SPEAKERS BIOGRAPHIES

Anyim Pius Anyim

Anyim Pius Anyim is a Nigerian politician and currently the Secretary of State, Federal Republic of Nigeria. He was elected as national Senator on the People’s Democratic Party platform in 1999 for the Ebonyi South constituency of Ebonyi State.

Dzifa Aku Attivor

Mrs. Dzifa Aku Attivor is Minister for Transport in Ghana since January, 2013. She previously was Deputy Minister for Transport since 2009. She has attended numerous international conferences in the Transport sector such as the Signing of Banjul Accord Group Aviation Safety Oversight Organization in Montreal 2009, the 2nd African Union Conference of Ministers for Maritime Transport in Durban 2009 and the 14th Session of the Maritime Organization of West and Central Africa in Congo 2011. She is involved in a number of social projects that support less privileged people in Ghana. Mrs. Attivor holds a BSc Degree in Administration from the American Century University. She also attained an MBA in Human Resource Management from the same University in 2012.

Dina Pule

Dina Pule is the Minister of Communications South Africa. She is driven by a passion to see her community and the country achieve social development and economic growth. As the Minister of Communications, she is at the forefront of the government’s effort to make communication tools affordable and easily accessible to every citizen and making sure that local businesses are able to use the tools to be globally competitive.

Fernando Pimentel

Fernando da Mata Pimentel is a Brazilian politician and economist. He is a member of the Workers’ Party and he was the Mayor of Belo Horizonte from 2001 to 2009 and currently is the Minister of Development

Mark Lowcock

Mark Lowcock is Permanent Secretary for the Department for International Development. After beginning his career in DFID (formally the Overseas Development Administration) in 1985, he has worked as Deputy Head of the DFIF Office for Central Africa and as Head of European Union Department. He is the most senior Civil Servant in the department

Susan Shabangu

Ms Susan Shabangu is the Minister of Mineral Resources of the Republic of South Africa since 11 May 2009. She has been a member of the African National Congress (ANC) National Working Committee since December 2007 and a member of National Executive Council (NEC) of African National Congress (ANC).

Dr Ken Ife

Dr. Ken Ife is the London Enterprise Ambassador; Chairman of London Business Development Corporation; a Member of Task Force on EU – AFRICA Business Summit (Co-chair of Trade Working Group); International Coordinator of Africa Business Round Table; Consultant at NEPAD Business Group and he is the founder & Director of African and Caribbean Business Network.

Madelein Mkunu

Madelein Mkunu is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Leading Women of Africa, a pan-African forum that seeks to promote economic empowerment and new leadership, while simultaneously improving African infrastructure in order to help bring growth, stability, and peace to the continent.

Rebecca Costa

Rebecca Costa is a sociobiologist who offers an evolutionary explanation for current events and emerging trends. A new voice in the mold of Thomas Friedman and Malcolm Gladwell, Costa attributes modern consternation - from terrorism, crime on Wall Street, epidemic obesity and upheaval in the Middle East - to genetic imperatives. Retiring from a career in Silicon Valley, Costa spent six years researching and writing The Watchman’s Rattle. The success of the book in 25 countries led to a weekly syndicated radio program called The Costa Report. Costa is presently represented by the American Program Bureau and the Scott Meredith Literary Agency.

José Filomeno de Sousa dos Santos

José Filomeno de Sousa dos Santos created the first investment bank in Angola, Banco Kwanza Invest in 2008 . He has a degree in Finance from Westminster and is the Chairman of Fundo Soberano de Angola, the country’s national wealth fund.

Baroness Lynda Chalker

Baroness Lynda Chalker has been a member of the Lower and Upper Houses of the UK Parliament for over thirty five years. Between 1986 and 1997 she was Minister of State at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, holding responsibility for Africa and the Commonwealth and for Overseas Development. She was made a Life Peer in 1992. Lady Chalker founded Africa Matters Limited (AML), an independent consultancy which provides advice and assistance to companies initiating, developing or growing their activities in Africa. She is Chairman of Pasco Risk Management and a member of the international advisory boards of Lafarge et Cie. In addition, she sits on the Board of Trustees of the Investment Climate Facility for Africa, an organization that works to remove the barriers of trade facing African nations. Lady Chalker is the Founder of the Chalker Foundation, which seeks to support the improvement of healthcare in Africa, and is a Member of the Board of Trustees of Sentebale, a Charity set-up to reach Lesotho’s most needy and vulnerable children.

Dr. Adesina Iluyemi

Dr. Adesina Iluyemi is an Executive Board member of NEPAD Council and a co-Chair of its Global Health Commission. Dr. Iluyemi is a Co-Founder and Vice President of non-for-profit MoDiSe, a member of mHealth Alliance, working to bring low-cost mobile clinical diagnostic devices to African and developing countries. He focuses on international development and diplomacy, global health diplomacy, creating non-profit organisations and utilising technology and innovation for societal benefits. Dr. Iluyemi is a Judge for the GSMA Global Mobile Awards. He has contributed to global debates at renowned international think-tanks and has given keynote lectures at international conferences in Africa and globally. He trained as a Dental Surgeon with postgraduate qualifications from Royal College of Surgeons and Universities of London and Portsmouth.

