The Africa Business Forum will return to Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB) on Saturday, May 12, to bring together business executives, entrepreneurs, thought leaders, students, and faculty to discuss current challenges in one of the world’s fastest-growing economic regions, collaborate on potential solutions, and translate ideas into action.
The theme of this year’s Forum, organized by the GSB student-led Africa Business Club (ABC) and supported by Stanford Seed, the Stanford Institute for Innovation in Developing Economies, is Connecting the Dots – Africa, the Market of the Present and the Future.
The Forum will highlight the innovative new trends of global business that are emerging in Africa as a continent ripe with high-potential opportunities and growth.
The 2018 lineup is composed of some of Africa’s highest profile entrepreneurs and business leaders including: Mthuli Ncube, former Vice President and Chief Economist of the African Development Bank Group and former Professor of Public Policy at the University of Oxford. Head of Research at Quantum Global, Switzerland.
Abiola Oke, CEO & Founder of OkayAfrica, one of the most prominent digital media platforms dedicated to African culture, music, and politics.
Hakeem Belo-Osagie, former Chairman of Etisalat, Chairman of the Abuja Investment Company and former Chairman of the United Bank for Africa. Member of the Advisory Council of the African Leadership Academy.
Julie Gichuru, Kenyan entrepreneur and media personality, host of the Africa Leadership Dialogues, independent director on the boards of Brand Kenya Board and Acumen Communications & fellow and trustee of the Africa Leadership Initiative.
Joshua Oigara, Group CEO, Kenya Commercial Bank, one of the youngest CEOs of a publicly traded bank on the Nairobi Stock Exchange.
Aishetu Dozie, former General Manager and Division Head, Investment Banking West Africa, Rand Merchant Bank Nigeria Ltd. Distinguished Career Institute Fellow, Stanford University.
The conference also will feature: Design Thinking Workshop featuring renowned lecturers from the Stanford d.school using design-thinking principles to tackle challenges facing an African company.
Startup Pitch Showcase, judged by Silicon Valley venture capital investors, including a session on “Getting Funded: The Secrets to Nailing the VC Pitch” by David Wu, frequent judge on CNBC’s Power Pitch. Other judges will include Toro Orero from DraperDarkFlow, an Africa-focused fund founded by leading Silicon Valley investor Tim Draper.
Panels will feature three key areas:
Manufacturing: How viable is Africa as an investment destination for the development of an export-focused manufacturing sector?
Food and Agriculture: Final breadbasket for the world: investing in feeding the world through the 21st century
FinTech: Harnessing technology to deliver essential financial services
Technology: The fourth industrial revolution: adopting a technological approach to solve problems at scale
Media and Entertainment: Africa’s next export industry?
Education Outcomes: Responsiveness of education in Africa