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  • 7-9 May 2012

Overview

West Africa is the fast growing region in the fastest growing continent.

Rapidly rising levels of personal wealth, high commodity prices, economic reform and increasing stability offer investors tremendous opportunities in everything from financial services to mining, consumer goods, manufacturing and oil & gas.

Our bi-annual event offers regional and international investors, financiers and corporates the chance to see first-hand the transformation taking place. The opportunity to build personal relationships with the region's business leaders, policy-makers, local financial service providers and entrepreneurs. With representatives from more than 100 deals of all sizes seeking an aggregate of US$5bn+ in financing already attending you have the opportunity to benefit from the region's growth!

HE John Dramani MahamaVice President, Republic of Ghana
Hon. John Dramani Mahama was sworn into office as the Vice-President of the Republic of Ghana on Wednesday, January 7, 2009. From 2005 until he became Vice President, John has been Minority Parliamentary Spokesman for Foreign Affairs. He has been a Member of the Pan African Parliament based in Pretoria, South Africa from 2004 to date where he served as the Chairman of the West Africa Caucus.

Hon. Dr. Kwabena DuffourMinister of Finance, Republic of Ghana
Dr Kwabena Duffuor, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Syracuse, New York, (1979). He also possesses two Masters' degrees in Finance and Banking, and in Economics. He was appointed by President John Evans Atta Mills as the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning on February 13, 2009. Until his appointment, the retired Governor of the Bank of Ghana was the Chairman of Star Assurance Company and Unibank Ghana Limited among others.

Hon. Hanna TettehMinister of Trade & Industry, Republic of Ghana
Hanna Tetteh was born in Budapest to a Hungarian mother and Ghanaian father. Hanna went to Wesley Girls High School, Cape Coast. She studied Law at the University of Ghana and the Ghana Law School and was called to the Ghana Bar in 1992. She started her career in private legal practice with Ansa-Asare and Co., focusing on commercial and corporate law. She briefly worked with Ghana's Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice before moving to Ghana Agro Food Company where she became General Manager for Legal, Administrative and Corporate Affairs. She has served as a Council Member of the Association of Ghana Industries, a Board Member of the Awutu-Emasa Rural Bank and on the advisory board for the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research. Hanna won the parliamentary seat for the Awutu Senya Constituency in the Central Region in December 2000. She has been a member of six parliamentary committees, including Trade, Industry and Tourism, Defence and Interior, Finance and Subsidiary Legislation. Hanna has served in the National Executive of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in various capacities. When the NDC won the 2008 Presidential and Parliamentary elections, she became the Minister for Trade and Industry in January 2009.

Matthew Boadu AdjeiChief Executive Officer, Oasis Capital
Matthew Boadu-Adjei is the founder and CEO of Oasis Capital Ghana Limited. He has several years' investment banking experience, 7 years of which has been spent in private equity and growth capital industry. He leads the team on strategy, negotiations, fund raising, investor relations and support.

Nana Owusu-AfariCEO, Afariwaa Group of Companies
Nana Owusu Afari is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Afariwaa Group of Companies comprising farming, real estate development, veterinary pharmaceuticals, bottled water processing and production.

George AboagyeCEO, Ghana Investment Promotion (GIPC)
Mr. George Aboagye is the CEO of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC). Mr. George Aboagye started his career as an Assistant Commercial Officer at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ghana in 1979 and rose to the position of Commercial Officer in 1982. He lectured in Business Management and Marketing at the Kebbi State University (Sokoto State Polytechnic) in Nigeria, 1983 to 1984.

Dr Toni AubynnCEO, Chamber of Mines
Dr. Toni Aubynn is the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines. He is a well-respected Corporate Executive, Human Resources, Public Affairs and Sustainable Development practitioner in Ghana. His work experience spans from teaching and research, banking and corporate management. Until his recent appointment as the CEO of the Chamber of Mines, he was the Director of Corporate Affairs for Tullow Ghana Limited, the operator of the Jubilee Oil Fields in Ghana.

Emmanuel BekoeFund Director, German International Corporation, SPEED Funding Facility
Emmanuel Bekoe is the Fund Manager of SPEED Funding Facility (SFF) of German International Corporation. Previously Emmanuel was the Management Accountant at Opportunity International Savings & Loans and the Chartered Accountants as an Associate Consultant, J. Mills Lamptey, Assistant Finance Manager at New Life Services and Agribusiness Consultant, Amex Int.