Austine Okoro

Austin Okoro is CEO of Austin Maritime UK Ltd., and a qualified Marine Engineer HMDOT UK. He is also an MSc Marine engineer, oily water separator; a member of the Institute of Marine Engineers, in the UK; a railway signal tester/communication/CIS installer. Railway Engineering Assessor/ Trainer and Licensed Safety Critical Provider. His past experience includes engineering positions on board Project/Merchant ships as Chief Marine Engineer; divisional Marine Engineer in charge of large marine Dockyards. He also has 15 years experience in various roles in consultancy for major railway projects in conceptual design/construction/build in the UK, and has spent several years in power and fibre optics Upgrade for LUL UK Limited..

Dmitry Suchkov

Dmitry Suchkov– Head of International Projects Division, Export Finance Department, Vnesheconombank. Executive Secretary of AfroCom (Coordinating Committee of Economic Cooperation with Sub-Saharan Africa) State Corporation. Vnesheconombank (VEB) is the leading development institution in Russia, performing functions of the Bank for Development. It operates to diversify the national economy, boost its competitive edge and encourage investment activity. The Bank for Development is responsible for providing investment, insurance and consultative support for projects in Russia and abroad aimed at developing infrastructure, innovations, special economic zones, environment protection, providing support for exports of Russian products, works and services as well as supporting SMEs.

Edward Farquharson

Edward Farquharson is Executive Director of the Project Management Unit of the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG). He joined MDY Legal in November 2011 from Infrastructure UK in HM Treasury, where he advised overseas governments on the establishment of their PPP programmes.

Evgeniy Vasilievich Gudzenchuk

General Director, Zarubezhvodstroy OJSC. A graduate of the Moscow Institute of Railway Transport, and postgraduate school, Moscow Geological Exploration Institute. He is a qualified engineer and Mathematician, with a Candidate for Technical Sciences degree. He is a full Member of Russian Academy of Business and Entrepreneurship, and the International Academy of Wildlife Management, and Member of the Council of the National Association of Hydraulic Engineers. Mr Gudzenchuk is also Chairman of the Russian-Yemen Business Council. His awards include the First Class Order of “Peter the Great”, “International Standard” prize, “Darin” national prize, “Golden Diploma” in the “International Cooperation” nomination. In 2006, he was included in the encyclopedia of “Best People of Russia”. He has lead Zarubezhvodstroy OJSC since 1997.

Glen Ireland

Mr. Glen Ireland is a finance partner of Latham & Watkins and has accumulated a wealth of knowledge advising clients in the mining and metals industry throughout his career. He advises on mining project developments and financings, early-stage mineral exploration projects, mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, IPOs and stock exchange listings and capital markets transactions. Mr. Ireland is listed in The International Who’s Who of Mining Lawyers 2013 and teaches at the Centre for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy on mining agreements.

Jude Kearney

Mr. Jude Kearney is a Shareholder in the law firm of Greenberg Traurig with specific experience in international markets, including Africa, Eastern Europe and Asia. He is the Chair of Greenberg’s Africa Transactional Practice and oversees the firm’s provision of services to public and private sector clients operating on the African continent. Mr. Kearney is a Project Finance specialist and his services have been mostly devoted to the energy sector. He has put emphasis on expanding the trade and investment activities between the US and Africa since his days as a Senior Executive in the US Commerce Department. Having lived in Nigeria and South Africa, he has focused his legal practice almost exclusively on Africa.

Juliet Reingold

Juliet leads the firm’s international Energy & Infrastructure sector and is head of the firm’s projects group in the UK. She specialises in major projects and public private partnerships focusing particularly on the transport / logistics, utilities, defence and mining sectors. She advises on major rail projects in the UK and internationally and is a logistics expert. Juliet has advised on major projects in East Africa, as well as on a logistics project in South Africa.

Jurie Swart

Mr. Jurie Swart is the Head of infrastructure and development assets at Old Mutual Investment Group South Africa (OMIGSA). Since the beginning of 2001, Mr. Swart has been involved in various roles in the Infrastructure and Development Impacy Funds division of the Alternative Investments boutique, namely the analysis, assessment and execution of infrastructure and development property projects, the portfolio management of the IDEAS Fund, and Board representation on various investee company boards. Mr. Swart joined OMIGSA as an equity analyst in September 1999, before becoming part of the Infrastructure team. After completing an accounting conversion course at UCT, he served articles with KPMG on various audits, tax advisory work and secondment to major clients on corporate finance assignments. Mr. Swart started his working career at Murray and Roberts, as a civil engineering contractor on various road, bridge and bulk concrete projects.

Kayira Bwanaissa Kaponda-Karonga,

Kayira Bwanaissa Kaponda-Karonga, President Candidate, Malawi Former Marketing Executive VW Audi, South Africa; founder Sichinga Consulting Group; founder Sandton Business School; former lecturer DE Montfort University, Leicester, United Kingdom. Former lecturer Business School Netherlands; former Deputy Chairperson Food and Trees for Africa; former advisor Economic Development Government of the Republic of Madagascar. Former Advisor to the Member of Economic Council for the Free State Provincial Government. Former Advisor to the Eastern Cape Development Corporation; former advisor to Malawi Government on Export Import Bank of India funded projects, and former advisor to Track Two: EU SA funded trade and Investment Programme.

