“This was one of the best Africa related conferences that I have been to. All the topics and panel discussions were engaging and the panel members were people who offered valuable insight into deal specific relevant issues.”

“Excellent selection of panel topics! The speakers were well qualified and provided candid perspectives and assessments; credit to the moderators.”

“Excellent choices, topical issues and great speakers.”

“The topics and the panel of speakers were well experienced in their respective fields and gave a good insight into the different topics of discussions as well as insight into actual workings on the ground.”

“[The panels were] very well chosen and presented.”

ALN 2014 Conference

 

Hosted by:

Anjarwalla Collins & Haidermota

DATE:
27th November, 2014

VENUE:
The Palace, Downtown Dubai

PANELISTS:
42 PANELISTS

  ABOUT THE EVENT / what took place

ALN is an independent alliance of leading law firms in Africa. It is the largest and only grouping of its kind in Africa, with close working relationships across its members and an established network of “Best Friends” across the continent. ALN’s firms are committed to working together to provide extensive coverage and on-the-ground experience.

Africa is now home to some of the world’s fastest-growing economies and offers the highest risk-adjusted returns on foreign direct investment among emerging economies. While mining and oil remain big businesses, infrastructure and investment and the consumer market are major growth areas. Telecom, mobile banking, retail and hospitality are also sectors that are showing great promise. As worldwide investors vie for a piece of the action, the expectations of African stakeholders have risen. To succeed, investors will have to look beyond dazzling returns and one-off projects, and sign on as participating partners in Africa’s long-term growth and development.

At our annual members' conference in 2014, ALN decided to bring together a select part of its client base, together with its members, to discuss the above and more, exploring what sectors and regions in Africa provide the greatest opportunities for foreign investors, while analysing the legal and regulatory implications. The 2014 conference was held in Dubai with the aim that general counsel, investors, developers, financiers, management and company directors would interact, exchange ideas and share notes on matters of great importance in the new African business landscape.

  GUEST OF HONOUR / His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan

Guest of Honour

Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan is United Arab Emirates' Minister for Culture, Youth, and Social Development. He was formerly the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research. He is also Chancellor to two of the UAE's three government-sponsored institutions of higher learning: United Arab Emirates University and the Higher Colleges of Technology. Previously, he was the Chairman of several ministerial committees, including the Ministerial Committee for Education and the National Committee for Workforce Planning.

  MASTER OF CEREMONIES / Atiq Anjarwalla, Managing Partner, Anjarwalla Collins & Haidermota

Guest of Honour

 

Atiq is a Master of Laws graduate from Jesus College, University of Cambridge, having obtained his Bachelor of Laws from the University of Hull. Atiq is a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales and practised for over eight years with leading City of London firms, Slaughter and May and CMS Cameron McKenna. Atiq has over 25 years of practice experience and focuses principally on infrastructure projects, project finance, mergers and acquisitions, banking and capital markets. He has also been involved in projects in various sectors including transport, energy and telecommunications.

  PANELISTS / who's who

Click on each speaker to show details (click again to hide details)

KEYNOTE SPEAKER
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
KEYNOTE SPEAKER

H.E. MOHAMED ABDI GELLO
Kenyan Ambassador
UAE

DR. CHEICK MODIBO DIARRA
Chairman
ALN

HON. PROF. GITHU MUIGAI
Attorney General
Republic of Kenya

ANNE WANGARI KIRIMA MUCHOKI
Chairperson
Kenya Investment Authority


ADIL POPAT
Chief Executive Officer
Simba Corporation

AHMED EL GUINDY
Managing Director and Head of Investment Banking
EFG Hermes

ALYKHAN NATHOO
Partner
Helios Investment Partners


AMEET SHAH
Co-founder & Co-chairman
Astonfield

AMYN MUSSA
Senior Partner
Anjarwalla & Khanna

ASAD A. AHMED, OGW
Managing Director, Alvarez & Marsal’s Financial Industry Advisory Services


ASIF ABDULLA
Managing Director
Primefuels Companies

BENJAMIN COQUERELLE
Senior Legal Counsel
Business Development at GDF SUEZ Energy International

BRADFORD GIBBS
Member of the Executive Committee
Atlas Mara Co-Nvest Ltd


CARLO VAN WAGENINGEN
Owner and Founder
Lake Turkana Wind Power

CHARLES OMANGA
Managing Principal
Horizon Africa Capital Ltd

DARRELL MCGRAW
Partner
PricewaterhouseCoopers, Nigeria


FRED MURIMI
Corporate Affairs Director & Company Secretary
Centum Investment Group.

GRAEME REID
Managing Director
Athena Properties Limited

HUGH FRASER
Managing Partner
Andrews Kurth (Middle East) DMCC


IAN GAITTA
Senior Principal Associate
Anjarwalla Collins & Haidermota

JAMEEL VERJEE
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Diar Capital & City Blue Hotels

JAYAKRISHNAN GOPALAKRISHNAN
Director
International Enterprise Singapore


JOHN SMELCER
Director - Sector Group Head
Oil & Gas, Webber Wentzel

KARIM ANJARWALLA
Managing Partner
Anjarwalla & Khanna

KAPIL JOBANPUTRA
Investment Banker
Standard Chartered Bank, Dubai, UAE


KEVIN TEEROOVENGADUM
Chief Executive Officer
AttAfrica

KOOME GIKUNDA
Investment Principal
Actis

MAUREEN MUJERA
Partner
Anjarwalla & Khanna


MOHAMED AMERSI
Chief Executive Officer
Emergent Telecom Ventures

NABEEL KAZEROONI
Executive Director
Arqaam Capital

OSMAN QURESHI
Chief Financial Officer
Mubadala Infrastructure Partners Ltd


PAUL KAVUMA
Chief Executive Officer
Catalyst Principal Partners

RIZWAN DESAI
Senior Partner
Collins Newman and Co.