Solomon AsamoahDeputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer, Africa Finance Corp
Solomon Asamoah is AFC's Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Investment Officer. He was formerly Vice President for Private Sector and International Investments at the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA). He has over 20 years of experience originating and executing transactions. Solomon was Special Assistant to the Executive Vice President and Managing Director of the International Finance Corporation.

Charles AmonooCEO, Dwadifo Adanfo
Charles Amonoo is a seasoned professional who has extensive entrepreneurial and business development experience with particular focus on Microfinance and related sectors. He has been the driving force behind the success of Dwadifo Adanfo to date and continues to create and maintain significant market share and business focus for the organization. He has a unique management style and is able to get staff and clients to buy into any idea and help carry it through to its intended objective.

Rex KontorExecutive Director, Weston Capital
Rex Kontor is an Executive director of Weston Capital Management, a UK based Private Equity and Venture Capital Consultancy. Weston Capital also has an office in Ghana where deal-sourcing for investment projects from the West Africa region is coordinated. Rex is project managing the establishment of a Ghana-focused microfinance Investment fund for Weston Capital. Prior to joining Weston Capital, Rex was Compliance and Productivity Manager for Tesco UK where he project managed cost saving initiatives for the company.

Carole RamellaManaging Director, GFA Consulting
Carole Ramella is a Cameroonian who is the founder and managing director at GFA Consulting, a boutique Corporate Finance practice in Ghana. Before she founded GFA Carole has worked as Vice President Duff & Phelps, Project Manager M&A Gras Savoye, Senior Auditor at Arthur Anderson and Account Manager at Paribas. Carole holds a Masters in Finance from Rheims Management School, an Accountancy qualification from DECF and an MBA from INSEAD

Harriette Amissah-ArthurPartner, Arthur Energy Advisors
Harriette Amissah-Arthur is a professional engineer with an MBA from the University of Ghana, Legon. She has over 30 years of experience in the energy sector. The first 18 years of her career were spent in the Planning and Management of Power System Operations and Maintenance for both the Generation and Transmission functions. She has since then been engaged in energy policy and project development, appraisal, feasibility and implementation as well as energy enterprise development & financing services, capacity building for rural energy technology and enterprises.

Vanessa AdamsTrade Hub Project Director, US AID – West Africa Trade Hub
Vanessa Adams has been based in Ghana for over six years, overseeing business development at the USAID West Africa Trade Hub. Vanessa has presided over a significant growth in exports that has created thousands of jobs for West Africans and demonstrated the potential to create many more fulfilling the Trade Hub's mission of making trade happen.

Bruno LeclercResident Manager, AFD Ghana
Bruno Leclerc is an agronomist. He graduated in INA Paris-Grignon (Paris, France). After working in Cameroon for the French and European Cooperation, he joined in 1992 the French Development Agency (AFD, Agence Française de Développement). Since 2003, he has been Resident Manager of AFD Offices in Gabon, Mozambique and Ghana.

Nana Osei-BonsuNew Director-General, PEF
Nana Osei-Bonsu is the Director-General of the Private Enterprise Foundation (PEF). Nana studied at Saint Francis College of Brooklyn, in the USA for his first degree in Economics in 1977 and followed up at Fordham University Graduate Arts and Sciences with graduate studies in International Finance.

Jamil AmpomahDirector Sub Saharan Africa, ACCA Ghana
Jamil Ampomah is the ACCA Director for sub-Saharan Africa. In this role, he is responsible for the implementation of ACCA's strategy in the region, ably supported by a team of regional heads and country managers in several sub-Saharan African countries. He also manages ACCA's relationships with key stake-holders, governments, regulators, policy makers, employers, international agencies and regional organisations across sub-Saharan Africa.

Kwame Boasiako Omane-AntwiProfessor, University of Cape Coast
Professor Kwame Boasiako Omane-Antwi is a Lecturer at both the undergraduate and the graduate MBA programmes in the School of Business, University of Cape Coast. He is the Vice Rector and Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration, Pentecost University College (affiliated to the University of Ghana). One of Kwame's current appointments includes member of KAAF University College Board.

