CHARLES ROBERTSON is a leading emerging markets specialist and has been ranked number-one economics and macro analyst in the Extel survey from 2007-10. He is the lead author of 'The Fastest Billion: The Story Behind Africa's Economic Revolution' that suggests that behind the stereotyped narrative are some jaw dropping indicators of extreme economic and social growth. At Renaissance Capital he covers global economic themes and their impact on emerging markets. Mr. Robertson’s team was also ranked number 1 for Sub-Sahara Africa research in the Institutional Investor rankings in 2012.

JONATHAN CIANO is the C.E.O, Uchumi Supermarkets. He has a wealth of knowledge derived from 25 years work experience in various companies including the Kenya Petroleum Refineries and Kenya Power & Lighting Company. His career has focussed on corporate strategy development, programme implementation, and finance and asset management amongst others. Mr. Ciano holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree and a Masters in Business Administration degree from the University of Nairobi. He is a fellow of Certified Public Accountant, Kenya Institute of Management and holds an honorary doctorate in Humanities from United Graduate College & Seminary-California, and an honorary Doctorate in Business from Mt. Kenya University.

ROBERT (BOB) COLLYMORE is the CEO of Safaricom Limited, a leading communications company in Africa and pioneer of M-PESA, the world’s most developed mobile payment system. His work experience spans across diverse countries such as Japan, South Africa and the United Kingdom where he’s held senior roles in marketing, purchasing, retail and corporate affairs. Bob has more than 30 years of commercial experience working in the telecommunications sector and is passionate about how businesses can be catalysts in transforming communities. Mr. Collymore sits on The Vision 2030 Delivery Board and the United States International University advisory board. He is also the chairman of the TEAMS (The East African Marine System) Board.

CHARLES IRELAND was appointed Group Managing Director & CEO, EABL in April 2013. Mr. Charles Ireland joined Diageo in 1997, after working for Nestle in Great Britain for 10 years. He held senior positions within Diageo in Great Britain and moved to Diageo’s operations in Asia in 2000. In 2006, He was appointed as Managing Director of Guinness Anchor Berhad (GAB), a position he held until his current appointment. Under his leadership, Guinness Anchor Berhad (GAB) witnessed five successive years of growth in terms of volume, market share, revenue and profit. He has served as the President of Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry for three terms and been a member of the Malaysian Prime Minister’s Innovation Investment and Green Award panel. Charles has more than 25 years of commercial experience working in the FMCG sector.

T.C.A. RANGANATHAN is the Chairman of Exim Bank and serves on the Board of Directors of Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India Ltd., Mumbai; Agricultural Finance Corporation Ltd., Mumbai and Small Farmers’ Agri-Business Consortium. Mr. Ranganathan has more than 35 years of experience with State Bank of India (SBI), having held diverse assignments including, inter alia, branch operations, regional controller of branches, corporate finance, international banking and corporate consultancy services. He was a member of the Technology Planning Group set up by SBI in early 2000 for introducing new technology and change management initiatives and was also the North India Head and Senior Vice President of SBI Capital Markets Ltd. He holds a Masters degree in Economics from Delhi School of Economics and Diploma in Corporate Law, and has attended Executive Development Programs at Wharton, and IIM, Lucknow.

IAN SATCHWELL is Director of the International Mining for Development Centre, a joint venture between The University of Western Australia and The University of Queensland, supported by the Australian Government though AusAID. The Centre provides practical advisory, education and training services to developing nations across mining-related issues. It is part of Australia’s Mining for Development Initiative that seeks to help developing countries to develop sustainable mining and petroleum industries to underpin economic growth. Ian has 27 years of experience in mining and development policy at national and international levels, operating at the business-government-community interface. For the past 10 years, he has held management roles in national economics consultancy firms, advising industry and government on a broad range of issues. Previously, Ian was a manager within four different minerals and energy industry bodies. Ian is a regular visitor to countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

DAVIS CHIRCHIR is the Cabinet Secretary Energy and Petroleum. Mr.Chirchir has a depth of experience in project development, management and execution and is skilled in strategic analysis and financial management. He previously served as a Commissioner at the Interim Independent Electoral Commission. Prior to this, he was the General Manager at Kenya Posts and Telecommunications Corporation where he coordinated its restructuring to create Telkom Kenya, Communication Commission of Kenya, Postal Corporation of Kenya and the Staff Pension Fund. He also coordinated the privatization of Telkom Kenya and establishment of Safaricom. Mr. Chirchir holds a Masters of Business Administration in International Management from Royal Holloway School of Management, University of London and a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and Physics from the University of Nairobi.

