Wed, 2017-07-05 12:00 £150.00 To register for this event please click here

The World Bank Group estimates that by 2030, three billion people of the world’s population will need new housing units. Cities on the continent are expected to become home to over 40,000 new residents every day. Given this high rate of urbanisation, African cities need to ensure there is increased access to affordable, good quality housing. During this event, leading specialists in the sector will discuss how governments and the Real Estate sector can meet this challenge. A range of topics will be addressed including:

• Failure of Market to deliver housing at appropriate price points and in the required volume to meet demand.
• Project finance solutions – What investors are looking for
• Risks for developers and investors.
• Construction and project management

Meet the speakers: 

Abbai Belai, Founder, Africa Home Builders (AHB)

Abbai Belai, MPA. Abbai has twenty years’ experience in emerging market finance and investment banking, primarily in Africa. Abbai worked for leading financial institutions, arranging financing and investments for companies and governments across the region, as well as more recently running his own investment and advisory boutique and working with institutional investors in the region. Abbai completed a Master of Public Administration at the Harvard Kennedy School, with a focus on international development. Abbai is currently a director of AHB, with a focus on finance and governance functions.

Prof. Dr. Margarita Mathiopoulos, Founder and CEO, ASPIDE

Prof. Dr. Margarita Mathiopoulos is the Founder and CEO of ASPIDE since 2006. Apart of the organisation’s activities includes acquiring licenses of innovative, cost-effective technology to improve infrastructure in emerging markets. Also ASPIDE acts as a broker for the players in the area of renewable energy (wind/solar power plants) mainly in African markets.

Previously, Dr. Margarita was the Senior Advisor European and North American Markets to the CEO of BAE SYSTEMS plc and responsible for strategic marketing-planning, new business and political-industrial cooperation.

Daniel Font, Chief Operating Officer, MIXTA Africa SA

Daniel Font is the Chief Operating Officer and Deputy CEO of Mixta Africa SA. He joined the firm in 2008 as Chief Operating Officer and subsequently served as General Manager for nearly 5 years. Mixta Africa is a pan-African real estate developer, with operations in North and Sub-Saharan Africa. We are one of the first international groups to enter the African real estate sector, and have operations in Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Tunisia and Côte d’Ivoire, and past developments in Egypt, Algeria and Mauritania.

Prior to joining Mixta Africa, Daniel was Chief Operating Officer in Group Diagonal, a leading real estate company in France and held several key positions in Bouygues Corp in France and Spain. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from the Polytechnic School, an MBA from ESADE Business School and General Management Program from IESE Business School.

Ed Harkins, Managing Director, GKB Ventures

Ed Harkins is Managing Director at GKB Ventures. Ed has 18 years’ experience of working in structured export finance. He started his career as a solicitor at Simmons & Simmons specialising in cross border transactions and then moved to Barclays Capital where he was head of emerging markets on the Capex Financing Solutions team. Focusing on Africa he led numerous transactions advising exporters helping to secure large transformational contracts. Most notable was the NMS Infrastructure Ghana Hospital transaction which won many awards including GTR and the FT’s, Banker Magazine, “Deal of the Year”. After leaving Barclays, and before joining Fieldstone, he advised UKEF on their Direct Lending programme. He is also chair of the Financial Services Committee for the Business Council for Africa and a judge for the UK National Export Excellence awards.

Agnes Gitau, Partner, GBS Africa

Agnes is an experienced International Trade & Investment adviser with GBS Africa. Her role involves advising businesses on managing political and policy risks associated with Investing in Sub Saharan Africa. Prior to joining GBS Africa, Agnes was the global operations director at the East Africa Economic Chambers of commerce responsible for the  Middle East, European & North America markets. She sits on the executive committee for the legal & Business Women Network (LABFA) , is a board member of Courteville Business Solutions and India Common wealth SME Association.

This event is free to attend for BCA members, please contact  to receive your access code.

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