Matthew ArmahChief Operating Officer, MiDA
Matthew Armah was appointed Chief Operating Officer (COO) of MiDA in November 2006. An Agricultural Economist by training, Matthew holds a Bachelor degree from the University of Ghana, an MPhil in Economic Development and a Post graduate Diploma in Development Problems and Policy from the University of Glasgow. Prior to his appointment, Matthew was the Project Manager for the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Compact Proposal Development Team, and worked as a Business Development Consulting Director at Management Support Technologies Limited, Ghana. He has over thirty years' professional experience covering both the public and private sectors.

Christian DahmManaging Director, African Cashew Alliance
Christian Dahm is the Managing Director of the African Cashew Alliance Secretariat. Christian has worked and studied in Germany, France, United Kingdom and Switzerland before joining the African Cashew Alliance in Accra, Ghana in 2008 via the USAID-West Africa Trade Hub. He graduated from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London in 2001. After working at several African development organizations in London, he joined an intergovernmental organization providing trade-related technical assistance to developing country governments based in Geneva, Switzerland in 2004. In 2008, Christian obtained an MBA degree from the University of Geneva's Business School in Management of International Organizations (IOMBA).

Michael TilleyChairman, Terrain Capital
Michael Tilley is the Chairman and a founding director of Terrain Capital. He has worked in the accounting and finance industries for more than 25 years and he has a broad range of senior advisory and project management experience in all facets of corporate finance. His primary responsibility is the strategic leadership of Terrain Capital's business. Michael is Chairman of Lower Murray Water, member of Vision Super Ltd, the Industry Fund Management Ltd Investor Advisory Board and V-Line Passenger Board.

Hon. Dr. Joe Oteng-AdjeiMinister of Energy, Republic of Ghana
Dr Joe Oteng-Adjei, the Minister for Energy had his first Degree at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi. Thereafter, he pursued a course in Power Systems with a Canadian, Commonwealth Scholarship at the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada. At the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada, Joe did his PhD in Power Systems with a Canadian Natural Science and Engineering Research Council Scholarship. At Canfield University, Bedford, England he pursued a Master's Degree in Business Administration majoring in Finance and Macro Economics.

Stephen AduExecutive Secretary, Public Utilities Regulatory Commission
Stephen Adu is the executive secretary of the Ghana's Public Utilities Regulatory Commission.

Dr Alfred K. Ofosu-AhenkorahExecutive Secretary, Energy Commission
Dr. Ofosu Ahenkorah has over 20 years experience in Energy Management, with 17 of those years in Ghana. He has been engaged in institutional development and capacity building and was the first Executive Director of the Energy Foundation, a Public-Private Partnership institution that was established to promote Energy Efficiency in Ghana. He is a pioneer in championing energy efficiency and household appliance energy efficiency and labeling in Africa and was responsible for the introduction of appliance efficiency standards and labeling in Ghana. He has been the Executive Secretary of the Energy Commission since May 2005. Dr. Ofosu Ahenkorah is also the Deputy Chairperson of the Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP).

Charles DarkuCEO, Ghana Grid Company
Charles Darku was appointed Chief Executive Officer of GRIDCo on 8th September, 2009. He is an experienced professional engineer, who worked with the Volta River Authority (VRA) for over twenty-seven years in various technical and Management positions, including Protection and Control Engineer at Kpong GS and Principal Engineer, Technical Services, Director of Management Information Systems. Until his appointment as the C.E.O of GRIDCo he was the Director of Power Sales, Volta River Authority.

Jabesh Amissah-ArthurCEO, Bui Power Authority
Jabesh Amissah-Arthur is an energy expert with over 32 years of long and varied experience in utility operations, utility management, policy analysis, project management, power contracts & related negotiations for PPAs, GSAs, PSAs and JVs. Jabesh has a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana and a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University, Cambridge, USA.

Nana Osafo AdjeiManaging Director, TAQA West Africa
Nana Osafo Adjei has been associated with the power industry for the past 18 years, the last 5 years of which has been in senior management capacity. He started with the Volta River Authority and was among the first contingent of employees deployed to commence the construction and commercial operations of Volta River Authority's Thermal Complex in Aboadze near Takoradi. He is the Domakwaahene of the Akwapem Traditional Area with the stool name, Nana Osafo Kantanka I.