PHILIP DANIEL is Advisor, Immediate Office, Fiscal Affairs Department (FAD), at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), where he coordinates FAD’s work on extractive industries, and was formerly Deputy Head, Tax Policy Division in FAD. Philip has conducted technical assistance projects in all regions of the world on fiscal regimes for resource industries, on resource revenue management, and general tax policy. He is also Coordinator for FAD of the IMF’s multi-donor Managing Natural Resource Wealth Topical Trust Fund. Before joining the IMF in 2006, Philip advised many governments on commercial negotiations and policies for extractive industries. He is co-editor, with Michael Keen and Charles McPherson of The Taxation of Petroleum and Minerals: Principles, Problems and Practice and also a principal author of Fiscal Regimes for Extractive Industries—Design and Implementation. Philip has been Distinguished Lecturer in Mineral Economics at the Colorado School of Mines (USA), is Honorary Faculty of the Centre for Energy, Minerals and Petroleum Law and Policy at the University of Dundee (UK), and currently serves on the Advisory Board of the Oxford (UK) Centre for the Analysis of Resource Rich Economies.

NJUGUNA NDUNG’U is the Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya since March 2007. Prior to this appointment, he was the Director of Training at the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC). He has taught economics at the University of Nairobi, has worked with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and at the Kenya Institute of Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA). A member of various boards in the financial sector and in the Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat, the Governor was also the chair of the Steering Committee of the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) based in Bangkok, Thailand from 2009 till Sept 2012. He is now the Chair of the newly launched African Mobile Phone Financial Services Policy Initiative (AMPI), a sub-network of AFI. Prof. Ndung’u is a researcher and trainer in various fields of economics. He has published widely in journals and chapters in volumes on inflation, exchange rate, economic growth and poverty reduction. He holds a PhD in economics from Gothenburg University, Sweden, a Bachelors and Masters of Arts in Economics from the University of Nairobi and is an Associate Professor of Economics from the University of Nairobi.

DOMENICO FANIZZA is an Assistant Director with the African Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He has been leading the IMF team working on Kenya since January 2010. Previously, he held positions in the Middle Eastern Department, where he led missions to Lebanon, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. Mr. Fanizza holds a Ph. D. in Economics from Northwestern University.

NJUGUNA NDUNG’U is the Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya since March 2007. Prior to this appointment, he was the Director of Training at the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC). He has taught economics at the University of Nairobi, has worked with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and at the Kenya Institute of Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA). A member of various boards in the financial sector and in the Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat, the Governor was also the chair of the Steering Committee of the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) based in Bangkok, Thailand from 2009 till Sept 2012. He is now the Chair of the newly launched African Mobile Phone Financial Services Policy Initiative (AMPI), a sub-network of AFI. Prof. Ndung’u is a researcher and trainer in various fields of economics. He has published widely in journals and chapters in volumes on inflation, exchange rate, economic growth and poverty reduction. He holds a PhD in economics from Gothenburg University, Sweden, a Bachelors and Masters of Arts in Economics from the University of Nairobi and is an Associate Professor of Economics from the University of Nairobi.

AYISI MAKATIANI is the Managing Partner and CEO at Fanisi Capital Ltd, a private equity and venture capital firm that makes direct investments in high growth businesses across diverse industry sectors in the East African market. He has accumulated extensive management experience and operational knowledge on African Markets. Ayisi co-founded African Online Holdings Ltd and served as its CEO. He has been a director of Kenya Airways Ltd since August 2005 and has been voted among the leading top 15 CEOs in East Africa three years in a row in the Annual PWC- Nation Media Group survey of the top CEO’s in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda. Previously he served as the CEO and Managing Director of African Management Services Company and Managing Partner of Gallium Partners Investments.

