{"id":29809,"date":"2011-09-22T10:17:49","date_gmt":"2011-09-22T14:17:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sierraexpressmedia.com\/?p=29809"},"modified":"2011-09-22T10:17:49","modified_gmt":"2011-09-22T14:17:49","slug":"sir-richard-branson-and-tony-o-elumelu-mfr-to-headline-inaugural-convergence-africa-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sierraexpressmedia.net\/?p=29809","title":{"rendered":"Sir Richard Branson and Tony O. Elumelu MFR to Headline Inaugural Convergence Africa Conference"},"content":{"rendered":"

Founders of the AFRICA AWARDS FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP launch Africa\u2019s Premier Conference for Entrepreneurs, Investors and Business Leaders<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

NAIROBI, Kenya, September 22, 2011 — Legatum (www.legatum.com<\/span><\/a>), a private international investment group, and Omidyar Network, a philanthropic investment firm, today announced the launch of Convergence Africa, a high-profile one-day conference, headlined by globally-renowned champions of entrepreneurs Sir Richard Branson, Founder of the Virgin Group; and Tony O. Elumelu MFR, former Group CEO of United Bank for Africa, Chairman of Heirs Holdings Group and Founder of The Tony Elumelu Foundation. Convergence Africa will take place on December 8th at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Nairobi, followed by the Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship Gala Banquet. Tickets and attendance information for both events are available at www.ConvergenceAfrica.com<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cEntrepreneurs represent Africa\u2019s future,\u201d said Sir Richard Branson, Founder of the Virgin Group. \u201cI\u2019m constantly inspired by the ambition, determination and passion of entrepreneurs. Convergence Africa is a wonderful platform to bring together entrepreneurs and investors to accelerate growth across the continent.\u201d He continued, \u201dI\u2019m delighted to be able to participate in this inaugural year and look forward to meeting many of Africa\u2019s brightest business leaders.\u201d<\/p>\n

Convergence Africa is the event that brings together the entrepreneurs, investors, policy-makers and businesspeople who will drive Africa\u2019s growth. In addition to Sir Richard Branson and Tony Elumelu, speakers include Fred Swaniker, Founder of the African Leadership Academy; and prominent investors, international journalists and seasoned entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n

The heart of the Convergence Africa conference is a unique series of Master Classes, conducted by experts in their fields and moderated by well-known international journalists, covering topics most relevant to entrepreneurs, investors and policy-makers. Master Class speakers include, among others:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Jacqueline Muna Musiitwa, Founder, Hoja Law Group<\/address>\n
\u2022 Magatte Wade\/Founder, Adina and Tiossano<\/address>\n
\u2022 James Mwangi, CEO, Equity Bank<\/address>\n
\u2022 Nik Nesbitt, Founder, KenCall<\/address>\n
\u2022 Bame Pule, Pan-African Private Equity Investor, Actis<\/address>\n

Convergence Africa will culminate in an exclusive session of Investor Speed Dating, designed to match investors with a selection of the brightest entrepreneurs and their businesses in a series of rapid-fire pitches for funding. Fifteen venture capital and private equity firms from across Africa and overseas, including principals from Actis, Development Partners International, GroFin, Heirs Holdings, Springhill Equity, and many others will each hear pitches from amongst more than 30 pre-qualified potential investee companies.<\/p>\n

\u201cConvergence Africa is where capital meets opportunity, bringing investors and entrepreneurs face-to-face and creating a platform for making connections and sharing best practice,\u201d said Alan McCormick, a Managing Director of Legatum. \u201cGiven the importance entrepreneurship in fuelling Africa\u2019s continued growth, we believe Convergence Africa is the perfect complement to the Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship, (www.AfricaAwards.com<\/span><\/a>), the continent\u2019s most prestigious business award, immediately follows Convergence Africa. Now in its fourth year, the Africa Awards programme recognises and rewards business leaders who embody the entrepreneurial spirit and qualities required to succeed in business and who are the inspirational role models for the next generation of African entrepreneurs. This year the Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship expanded to include every country across the continent and more than 3,300 businesses submitted entries from 48 countries.<\/p>\n

A Grand Prize of US$ 100,000 and five other awards of US$ 50,000 will go to the winning applicants, based on evaluation of company profitability, return on investment and growth; long-term business strategy; leadership, culture and values; investment in employees; innovation to address market needs; and contribution to the community. The Gala Awards ceremony will conclude by honouring the ten finalists and winners in the presence of an international audience of leading business people, investors, policymakers, and entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n

The official sponsors of Convergence Africa and the Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship are Legatum, Omidyar Network, the Coca-Cola Company, and Kenya Airways. Additional sponsorship opportunities as well as tickets to both events can be found online at www.ConvergenceAfrica.com<\/span><\/a> and www.AfricaAwards.com<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Distributed by the African Press Organization on behalf of Legatum.<\/em><\/p>\n

MEDIA CONTACTS<\/span>:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jo Crawshaw, africapractice<\/address>\n
jcrawshaw@africapractice.com<\/span><\/a><\/address>\n
Hamish Banks, Legatum<\/address>\n
Hamish.banks@legatum.com<\/span><\/a><\/address>\n
Kelly Mason, Omidyar<\/address>\n

