Speakers
Harold Awuah-Darko has over 20 years’ experience in the insurance and pension industry. He is chairman of Suame Magazine Industrial Development fund, a project aimed at transforming Saume Magazine into a top-flight industrial estate, and is chairman of United Pension Trustees limited. He is also director of Vanguard Assurance Company limited. He has previously sat as chairman for Nationwide Mutual Healthcare, Patron and VA Sudan.
Harold received a MSc. Actuarial Science from City University, BSc. (Hons) Statistics and Computer Science – University of Ghana, Legon.
Tshepo Mahloele, CEO of Harith General Partners, a specialist infrastructure private equity company. Harith established itself as a leading private equity investor in the four core infrastructure sectors; energy, transport, telecommunications, and water. Harith acquired London based Frontier Markets Fund Managers Limited (FMFML) as part of its growth strategy to become a multi‐fund manager. FMFML invested in over 63 projects with total exposure of more than $1.13bn across 15 African countries.
Harith manages the Pan African Infrastructure Development Fund (PAIDF) which is a US$630m Fund. PAIDF1 is fully invested. Harith also launched PAIDF2 which is a US$588m Fund, targeting US$1bn within next 16 months. Mahloele is a recipient of the CEO of the Decade award from the Association of Black Securities and Investment Professionals.
Solomon Wifa is head of O'Melveny's London office and a member of the Investment Funds Practice. Solomon has significant experience in the investment funds sector and has acted on a number of international and domestic private equity transactions, including the establishment of private equity, hedge, buyout, mezzanine and venture capital funds and carried interest schemes. He has also advised on a number of buy-out, venture, and development capital investments. Solomon has advised on a range of primary and secondary transactions in private equity and hedge funds and has advised on a variety of sector focused and emerging market funds.
Solomon is ranked as a leading adviser by Chambers UK. In January 2013, he was named to The Lawyer’s 2013 “Hot 100” list.
David Awuah-Darko is Chairman and CEO of IC Securities Holdings limited, an Africa-focused investment banking and securities firm, and serves on Ghana’s National Bond Market Development Committee. He currently manages day-to-day work on strategic initiatives and business development for the wider IC Securities group. Prior to founding IC Securities, David started his career at Lehman Brothers International (Europe) in London as a European Equities trader. He read Mathematics & Computation at Balliol College, University of Oxford, where he gained an MA (Oxon) degree and two half-blues in polo. David is a fellow of the Africa Leadership Initiative and the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Bayo Alade-Loba is a leading Sub Saharan private equity practitioner and advisor. He sits on the Investment committee of several West Africa focused funds, has been Nigeria country advisor to Ethos and Old Mutual Private Equity and is currently senior advisor to one of Africa’s largest financial institutions establishing a pan Africa private equity fund.
Prior to his current position Bayo was head of Sub Saharan Africa Investment banking of Credit Suisse based in New York and London as well as Independent board director of one of Nigeria’s largest publicly listed conglomerates.
Bayo received a B.A (PPE) from Balliol College Oxford and M.B.A from Harvard Business School.
Bayo was voted ‘’International banker of the year’’ by This Day Newspaper, Nigeria’s largest Newspaper (2006/2007)
The conference will provide an excellent opportunity to learn about Rockwood and it's accomplishments. The Rockwood portfolio is expanding and gaining increasing presence in Africa (including Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana, Nigeria, Uganda, Angola, Ghana, Guinea and Kenya). This has been achieved through organic growth, new contract gains, and acquisitions. Rockwood continues to experience material success in this regard. Through this aggressive strategy Rockwood has been able to continue to grow its portfolio even while the South African economy has been under pressure.
The external speakers at our conference will be a number of prominent businessman from across the continent who are involved in investing or advising on investing in Africa. Our speakers will be sharing their experiences and providing useful insights on investing and growing business in Africa.
In addition to the external speakers, the management of our portfolio companies will present components of their African strategy and insights on how they have achieved success to date. These management teams manage and control companies which are market leaders in South Africa with aggressive growth strategies.
The audience of peers will include South Africa, USA and European private equity investors who are looking for opportunities and partners.
The day will be followed by dinner providing a great opportunity to create new alliances and strong partnerships. Sean Wisedale, a motivational speaker and the first African to summit the seven highest mountains on each continent will also be sharing his stories about preparation, perseverance, determination and taking advantage of opportunities.