KITILI MBATHI is the Regional Chief Executive for Standard Bank with responsibility for the oversight of subsidiary banks in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi and Zambia. He has 25 years of banking and financial services experience in East Africa with a four year stint in the United States. Prior to his current position he was the Managing Director of Stanbic Bank Uganda where he oversaw the acquisition of Uganda Commercial Bank and its transformation from statutory management into the leading bank in the country. While in Uganda, Mr. Mbathi served on the Presidential Investors ‘Round Table. Mr. Mbathi was seconded to the Government of Kenya in 2000 as part of an Economic Recovery Team as Investment Secretary in charge of Privatization. He has a Bachelors Degree in Economics and Political Science from the University of Michigan, U.S.A. and a Masters Degree in Banking and Finance for Development from Instituto Finafrica in Milan Italy. Kitili Mbathi is the Chairman of the Kenya Tourist Board and a member of the University of Nairobi Council. He is also a member of the Advisory Group for Sub-Saharan Africa for the Director for Africa of the International Monetary Fund.

CARMEN ALTENKIRCH is a director in Fitch Ratings’ sovereign group, where she focuses on sub-Saharan Africa. Prior to joining Fitch in 2012, she worked as an economist at Nedbank Ltd in South Africa, where she assessed sovereign risk for a broad range of countries as well as focused on macroeconomic developments in South Africa. She graduated cum laude with a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa, focusing on macroeconomics, international economics as well as econometrics.

ENGINEER MICHAEL KAMAU the Cabinet Secretary, Transport and Infrastructure has been in the Civil Service since 1981. He was appointed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport in October, 2007 and is a key architect of the infrastructure upgrade in the country over the past 10 years. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Nairobi, Master of Science in Engineering from the University of New Castle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom. He has received extensive training in the field of engineering and management both locally and internationally. He is registered as a Professional Consulting Engineer by Engineers Board of Kenya. He is a fellow of the Institution of Engineers of Kenya and also a fellow of the Kenya Institute of Management. He is an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

GABRIEL NEGATU is the African Development Bank Regional Director for East Africa Regional Center, based in Nairobi. In this capacity, Mr. Negatu has direct oversight responsibility for six countries in the region, namely Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, and the Seychelles. His responsibilities also include implementation support for the Bank’s portfolio in thirteen countries in the region. Prior to his current position, Mr. Negatu was Director of the Bank’s Governance, Economic & Financial Management Department; with operations responsibility for economic and financial reforms and the promotion of good governance, in over 30 countries across the continent. Mr. Negatu started his career in the Bank’s Policy and Review Department, where he managed the Bank’s relation with CSOs, the work on Social Impact Assessments, Harmonization and Alignment around the Paris Declarations; among other positions he held within the institution.

GUNNAR ORN GUNNARSSON has been in a leadership position in several industrial companies in Iceland and been a board member in many small and middle size companies. Gunnar represented the Government on the negotiating team in negotiations with Alcoa to secure its 340 tpa aluminum smelter which is now in full operation. Later he was a CEO of a Venture Capital Fund. For the last seven years Gunnar has been working in the power sector on business development specializing himself in contracting and financial matters. Gunnar holds a MSc. degree in Engineering.

APURVA SANGHIbased in Nairobi, is the World Bank’s Lead Economist for Kenya, Rwanda and Eritrea. Prior to that, he led the economic growth cluster of the World Bank’s Poverty Reduction and Economic Management (PREM) Department in Washington DC. Apurva is also a lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Special Report on Extreme Events, and was the team leader for the joint World Bank – UN flagship project on the economics of disasters. He has worked on development topics ranging from infrastructure and climate change to microfinance and agricultural economics. Before joining the World Bank, Apurva worked in private sector consulting; for the Thailand Development Research Institute; and held teaching and research positions at the University of Chicago, Thammasat University (Bangkok), and Yale University. He holds degrees in physics and economics, and a PhD from the University of Chicago, where his core training was on growth and macroeconomics.