SPONSORS<\/strong><\/span>:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

ABOUT LEGATUM<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Legatum is a private investment group with a twenty-five year heritage of generating and allocating capital and ideas that can help people to lead more prosperous lives, and which applies its investor\u2019s expertise to a long standing involvement in the sustainable development of communities around the globe. For more information, please visit Legatum\u2019s website at www.legatum.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

ABOUT OMIDYAR NETWORK<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Omidyar Network is a philanthropic investment firm dedicated to harnessing the power of markets to create opportunity for people to improve their lives. Established in 2004 by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and his wife Pam, the organization invests in and helps scale innovative organizations to catalyze economic and social change. To date, Omidyar Network has committed more than $400 million to for-profit companies and non-profit organizations that foster economic advancement and encourage individual participation across multiple investment areas, including microfinance, property rights, consumer internet, mobile and government transparency. To learn more about Omidyar Network, please visit www.omidyar.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

ABOUT THE COCA-COLA COMPANY<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The Mission of the Coca-Cola Company is to refresh the world, to inspire moments of optimism and happiness, and to create value and make a difference.<\/p>\n

The Coca-Cola Company is committed to empowering women entrepreneurs through the 5 BY 20 program which aims to give millions of women opportunities to reach their potential, to support their families and to strengthen their communities – and inspire millions more to do the same. The Coca-Cola Prize for Women\u2019s Entrepreneurship will recognize and reward, with $50,000, an outstanding woman entrepreneur from the field of applicants to the Africa Awards. To learn more, visit www.thecoca-colacompany.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

ABOUT KENYA AIRWAYS<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Kenya Airways is the Official Airline of the Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship. Kenya Airways is widely regarded as the leading airline in Africa, with the broadest route network and a service standard that has seen it win African Airline of the Year a record number of times and which is a member of Skyteam, the second-largest airline alliance in the world. To learn more, visit www.kenya-airways.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

CONVERGENCE AFRICA KEYNOTE SPEAKERS<\/span>:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

ABOUT SIR RICHARD BRANSON<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Founder, The Virgin Group<\/address>\n

Sir Richard Branson is Founder of the Virgin Group of companies. Virgin is one of the world\u2019s most recognized and respected brands and has expanded into many diverse sectors from air and ground travel to telecommunications, health, space travel and renewable energy through more than 200 companies worldwide. In 2005, Branson started Virgin Unite, the Group\u2019s non-profit entrepreneurial foundation, which works with partners to create new approaches to social and environmental issues. Virgin Unite has also helped to incubate a number of global leadership initiatives, including the Elders, the Carbon War Room, and the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship.<\/p>\n

ABOUT TONY O. ELUMELU, MFR<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Chairman, Heirs Holdings Limited<\/address>\n
Founder, The Tony Elumelu Foundation<\/address>\n
Former Group CEO of United Bank for Africa<\/address>\n

Tony Elumelu is widely acknowledged as one of Africa\u2019s most influential business leaders. Tony is the Chairman of Heirs Holdings Limited (http:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com<\/span><\/a>), a private investment vehicle, which operates a diverse portfolio of investments across Africa. He is also leading the renaissance of African philanthropy, through the recent creation of The Tony Elumelu Foundation, whose objective is the promotion and celebration of excellence in business management, entrepreneurship and leadership across Africa.<\/p>\n

Tony\u2019s corporate reputation was founded on his role in shaping the African financial services industry, as the driving force behind the United Bank for Africa Plc. Under Tony\u2019s leadership, UBA evolved into a leading African financial services institution, transforming from a single country focused bank into a pan-African institution, which serves over 7 million customer accounts, in 16 African countries and operates across three continents.<\/p>\n

ABOUT FRED SWANIKER <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Founder & CEO<\/address>\n
African Leadership Academy<\/address>\n

Fred Swaniker is an entrepreneur with deep experience in education and leadership on the African continent. He is currently based in Johannesburg, South Africa, and is the Founder & CEO of African Leadership Academy, a world-class, pan-African secondary school that aims to develop future generations of African leaders. More recently, Fred founded and led the launch of Global Leadership Adventures, a leadership development program for youth with sites in 10 countries. Fred also gained entrepreneurial experience when he was founding Chief Operating Officer of Synexa Life Sciences, a biotechnology company in Cape Town that today employs 30 South African scientists.<\/p>\n

Fred was recognised as one of 15 \u201ctop emerging social entrepreneurs in the world\u201d in 2006 by Echoing Green. He was chosen as one of 25 TED Fellows in 2009 and is a Fellow of the Aspen Institute\u2019s Global Leadership Network.<\/p>\n

Fred holds an MBA degree from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, where he was named an Arjay Miller Scholar, a distinction awarded to the top ten percent of each graduating class. Fred also holds a BA degree magna cum laude in economics from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA.<\/p>\n

SOURCE: <\/strong>Legatum<\/p>\n

Stay with Sierra Express Media, for your trusted place in news!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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