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Africa Business Conference
2101 HBS Student Mail Center
Boston, MA 02163

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Panel -- Aviation & Tourism - A viable platform for growth

Panel Summary: Over the last 45 years Africa has seen the rise and fall of a number of national flag carriers. The political and economic instability that has plagued the continent has left a lot of its treasures undiscovered as tourism gems. However, things are changing and today, the number of new entrants in the airline and tourism industry are growing rapidly and beginning to tap into the sizeable potential of the markets. This panel will explore the evolution of the African aviation and new-age tourism market and the question: Are aviation and tourism viable platforms for growth? Key discussion topics include new entrant strategies to yield sustainable flag carriers, growth opportunities within the continent and globally, managing innovation and international partnerships.

Conrad F.J. Clifford CEO Virgin Nigeria

Conrad Clifford started his aviation career in 1981 at Cathay Pacific Airways in a variety of trainee positions in various locations which included Seoul, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Port Moresby and Taipei. He rose to handle a range of Managerial positions between 1986 to 1995.Conrad then moved to Virgin Atlantic Airways as the General Manager Commercial and rose to be Commercial Director. He was the Crisis Commander for VAA after the 9/11 world trade center event handling the day to day running of the airline. During his 8year stay in VAA he supported Richard Branson to negotiate their entry into South Africa, Nigeria and India and was responsible for setting up of those operations. In 2002 he became the Commercial Director of Menzies Aviation Group Plc and rose to Director Asia, South Pacific and Africa. Under his watch he turned Hong Kong and Australia from significant loss makers in 2003 to profitability in 2004. He also set up franchise packages and over saw set ups for ground handling operations in Senegal, Equatorial Guinea, Niger and Chengdu, PRC. He became the Chief Executive Officer of Virgin Nigeria Airways Limited in December 2005. Virgin Nigeria is Nigeria's private sector flag carrier, 51% owned by Nigerian institutional investors and 49% owned by Virgin Atlantic. The airline was formed in September 2004 when the Federal Government of Nigeria announced the selection of Virgin Atlantic Airways as the strategic investor and technical partner in this exciting project. It started operations in June 2005. Virgin Nigeria is developing a global network of domestic, regional and international routes from its home base in Lagos. It currently operates 9 aircraft with about 984 staff, flying from Lagos to London, Johannesburg Accra, Douala, Dakar, Cotonou, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Sokoto, Kano, Owerri and Calabar. Virgin Nigeria recently announced an order of 24 Embraer Jets at a total value of USD811 million. The first deliveries enter service next year. Over the next 3 years Virgin Nigeria will open 17 new airports and 35 new routes domestically and regionally. The airline is now working on its long haul expansion plans. Conrad is 47, he holds an MA from Cambridge and an MBA from Durham. He is married with two sons (17 and 15).

Sthu Zungu President of South African Tourism USA

Sthuthukile Zungu was appointed as Country Manager for the United States in October 2007. A South African national with in depth international marketing experience, including most recently as General Manager of South African Tourism in Italy, Zungu will be responsible for all U.S. operations of the national tourism agency, including overseeing the promotion of travel and tourism for South Africa throughout America. Zungu joined South African Tourism in Milan in 2003 and has spent the intervening years developing and implementing marketing and business plans for consumers and the travel trade throughout Italy. Previously, she had an enduring marketing career at BMW South Africa, most recently as Brand Communications Manager for the MINI, which has enjoyed overwhelming success in South Africa and in the region. Hired by BMW as a Market Analyst fresh out of college in 1996, Zungu was promoted to Corporate Planning and Strategy Analyst in 1998 and to Brand Communications Manager in 2001. Along the way, she spent a year in Germany working at BMW headquarters in Munich and also pursuing a degree in Advance International Marketing under the Carl Duisberg Gesellschaft Scholarship.  Born and raised in the province of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, Zungu studied at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, from which she received a Master of Commerce degree in marketing in 2000 and a Bachelor of Commerce degree in marketing with honors in 1995. Along with her native Zulu, she is fluent in English, speaks good Italian and some German.

Rumit Mehta Director of Business Development--Safari Ventures New York City

Rumit Mehta is one of the partners and Director of Business Development at Safari Ventures, a Tampa, Florida-based company providing tours and other incentive travel programs to the North American market focusing on custom designed tours to East and Southern Africa. Rumit was born in Kenya, raised in Tanzania and currently resides in New York City. He holds an MBA degree in International Business from Pace University. With his experience in areas of economic development, Rumit plays a pivotal role in assisting academic planning and travel abroad programs and has been involved with the Harvard Business School, Africa Business Club since 2004 in organizing Treks to South Africa and East Africa. Owned and operated by East Africans, Safari Ventures provides all the flavors of Africa and allows visitors to see the true culture, nature and colors of Africa. The Safari Ventures business is built on providing clients, including university groups and other professional organizations, an experience of a lifetime within an affordable budget. In 2005, Safari Ventures was recognized by the Tanzania Tourism Board as Tour Operator of the Year. Safari Ventures has representation in New York, California and Tanzania (East Africa) and affiliate host offices in host countries. The company is currently active in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mauritius.