Sam Brew-ButlerChairman, Cenpower Generation
Nana Sam Brew-Butler, graduated in Business Studies from the University of North London, England and studied for an MA (Management Science) from the University of Kent at Canterbury, England, earning a Post-Graduate Diploma. His varied working experience includes time spent with Civic Stores Limited, London as a Trainee Manager as well as Group Commercial Manager of Ghana Industrial Holding Corporation, following which he set up Reltub Company Limited, a business and project development group – of which he is Chairman and CEO. He is a shareholder and Resident Director of Arab Contractors, an international construction company and Director of Consolidated Power Projects Ghana. He was Chairman of the Ghana Football Association and served on CAF (Confederation of African Football) and FIFA (International Federation of Football Associations in Africa and globally. He is currently the Executive Chairman of Cenpower Generation Company Limited.

William Sam-AppiahVolta River Authority
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Daniel AzuElectricity Company of Ghana
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Kombate MarindameWest African Investment Manager, LGT Venture Philanthropy
Kombate Marindame is the West African Investment Manager for LGT Venture Philanthropy, a private family foundation and member of LGT Bank, Switzerland. Before joining LGT VP in July 2011, he had worked as Investment Officer (West Africa) for E+Co, a public purpose organization that supports SMEs in the renewable energy sector in Latin America, Africa and Asia.

Patrick AcheampongRisingSun Montessori School
Patrick Achaempong is an entrepreneur with significant investments in education. He is the promoter of RisingSun Holdings which own and operate a chain of schools in Ghana under the brand name RisingSun Montessori School. He is a seasoned chartered accountant, investment banker and tax advisor. He past experience includes Head of Finance at Standard Chartered Bank, Nairobi Kenya, Finance Director at Barclays Bank Ghana, Financial Controller with Fidelity Bank and Senior Investment Manager with Fidelity Capital Partners. Patrick also worked as Management Accountant with Unilever Ghana after starting his career with KPMG. He holds an MBA degree in Finance, BSc. Accounting from the University of Ghana Business School. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (Ghana), Member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation Ghana.

Charles Yeboah, PhDDirector, International Community Schools Limited
Dr. Charles Yeboah is a co-founder and CEO of International Community Schools, based in Kumasi, Ghana. The school which is the first ever school in Kumasi to be accredited to run international programs and has grown from 7 children in the year 2000 to over 1,000 Students in 10 years: from zero assets at the beginning to over $7,000,000 in assets today. Charles has successfully raised over $4,500,000 from different financial institutions including traditional banks, venture capital funds and an international development agency. Prior to establishing the school Charles served as a teaching and research fellow at Loyola University in Chicago and also served as a visiting adjunct lecturer at Spurgeons College, London, while teaching at the same time at what is now Ghana Baptist University College. Charles holds a PhD from Loyola University, Chicago (1998).

David TettehCEO, CAL Brokers
David Ganesha Tetteh is the president of the Ghana Association of Stockbrokers and CEO/MD of CAL Brokers Limited, a Licensed Dealing Member (LDM) of the Ghana Stock Exchange. David is also Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Finlite group. He is an Investment Banker by profession and has over 10 years' experience in Securities and Commodity trading, investment banking, business development and research. His other directorships include the Ghana Stock Exchange, Golden Life Assurance Company and Odwe Anoma Commodity Bank.

Adu Anane AntwiDirector General, Securities & Exchange Commission of Ghana
Adu Anane Antwi is a chartered accountant and a lawyer by profession. Until his appointment as the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, he was in private business as the founder and the CEO/Principal Consultant of Finlaw Consult, and a partner in A & A Associates. Prior to setting up his private firms, he worked as the Director of Corporate Finance & Investment Management at the Securities and Exchange Commission. He has also worked as the Director of Investment & Fund Management at the National Health Insurance Authority and Acting Director of Finance at the Ghana National Procurement Agency (GNPA). Adu is a member of the Financial Stability Board Regional Consultative Group for Sub-Saharan Africa and was part of a team which worked on Ghana's convergence with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). He has special interest in corporate governance and has published a number of articles on the subject. Adu currently serves on the boards of the Graphic Communications Group Limited, the State Enterprises Audit Corporation and the University College of Management Studies.

Agatha QuaysonTrade/Private Sector Development Specialist, Swiss Embassy
Agatha Quayson is the Trade and Private Sector Development Specialist with the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). Agatha holds a degree in Economics from the University of Cape Coast, MA in Economic Policy Management from the University of Ghana and an Executive Certificate in Housing Finance from the Wharton Business School, University of Pennsylvania. She has a rich experience in the financial sector with specific focus on housing, agriculture and SME access to finance. Previously she worked as a housing finance expert with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and was also Financial Services Component Manager with the Agricultural Development and Value Chain Enhancement Program (ADVANCE, funded by USAID).