Lorena Ciciriello

Ms. Lorena Ciciriello is Head of Renewable Energy at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation. She has over 13 years of experience in the Project Finance market, having spent five years at Veolia Environment, where she was in charge of the development and management of PFI/PPP projects in Italy, and working for SMBC since 2006 both in London and Milan. She has worked for the Italian Government at the Economic Ministry, Project Finance Technical Unit (UTFP) as financial advisor to the public sector on the implementation of PFI/PPP projects. Ms. Ciciriello has an extensive experience in the Renewable Sector, having worked on the structuring and financing of more than 40 transactions in the Solar and Wind sector during the last 6 years. She holds an MSc in Economics from London School of Economics and an Economics degree from the University of Hertfordshire.

Dr. Nkosana Moyo

Dr. Nkosana Moyo has been Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the African Development Bank until August 2011. Before joining the AfDB, he worked at Actis Capital LLP as Managing Partner for the Africa Business. He also served as Minister of Industry & International Trade of Zimbabwe and for three years as Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum. He is currently on the Board of Trustees of the Investment Climate Facility (ICF) and on the Board of the Africa Leadership Institute. Since September 2011, Dr. Moyo is the Executive Chairman of the Mandela Institute for Development studies, an Africa-wide think tank which provides a forum for dialogue, research and networking. He holds a PhD in Physics from Imperial College, University of London and an MBA from Cranfield School of Management, UK.

Raj Kulasingham

Mr. Raj Kulasingham is a senior partner at Denton Law Firm, specialising in infrastructure and utility projects. He has more than 20 years of experience providing legal and strategic advice on projects involving energy, transport, oil, gas and infrastructure in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Mr. Kulasingham has been working on projects in Africa since 2005 and is a frequent speaker and commentator on Africa related issues. He currently advises on investment and infrastructure projects in Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia and Malaysia.

Roland Tatnell

Mr. Roland Tatnell is a founding partner of African Frontier Capital (‘AFCap’), a private equity vehicle which invests into platforms in asset-intensive sectors and infrastructure, and has transacted in power, aviation, rail, real estate, leasing and oil & gas sectors across Africa. Prior to AFCap, Mr. Tatnell was part of the investment team of PME African Infrastructure Opportunities plc, a listed Africa-focused fund. He began his career working in a number of countries on the continent such as Angola, Nigeria, Ghana, Libya, Mauritania and Tunisia whilst establishing new oil and gas operations for Baker Hughes Inc. Mr. Tatnell holds a BSc in Physics from the University of Leeds and an MBA from INSEAD.

Stephan Diefenthal

Stephan Diefenthal, Vice President, works as key account infrastructure and mining in the division New Business, Department Africa, at DEG, the German bilateral Development Finance Institution. Mr. Diefenthal is graduated in economics and international management and disposes of more than 20 years of experience in international project finance in emerging markets. Before joining DEG he worked for a leading German commercial bank. Within DEG Mr. Diefenthal has been in charge of numerous, mainly African countries and worked in various sectors such as new business origination, structuring deals and portfolio management. Since 2005, Mr Diefenthal has, among others, been in charge of securing deals in the African mining sector as well as infrastructure sector such as energy, telecommunications/ICT and transport.

Yaw Owusu

Mr. Yaw Owusu is the founder of Gateway Innovations Ltd which was established in order to develop and manage the first technology park in Ghana. He is co-author of the book Modernizing Commonwealth Governments which outlines the role of startup incubation and technology parks in transforming Africa’s IT economy. Mr. Owusu is a board member of the Africa 2.0 organization. He has presented numerous influential papers on innovation in emerging markets in the last 10 years. Before joining the technology group of the Investment Banking unit at Goldman Sachs in New York, he worked for General Electric and IBM Global Services as project manager. Mr. Owusu studied in the Executive MBA program at Columbia Business School in 2001-2002 and majored in Mathematics and Economics at Albright College, Reading, Pennsylvania.

Zakhaye Mayisa

Zakhele Mayisa, a South African national, is a Principal Infrastructure Finance Officer in ONRI.1. He is fulfilling a lead role in formulating strategies to better link with worldwide financiers with project sponsors in Africa, and expand the investor network for the Programme for Infrastructure Investment in Africa (PIDA) portfolio of projects. He is also tasked with assisting in alternative financing arrangements to channel potential contributions to invest in regional integration infrastructure projects. He also leads in formulation of strategies to better promote PIDA through relevant international investment platforms. Before joining the Bank he was a Manager for Infrastructure Finance at the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) where he was fulfilling a lead role for project and corporate finance transactions in the Energy, Transport, Water and Sanitation, Roads, Health, Education and Real Estate sectors.His qualifications include MSc DP, HDip. Finance (Wits, SA) and an MBA UK).