The Business Day NEPAD Conference 

Future Business - The African Way

 

5 and 6 December 2002
Cape Town

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A major international conference focusing on the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD)

Conference Summation

 

The Business Day NEPAD Conference was organised by Omega Investment Research on behalf of Business Day.  The two day conference, which was attended by over 250 delegates, was held on 5 & 6 December 2002 at the UCT Graduate School of Business, Breakwater Lodge, V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.

 

While NEPAD and its goals are generally viewed as laudable, there is some sense that it is a plan “without teeth” and therefore incapable of achieving those goals.  The conference was organised against this background and therefore sought to be very positive and practical in its outcomes.  It was focused specifically on the opportunities created for the private sector under NEPAD.  The two conference objectives were: firstly, the development of an appropriate model of public-private partnership in African development; and secondly, the identification of specific African projects requiring private sector investment, and the available funding for such projects.

 

Over 50 speakers from the African (predominantly South African) private sector addressed delegates over two days.  Session themes included “Doing Business in Africa – Perceptions and Reality”, “The Keys to the Private Sector’s Successful and Effective Involvement in Africa” and “African Success Stories” and various discussion panels which were made up of experts with specific experience in the African business environment.  Speakers were insightful and shared successes as well as challenges, and the delegates were engaged and continually posed tough, probing questions.

 

It wasn’t all hard work, though.  Sponsors Anglo American hosted a gala dinner at Vergelegen Wine Estate in Somerset West, at which Finance Minister Trevor Manuel gave the after-dinner speech.  Delegates had an opportunity to relax a little and appreciate the insights of the Minister in the beautiful wineland setting.

 

Feedback from delegates has been remarkably positive, and most judged it a very successful event.  Objectives were met and delegates truly benefited from the experience of African business leaders like Russell Loubser of the JSE, Michael Spicer of Anglo American and GT Ferreira of FirstRand Group.  The results of the conference will be taken to the follow-up conferences taking place in London, Zurich and Berlin in January, and it is hoped that this will be the first of a progressive series of conferences, exploring various aspects of NEPAD. 

 

To download the conference Programme (PDF): >>click here<<

Conference speakers and the

Trevor Manuel

Minister of Finance

Michael Spicer

Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs

Anglo American

Professor Nick Segal

Director

UCT Graduate School of Business

Gloria Serobe

Chief Executive Officer

WipCapital

Reuel Khoza

Chairman

Eskom

Peter Bruce

Editor

Business Day

Ian Goldin

Director, Development

World Bank

Lewis Musasike

Executive Manager, Treasury

DBSA

Gert Gouws

Chief Financial Officer

Industrial Development Corporation (IDC)

Stanley Subramoney

Deputy CEO

PricewaterhouseCoopers Southern Africa

Vimal Shah

Director

Bidco Oil (Kenya)

Bruce Robertson

Managing Director

Africa Resources Holdings Limited

David Morley

Director, South Africa

CDC Capital Partners

Beate Baethke

Country Director

KfW-DEG, Southern Africa

Dr. Michael Blank

Director: Africa and Dev Policy

DIHK, SAFRI

Dr. Yvonne Muthien 

Group Executive, Corporate Affairs

MTN Group

Henry Rudd

Senior Manager for New Business Development in Africa and Asia

SABMiller

Joanne Coetzee

Senior Account Manager

Industrial Development Corporation (IDC)

Russell Loubser

Chief Executive Officer

JSE Securities Exchange

Dr Denis Worrall

Chairman

Omega Investment Research

Modise Moatlhodi

CEO: Public Sector Banking

FirstRand Group

Gilles Genre-Grandpierre

Head

Proparco

Brian Bruce

Group CEO

Murray and Roberts

Chose Choeu

Executive, Regulatory and Public Policy

Telkom

Isaac Takawira

Country Managing Director

Barclays

Dr. Seshi Chonco

GM 

Sasol

Patrick Crawford

MD

Emerging Africa Advisers

Sipho Pityana

Executive Director

Nedcor Investment Bank (NIB)

Ratha Nayager

Partner

Ernst and Young

Dawn Mokhoba

Chairperson

Africa International Advisors  

Haydee Celaya

Director, Sub-Saharan Africa Department

IFC

Bridgette Radebe

Chairperson

Mmakau Mining

Marlene Hesketh

Head of Business Development

FirstRand Group

Smunda Mokoena

Deputy Director General

NEPAD Secretariat

Phil Hynes

Project Manager

MOZAL Expansion

Ian Robertson

CEO

BMW (SA)

Ayisi Makatiani

Founder

Africa Online

GT Ferreira

Chairman

FirstRand Group

MK Malefane

Executive Director: International Business & NEPAD Affairs

NAFCOC

Chris Hart

Senior Treasury Economist 

ABSA Corporate & Merchant Bank

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LEAD Sponsors

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The BusinessDay NEPAD Conference was proudly sponsored by the following leading companies:

 
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Support Sponsors

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To further details, please contact Kristen Tremeer on 
tel: (27) 21 689-7881 or e-mail kristent@omegainvest.co.za

 

Copyright © Omega Investment Research (Pty) Ltd, 2003