Panel -- Infrastructure Development & Privatization
| Panel Summary: Infrastructure development remains a key element in improving the quality of life for Africa’s citizens. This panel will highlight recent strides and successes in infrastructure development that the respective organizations represented have made throughout Africa. Panelists will also discuss the challenges they are facing to complete past projects and how to apply those lessons to upcoming projects. They will further discuss constraints to infrastructure development and maintenance in Africa and highlight opportunities for future investments. |
 Lesiba MorallaneInvestment Director Harith Fund Managers |
| Mr. Morallane is an Investment Director of Harith (Harith is the Fund Manager for the Pan African Infrastructure Fund). Mr. Morallane is a South African national. His experience spans over 10 years of senior management in the areas of strategy, finance and telecommunication. He worked for Telkom (the biggest fixed line telecommunication company in South Africa) and Vodacom (leading cellular network company in South Africa). Mr. Morallane spent the first eight years of his working life as a college lecturer in Economics and Accounting. Mr. Morallane previously worked on the African continent having been involved in the negotiation of a mobile phone licence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for Vodacom and subsequently involved in the setting up of Vodacom Congo sprl. Prior to joining Harith, Mr. Morallane was chief operating officer of the Limpopo Economic Development Enterprise (a development finance institute in South Africa). In addition to his economics honours degree, Mr. Morallane holds a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Stirling, Scotland, United Kingdom. |
 Joshua Audu GanaCEO Supertek Nigeria Ltd |
| Joshua Audu Gana is a chartered professional manager and an innovative entrepreneur. He has pioneered the establishment of various companies in Nigeria and belongs to several Boards of these businesses. To mention a few, Finetek Ventures Limited, Finetek.com Technologies Limited, Pishon Minerals Limited, Suburban Broadband(b2) Ltd, First Solar Ltd, Jekamal Mining and Investments Ltd, Apex Petroleum Ltd etc. He has about 10 years of experience in the Private Sector starting from his on campus businesses to his national service at the Central Bank of Nigeria. He then began a career in stock broking with LightHouse Asset Management Ltd in Lagos, Nigeria. His passion lies in the Power Generation and Distribution sector - solar power, wind power - as well as mining exploration, oil and gas, water production and mechanised agriculture. He has partaken in the activities of the privatisation of government corporations to revamp them and his company, Supertek, was licenced by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission as one of the Independent Power Producers (IPP) in Nigeria. He has also joined renowned Nigerians to form the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development and Small Business Management (www.cedsbm.org) with a vision of economic empowerment through entrepreneurship. He serves as Vice President for Entrepreneurship Development. Mr. Gana holds an MBA and a B.Sc in Business Administration from the University of Abuja. He also holds a Masters of Theology from the Trinity College, Dover, Delaware. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Alumni Association of the University of Abuja. He belongs to several professional bodies including the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria(CIBN), Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers(CIS), Independent Power Providers Association of Nigeria (IPPAN), and the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Nigeria. He is married to Shedlis Gana, a banker with Zenith Bank Plc. Abuja Capital City Area office. |
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Philip Wharton is the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Costain (West Africa)Plc ., Costain Homes Ltd, Costain Furniture & Joinery Ltd, Richard Costain Construction & Engineering Ltd and a Director of Premier Paints Plc. Educated in the U.K. Philip has a degree in construction from Huddersfield University and has successfully completed a number of training courses including presentation skills, team building, strategic development, team management techniques, financial analysis, budgetary controls and operational management techniques. Philip started his career as a Quantity Surveyor working for companies such as Kier, Gleeson, Henry Boot and latterly Costain. He has held a number of positions as executive director and Managing director/Chief Executive Officer since 1980 for Distribution International USA, Miller Pattison Ltd, Ceiling Distribution Ltd, Branton Industries USA, Turton Safety Ltd, SIG Corporation USA and Aggreko International Ltd prior to joining Costain (West Africa)Plc in February 2006. |
 Tokunbo AbimbolaManaging Partner Shoreline Capital |
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Tokunbo Abimbola is Managing Partner of Shoreline Capital an Investment Company focused on Infrastructure investments in Sub- Saharan Africa. Mr Abimbola has over 10 years experience in originating and executing transactions in emerging markets including Africa , India , Brazil , Turkey and the Emerging European economies. Previously, Mr Abimbola worked as head of cross border M&A , Fundraising and origination for FiNoble an Indian Investment Bank and Bridge Capital , a real estate focused investment and asset management boutique. Mr Abimbola brings a specialist understanding of FDI in emerging markets and has worked with leading Financial Sponsors to identify and execute investment opportunities across sectors in emerging markets. Within Europe, Mr. Abimbola was involved in market consolidation within the European Telecom Industry. He has previously led global corporate and business development at Hewlett Packard ltd as a Global Mr Abimbola graduated from the University of Kent at Canterbury with a degree in Economics. |
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Mr. Kola Karim is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Shoreline Energy International - a holding company with operations and investments in Energy and Infrastructure sectors. His portfolio of companies include, Costain (WA) Plc, Costain Furniture and Joinery Limited, Shoreline Power Company Limited (formerly ABB Electrical Systems), Schlumberger T&P Nigeria, Premier Paints Plc, Fortis Construction Company Limited, Koda Trading Company, Davof Amsterdam and Agbara Shoreline Power Company Limited. Mr Karim graduated in 1988 from City University, London after undertaking studies in Securities and Investment, which led to his appointment as a Trainee Manager at Guardian Royal Exchange, London. This experience propelled him to a senior management role at the prestigious H. K. Beaumont and Associates also in the UK. He started his entrepreneurial life with Koda Trading Limited, a company involved in the exportation of and importation of heavy machinery. Having achieved tremendous success from running a small organization that now employs over 50 staffs, the immense experience gained led to diversification into other businesses. During the course of his career, Mr. Karim attended courses locally and internationally including a general management program at the Harvard Business School to satisfy his constant quest for knowledge. Kola Karim is married to Olufunke Karim and they are blessed with three children. His interests include playing polo and football. He is an Associate of the Institute of Directors in Nigeria and also an executive member of the Lagos Polo Club and Lagos Motor Boat Club. |
 Niyi OmojolaInvestment Professional Leucadia National Corporation |
| Niyi Omojola is an Investment professional at Leucadia National Corporation, an investment firm based in Salt Lake City Utah. His role involves the sourcing, analysis and execution of investment transactions in both public and private markets. Prior to joining Leucadia, Niyi was a senior financial analyst at ExpressJet Airlines in Houston, where he worked in financial planning and analysis, primarily with regards ExpressJet's contract with Continental Airlines. Before ExpressJet, Niyi was an analyst in the Global Transportation and Consumer and Retail groups at Citigroup Global Investment Bank in New York, where he helped advise on and complete mergers, acquisitions, and capital raisings for airlines, railroads, ports companies, shipping companies, consumer product firms and retailers. Niyi graduated with honors from the University of Chicago with a BA in Economics, and earned his MBA with Distinction from Harvard Business School. |
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Kola Karim