Sam Pee YalleyCEO, National Pensions Regulatory Authority
Sam Pee Yalley is the CEO of the National Pensions Regulatory Authority of Ghana.

Stephan AntohCEO, First Capital Plus
Stephan Antoh is responsible for the Corporate Affairs, Legal and Human Resources division of First Capital Plus. Until March 2009, he was an Associate in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department of Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa & Ankomah law firm in Ghana. Stephan had a stint with First Atlantic Merchant Bank prior to joining First Capital Plus in August 2009. He has a post graduate L.L.B. from the Ghana Law School and a B.A Degree in Theatre Studies and History, with specialization in Radio and Television production. He is a member of the Ghana Bar Association.

Steven GrayCountry Manager, Lonrho Ghana
Steven Gray has held senior management roles with Taylor Woodrow Construction, Oryx Group of Companies and Phoenix International Group. He has been responsible for planning, financing, development and management of a range of projects in sectors such as leisure, defence, security oil and gas, commercial, logistics and natural resources sectors in both the Middle East and Africa. These projects include the management and delivery of construction projects in Ghana.

Evans FreemanEnterprise Support Assistant, GPSDF
Evans Freeman is an Enterprise Support Assistant with the Ghana Private Sector Development Facility (GPSDF). He holds a degree in Economics from the University of Ghana, Legon and a Diploma in Financial Management from the Institute of Commercial Management (ICM) Bournemouth, England. Mr. Freeman is experienced in the development and management of Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) having interacted and related with over hundreds of them through the GPSDF Project.

Christoph AnagbonuManaging Director, Mensah Duah & Co
Christoph Anagbonu is a Managing Partner at Mensah Duah & Co. He has over five years of consultancy experience in financial management training, budgeting and control systems, business planning and development, with various private and public organizations including United States African Development Foundation (USADF), NGOs, district assemblies, and ministry of local government. He has conducted value for money and management audit as well as forensic audit for public and private organizations. He has over 10 years' experience in auditing in the private sector and has advised on internal control systems of clients. Christoph is a Fellow of the Association Chartered Certified Accountants. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana. He holds a Master of Arts Degree in International Management from the International University of Japan; and First Class Honors Bachelor Degree in BCom from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana.

Barbara Drexler VujcicExecutive Secretary, Ghanaian-German Economic Association
Barbara Drexler Vujcic is the Executive Secretary of the Ghanaian-German Economic Association. Barbara has 18 years of experience in diplomatic missions, predominantly in the economic sector (PR, organising of trade fairs, trade mission, conferences, presentations, official visits, market research etc.) She is a translator and interpreter and has written a guidebook in German: Ljubljana – the youthful city at the river and course-books for Slovene language courses for foreigners. Barbara holds a Masters' degree in translating and interpreting from Karl-Franzens-University Graz/Austria and was the Official Court Interpreter for German in Slovenia.

Seth Adjei BaahPresident, Ghana National Chamber of Commerce
Hon. Seth Adjei Baah is President of the Ghana Chamber of Commerce & Industry. He is an Independent MP for Nkawkaw in Ghana. He is a business person and was the CEO, Shaaba Enterprises Limited before he became an MP. He holds BA (Trinity College and University, Madrid, Spain), which he obtained in 2005.

Alhaji AbudulaiManaging Director, CME
Alhaji Abudulai is the Director of Operations for CME (Ghana) Ltd. Alhaji is responsible for protocol, and the coordination of governmental and local authority affairs for CME operations. Prior to this Alhaji was responsible for the car and spare parts sales and distribution for the Accra Region Nissan Auto Parts. Alhaji began his career at the Bureau of African Affairs, Office of the President: Ghana. He holds a Diploma in Administration and Political Science, Moscow (1972).

Hugues Vincent-GenodInvestment Officer, I&P
Hugues Vincent-Genod is an Investment Officer at I&P Ghana. Prior to this he was a Consultant at Fonds Afrique de Garrigue in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Hugues was previously Junior Analyst Paris Initiatives Entreprises. He began his career in India as Reporting Analyst Inter Aide Mumbai, Advocacy Intern UNAIDS New Dehli. His education includes a M.Sc. from London School of Economics, a Masters in Finance & Strategy from Sciences Po Paris.