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MARKETING
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Marketing International Brands to the Emerging African Consumer
The growth of Africa's middle class and the associated rise in domestic demand continues to attract the attention of multinational firms. During this panel, executives from major international brands and the firms that market those brands to local consumers will discuss how they size the Africa opportunity, whether their products need to be modified to appeal to the African consumer, and best practices in generating customer awareness, trial and adoption on the continent.
Panelists:
Don Fertman, Director of Development, Subway
Peter Njoka, Chairman, Deacons Kenya
Fred Rariewa, CEO, Pulse Experiential Marketing
Wilson Li, Director, Labelvi Marketing
Jawad Bisbis, Global Director, The Coca-Cola Company
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FINANCE
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The Underserved Middle: Helping Medium-Sized Enterprises Succeed
African businesses, large and small, are receiving increased attention from global corporations, investors, the media, and the public. In its report on “The African Challengers,” the Boston Consulting Group hailed 40 of Africa’s largest businesses as serious challengers in the global business arena, while entrepreneurship in Africa has caught the eye of foundations, impact investors, and the media.
On the other hand, Africa’s middle market has largely flown under the radar. Why are medium-sized businesses underserved and how can we help them to succeed? The panel will discuss the growth cycle and challenges that medium-sized enterprises face in the areas of human resources, financial management and corporate governance.
Panelists:
Papa Ndiaye, CEO, Advanced Finance and Investment Group
Javier Ewing, CEO, Excelsior
Jane Kaggwa, Project Leader, Dalberg
Mike McCreless, Knowledge and Impact Officer, Root Capital
Professor Stephen Sammut, The Wharton School (moderator)
Getting the Investment Committee to Yes: Best Practices in Risk Assessment and Due Diligence
Understanding best practices in due diligence is an operational requirement for any financial or strategic investor in Africa. The gap between modeled returns and actual outcomes can be dramatic on the continent, and in this panel, experienced investors and trusted advisers will discuss the political, legal, and human resource risks associated with acquisitions, lending and development projects in Africa, as well as best practices for mitigating these risks.
Panelists:
Papa Ndiaye, CEO and co-founder, AFIG
Steven Fox, Managing Director, Veracity Worldwide
Edward Stokes, Founder, Intrepid HR
Alain Ebobisse, CIO and Global Head, IFCInfraVentures
Forming Complex Partnerships: Risk and Reward Sharing in Large-Scale Investments
By necessity, large-scale investments in Africa typically require a partnership between private investors and multiple layers of government. In this panel, investors with decades of experience structuring complex partnerships in the US and in emerging markets discuss best practices that they have developed for their projects on the continent. Case studies of winning partnerships in the higher education, real estate and agricultural spaces will focus the debate.
Panelists:
William Campbell, Partner and Co-Chair Energy and Infrastructure Practice Group, Gibson Dunn
Andrea Pizziconi, Founder, Christie Company
Gabriel Ntougou, Advisor to the President, Government of Gabon
Joe Quinones, Managing Director, Primrose Development
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MANAGEMENT
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Facilitating Entrepreneurship: Supporting Africa’s Owner-Operators
Many observers have identified entrepreneurship as a primary means of generating growth and employment in Africa. This panel explores the legal, financial and operational challenges facing entrepreneurs in Africa, and the innovative solutions that early-stage companies are pursuing to overcome these challenges.
Panelists:
Eric Kacou, Managing Director, ES Partners
J. Skyler Fernandes, COO, SACCA/Centripetal Capital
Krishna Gupta, Co-Founder, Romulus Capital
The Frontier of the Frontier - Investing and Building Businesses in Post-Conflict Countries
This panel will discuss prevalent trends and issues in conducting business in African frontier markets. African frontier markets are often characterized as having less transparency, less liquidity, a less reliable legal system, and more volatility than markets in the continent’s emerging nations. This panel will bring together business leaders who have exhibited operational and financial leadership in Africa’s frontier markets to share their perspectives with conference attendees on the challenges, as well as the opportunities, to make money by investing in frontier markets.
Panelists:
Ashley Bendell, Vice President, Renaissance Capital
Azeem Zainulbhai, CEO, Crescat Mercatur
Christopher Grune, Senior Portfolio Manager, State Street Global Advisors
Collins Spencer, Managing Member, Spencer Partners
Capturing Growth in Africa: The Buy versus Build Calculation
For a firm deciding to enter a new market in Africa, the decision whether to buy an existing business or set up a greenfield operation is an essential one. Panelists will discuss the opportunities for mergers and acquisitions on the continent, as well as the situations in which starting from scratch may be more cost-effective or operationally-beneficial. The panel will touch on issues of human capital, culture, protectionism and project lead times.
Panelists:
Abubakar Sulemana, GE Healthcare
Ken Bond, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development, Aon
Yomi Jemibewon, Head of Principal Investments, CardinalStone Partners
Brooks Washington, Engagement Manager, McKinsey & Co.
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OPERATIONS AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
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Innovations in Distribution and Supply Chain Management
Africa's infrastructure deficit is well-documented, but less well-known are the stories of firms that are creating durable strategic advantage by optimizing their supply chains and route-to-market to adjust to the realities of African ports, roads and rail. This panel will discuss how leading firms are able to secure the necessary inputs for their production process and to ensure that product is made available across Africa's vast rural landscape and overcrowded urban environment.
Panelists:
Theophile Ogaganda, Olam Gabon
Felix Olale, Vice Chairman, Excelsior
Shaun Doherty, Supply Chain Development Practice Leader, CDC Development Solutions
Tim McCollum, Founder, Madecasse Chocolates
Michael Westphal, Strategic Business Development, PAE
Getting Information to the People: Media, Data, Transparency and an Improving Business Climate
A country's business environment is inextricably linked to the quality of civil discourse and information available locally. This panel addresses issues of information asymmetry, the independence of traditional media channels and the responsibility of journalists, and how new technologies are helping to create a better-informed population of voters and consumers.
Panelists:
Pat Utomi, Chairman, BusinessDay
Erik Charas, Founder, La Verdade
Andrew Mwenda, Strategy and Editorial Director, Independent Publications
Mohamed El Yacoubi, Founder and CEO, Alamjadid