DR. JONGYEARN (JON) LEE joined Korea Development Institute (KDI) as Fellow in June 2012. His research fields are Industrial Organization, Applied Econometrics, and Applied Microeconomics. More specifically, he is interested in empirical aspects of consumer choices, social interactions, Public-Private Partnerships, and risk management in project financing. He works at the Public and Private Infrastructure Investment Management Center (PIMAC), KDI, where he does research on forecasting demand for cultural and sports facilities and identifying risks in overseas development projects. Dr. Lee attended Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST), receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and Industrial Management. He also has a Master of Arts degree in Economics from Techno economics and Policy Program at Seoul National University and Master of Science degree in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University. He then attended University of Michigan, where he was awarded Master of Arts degrees in Economics and Statistics and Ph.D. degree in Economics.

ANNE WAIGURU is the Cabinet Secretary for Ministry Devolution and Planning. She served as the Director, Integrated Financial Management and Information System (IFMIS), and, Head of Governance at the National Treasury. She also served as the Alternate to the Permanent Secretary/National Treasury in the Public Procurement Oversight Authority and Advisory Board and, the Women Enterprise Fund Board. Ms Anne Waiguru holds a Masters degree in Economic Policy from the University of Nairobi, and has specialized experience in public finance, financial management systems, public service reform and capacity building, and, governance.

ALFRED HANNIG is the Executive Director of the Alliance for Financial Inclusion, an international initiative dedicated to providing the world’s 2.5 billion unbanked safe access to the formal financial system through smart policy initiatives. Before officially launching the organization in 2008, Dr. Hannig spent three years leading the design and development of AFI’s unique institutional peer to peer knowledge network concept, aimed at giving international recognition to developing and emerging policymakers as world leaders in the financial inclusion field. While serving as Executive Director, Dr. Hannig has overseen the growth of AFI from an organization with a few enthusiastic members, into a global alliance of financial inclusion institutions from over 80 developing and emerging nations. Before his work with AFI, Dr. Hannig served in leading management, policy advisory, training and research focused positions around the world including: Director of GIZ’s Sustainable Economic Development Programs in Indonesia; Head of the Financial System Development Program in Uganda; Specialist Consultant with the Superintendencia de Bancos in Bolivia; and Head of the Financial Systems Development Unit at German Technical Cooperation. Dr. Hannig received his Ph.D. on financial sector reform from Freie Universität Berlin and has authored several publications focused on development finance.

OTAVIANO CANUTO is the Senior Advisor on BRICS in the Development Economics Department, a new position established by President Kim to bring a fresh research focus to this increasingly critical area. He previously served as the Bank’s Vice President and Head of the Poverty Reduction Network (PREM), a division of more than 700 economists and other professionals working on economic policy, poverty reduction, gender equality and analytic work for client countries. He also served as an Executive Director of the Board of the World Bank from 2004-2007. Outside of the Bank he has held leadership positions at the Inter-American Development Bank where he was Vice President for Countries and for the Government of Brazil where he was Secretary for International Affairs at the Ministry of Finance. He also has an extensive academic background, serving as Professor of Economics at the University of São Paulo and University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in Brazil.

VIMAL SHAH is the Chief Executive Officer of the BIDCO Group, a leading manufacturer, marketer and distributor of edible oils, fats and hygienic products. Vimal has transformed BIDCO from a small and an unknown company to East Africa’s most respected manufacturing company. The Group has interests in the FMCG sector as well as Agribusiness and Real Estate in the whole of EAST AFRICA – with presence in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda. Vimal Shah is a management graduate from the United States International University and has been associated with the Group, since its inception. He has been instrumental in the establishment of state-of-the art processing facilities and adoption of information and communication technology across all operations of the Group. He is currently the Chairman of the Kenya Private Sector Alliance – KENYA as well as Chairman of the East African Business Council in ARUSHA, EAST AFRICA.