme (CAP) and the National Arts Council's Mentor Access Project since 2004 and 2008 respectively.

Juliana Rotich a tech entrepreneur working on a Fin Tech Startup that is still in stealth mode. She was the Country Cluster Head for BASF East Africa Ltd, a company that uses chemistry to support a sustainable future. She led the operations in the region till December 2018, focusing on a strategic plan to meet and exceed customer expectations with BASF’s innovative products and solutions. She is a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and serves on Kenya’s Vision 2030 Delivery board, Standard Media Group board amongst other advisory roles globally.

Mark Ferguson is a Founding Partner and co-Chief Investment Officer of Generation Investment Management. Previously, Mark was co-head of the financials research team, member of the pan-European stock selection group, co-head of pan-European research, and global equity portfolio manager at Goldman Sachs Asset Management. Mark was also an analyst at Schroder Investment Management. Mark received a BSc in Urban Land Economy from Sheffield Hallam University and an MBA from the European University in Paris. He serves on the board of Conservation International.

Greg Williams is the deputy global editorial director at WIRED. He was the British Society of Magazine Editors Editor of the Year, Technology, in 2017, 2018, and 2020. Greg was a judge of the Royal Society Science Book of the Year Award 2018 and is the author of six novels. He has held senior editorial roles in both London and New York.