Frontier Investors Dinner update.
When we started this series of Frontier investors dinners, we had a simple objective: connect people who have a common purpose but never get to meet and foster meaningful connections. I am glad to say : We did it.
It was held in the beautiful private dinning room at the Eight Private Members Club..
The guest speakers were simply amazing.
1)Ije Nwokorie the CEO of Wolf Ollins. One of the world’s best agencies.
Learn more about Ije http://blog.wolffolins.com/people/94/ije-nwokorie
2)Jonathan Treacher, Chairman & Managing Director, Ardour Capital
Jonathan Treacher has spent the past twenty years as an Investment Banker and financier with a focus on frontier and emerging markets. Jonathan’s expertise is in the structuring and financing of transactions with a focus on ensuring that transactions are realistic and can get completed.
Currently Jonathan is a Managing Director of Ardour Capital, a firm focussed on Renewable Energy and Clean Technology, and in 2011 raised in excess of $250m for clients. He is Chairman of Africa Power, a company set up to finance and install renewable power on off grid cell phone towers throughout Africa. He is also Chairman of the Ardour East Africa Renewable Energy Fund, which will invest in renewable power projects throughout the East African region.
Jonathan has been resident part of each year in Uganda for over ten years and has been a serial PRIVATE INVESTOR in property development during that time. Currently, through Ardour, he is advising on the largest real estate development transaction in Uganda, with an estimated value, upon completion, in excess of US$1 bn.
Jonathan is also a director of the Made in Africa Foundation, a UK Foundation set up to provide grant funding for Feasibility Studies and Masterplans for major infrastructure projects throughout Africa. The Foundation has received an initial funding commitment for $7m, from Atlantic Energy and its founder, Kola Aluko.
Previously, Jonathan was director, Chief Executive, and latterly Chairman, of Absolute Capital, a hedge fund management business. Starting with assets under management of €40m the business grew, over a four year period, to have assets under management in excess of €3.2bn. It was awarded hedge fund of the year in 2006 and listed on the AIM market in London achieving a peak market capitalisation in excess of £400m.
Why Frontier?
Much of what is discussed during the dinner is subject to the principle of secrecy, albeit the more sophisticated Chatham House Rule and as a result the secret sauce of what makes this series so good can never be shared here. You have to be there to experience it.
I have been privileged to curate the group of people that attend these events and see what I consider the best part of attending these dinners, witnessing different professionals and brilliant entrepreneurs work together in a board of equals. I would very much love to tell you what happens during the dinner …..(oops sorry, but well you know!) However 3 things stood out:
1)Sharing knowledge
Without doubt the most impressive part of being in the room during the dinner is the way in which people openly share their knowledge and experience. We found that the issues under discussion had been experienced by at least one of the other entrepreneurs and in a large number of cases advice has saved time and perhaps more importantly by sharing their key learning points and contacts. Anything from what worked investing in Eastern Europe vs Investing in SubSahara Africa.
2)Working together
All of the CEOs and professionals that attend run relatively large businesses with the consequent demands on their time and yet, probably true to their entrepreneurial roots, the group formed together and in fairly short time have starting collaborating on a number of projects such as… (oops sorry, but well you know!)
3)Meaningful connections
Attending the monthly forum is definitely one of my monthly highlights (which might say something about my life) as it is stimulating, interesting and really good fun as the group are amazing company.
In fact, in my humble opinion, the addition of a social setting environment created the atmosphere for some of the most active, interesting and useful discussions. I would love to tell you more about them…but remember, what goes on in the room,STAYS in the room.…
It is best if you hear from some of those that attended the dinner on the 2nd June.
“The Frontier dinners was a brilliant event. It provided the platform for constructive conversation from brilliant minds who have vested interest in the development of Frontier Markets. All attendees and speakers contributed it what was an engaging, enlightening and very productive dinner. We are looking forward to July’s dinner” Gbite Oduneye |CEO| A&O Acquisitions
Many thanks for organising last night , it was fun and thought provoking. Sharokh Koussari Partner DWFM Beckman
I thoroughly enjoyed myself and was really impressed by the great bunch of likeminded people . Will Tindall Co-Founder Emerging Crowd Ltd.
I found the event worthwhile and thought provoking, it was definitely time well invested. Joseph Farodoye |Co-founder| API Africa Property Invest
“Fantastic insight to the true African Investment Landscape from a personal level, location, food and most of all the company was sensational” Egzon Berisha |Senior Business Associate | A&O Acquisitions
When a pleasant environment with good food hosts great people to compelling conversation you get magic! That’s what happened on Tuesday night. Tomi Davies | President| African Business Angel Network
“The event was a pleasant surprise all round. I enjoyed the fact that as the evening went on our conversations went beyond mere networking to more profound subjects around the future of industries and Africa.” Ndubuisi Kejeh | Partner, De Charles
I am really looking forward to the next dinner on the 7th July.
We are privileged to be hosting His Excellency High Commissioner of the Republic of Rwanda to the United Kingdom & Non-resident Ambassador to Ireland Williams Nkurunziza .
We will also have Bloomberg’s Gavin Serkin the author of Frontier Funds
Frontier funds can be ordered from here and Gavin has kindly agreed to sign it for you on the 7th July.
The agenda for the dinner will include an overview from the High Commissioner on Vision2020 the Rwandan Government economic development plan detailing key TRADE AND INVESTMENT sectors; a discussion on the specific financial services related components of this;central bank and capital markets development, regulatory environment. The key infrastructure projects and discussion on PPP financing developments; and a discussion on the business environment in Rwanda and key initiatives to increase market access.
Reserve your place today by RSVP Info@newgenangels.com with #FID0715
The hashtags are #FrontierInvestorsdinner #FID0715 or #Frontierinvestorsforum
The series consists of 4 different types of dinners and forums:
#Frontierinvestorsdinner
#Csuiteclub from CEOs to CFOs
#Speakerexchange
#Ceoforum
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