RODDY MCKEAN
Director
Anjarwalla & Khanna


ROHAN PATEL
Director - Corporate Development
Grenadier Ltd

RONALD EGELMAN
Director of Development, Middle East & Africa
InterContinental Hotels Group

SHAFFIN JAMAL
Chairman & CEO, Union Trust Investments Ltd.


SHANIF DEWANY
Managing Principal
Horizon Africa Capital Ltd

TEJAS SHAH
Development Director- Africa
Hyatt International (Europe Africa Middle East) LLC

TREVOR WARD
Managing Director
W Hospitality Group

ZAFRULLAH KHAN
Managing Director
Chase Bank

  AGENDA / what happened when

Time Activity Speaker
8:00 – 9:15 Registration
9:15 – 9:35 Opening Remarks & Welcome Speech Mr Atiq S Anjarwalla, Managing Partner, Anjarwalla, Collins & Haidermota, Dubai

His Excellency Mohamed Abdi Gello, Kenyan Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates
9:35 – 10:35 Panel Discussion: Africa's opportunities and challenges
Moderator:Roddy McKean, Anjarwalla & Khanna
 
Speakers:Dr. Cheick Modibo Diarra, ALN
 Jayakrishnan Gopalakrishnan - Investment Enterprise Group Singapore (Middle East & Africa)
 Mohamed Amersi, Emergent Telecom Ventures
 Zafrullah Khan, Chase Bank
10:35 - 11:35 Panel Discussion: Banking & Finance - Challenges and Opportunities for the Future
Moderator: Rizwan Desai, Collins Newman & Co.
 
Speakers: Asad A. Ahmed, OGW, Alvarez & Marsal’s Financial Industry Advisory Services
  Bradford Gibbs, Atlas Mara Co-Nvest Ltd.
  Charles Omanga, Horizon Africa Capital Ltd.
 Shaffin Jamal, Union Trust Investments Ltd.
 Zafrullah Khan, Chase Bank
11:35 – 12:00 Coffee Break
12:00 - 12:15 Key Note Address Guest of Honour
His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan
12:15 - 12:30 Key Note Address Dr Cheick Modibo Diarra, Chairman ALN, (Former Prime Minister, Republic of Mali)
12:30 - 13:00 Signing of the Memorandum of Guidance between the DIFC Courts and The Supreme Court of Kenya

Presentation to Guest of Honour
In the presence of His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan

Key address: Hon. Prof. Githu Muigai, The Attorney General of Kenya
 
Key address: Hon. Michael Hwang, SC Chief Justice of the DIFC Courts
13:00 - 13:15 Key Note Address: Why Kenya? Anne Kirima-Muchoki, Kenya Investment Authority
13:15 - 14:30 Networking Luncheon at Ewaan
14:30 - 15:30 Discourse on the Hospitality Sector in Africa
(The Royale A Suite)
Moderator: Ian Gaitta, Anjarwalla, Collins & Haidermota
 
Speakers: Adil Popat, Simba Corporation
  Jameel Verjee, Diar Capital & City Blue Hotels
  Kapil Jobanputra, Standard Chartered Bank
  Ronald Egelman, InterContinental Hotels Group
  Tejas Shah, Hyatt International (Europe Africa Middle East) LLC
  Trevor Ward, W Hospitality Group
Opportunities in Africa’s Oil & Gas Boom
(The Royale B Suite)
Moderator: John Smelcer, Webber Wentzel
 
Speakers: Darrel McGraw, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Nigeria
  Hugh Fraser, Andrews Kurth (Middle East) DMCC
 Oldivanda Bacar, SCAN Lawyers
 Okey Onyegbule, Gulf Africa Capital
 Sonal Sejpal, Anjarwalla & Khanna
15:30 - 16:30 Panel Discussion: African Future Cities - Commercial Property in Africa
(The Royale A Suite)
Moderator: Maureen Mujera, Anjarwalla & Khanna
 
Speakers: Fred Murimi, Centum Investment Group
  Graeme Reid, Athena Properties Limited
  Kevin Teeroovengadum, AttAfrica
  Koome Gikunda, Actis
  Rohan Patel, Grenadier Ltd
Panel Discussion: Dubai – Africa Energy Session: How to invest in Africa.
(The Royale B Suite)
Moderator: Amyn Mussa, Anjarwalla & Khanna
 
Speakers: Ameet Shah, Astonfield
  Benjamin Coquerelle, GDF Suez
  Carlo van Wageningen, Lake Turkana Wind Power
  Osman Qureshi, Mubadala Infrastructure Partners
16:30 - 17:00 Coffee Break
17:00 - 18:00 Panel Discussion: Exploring Current Trends in the Private Equity Sector
Moderator:Karim Anjarwalla, Anjarwalla & Khanna
 
Speakers:Ahmed El Guindy, EFG Hermes
  Alykhan Nathoo, Helios Investment Partners
 Asif Abdulla, Primefuels Companies
  Nabeel Kazerooni, Arqaam Capital
 Paul Kavuma, Catalyst Principal Partners
 Shanif Dewany, Horizon Africa Capital Ltd
18:00 - 18:15 Closing remarks Dr. Michael Gera, ALN

  PRESS COVERAGE / what they said about us