Speakers

001 - Mr Xavier Carim
Deputy Director-General: International Trade and Economic Development Division, Department of Trade and Industry, South Africa

BA Specialist Honours Degree in International Relations and Development Economics from the University of Toronto, Canada. MA Degree in International Studies from Rhodes University, Grahamstown. Research Fellow at the Centre for Southern African Studies and Lecturer in International Studies at University of the Western Cape, 1993-1995. Joined DTI, multilateral trade section, in November 1995. South Africa's representative to the WTO in Geneva, September 1998-May 2002. Chief Director in International Trade and Economic Division, DTI, responsible for FTA and WTO trade negotiations since May 2002. Appointed Deputy Director-General for International Trade and Economic Division in March 2007.


002 - Mr Glen Ho
Head of the KPMG Local China Practice for South Africa

Glenn has been a director at KPMG for about 8 years and is the Head of the KPMG Local China Practice for South Africa. The Local China Practice assists KPMG clients who wish to enter the Chinese market and those who wish to invest in South Africa. He was part of the 300 strong business delegation that formed part of the State Visit to China in 2010. In 2011 he attended the China Africa Investment & Trade Summit in Xiamen China. Glenn has been interviewed by a number of television stations for his insights into China Africa business


003 - Dr Monde Mnyande
Chief Economist and Advisor to the Governor, South African Reserve Bank

Dr Monde Mnyande is Chief Economist and Advisor to the Governor at the South African Reserve Bank, a position he was appointed to in 2009. He is a member of the Monetary Policy Committee, Governors’ Executive Committee, and Vice President of the Economic Society of South Africa. He joined the Research Department of the South African Reserve Bank in 1995. Between 1996 and 2003 Dr Mnyande held a number of positions within the Research Department before he became Head of the Department and Senior Deputy Chief Economist of the Bank. In 2005 he was appointed as Executive General Manager and Chief Economist of the Bank. Among his responsibilities were managing the Financial Stability and Currency and Protection Services Departments as well as the Research Department. Dr Mnyande is 53 years old and matriculated at St Johns College in Umtata.
He holds a BA and an MA (Finance) degree from Webster University in St Louis, Missouri; an MBA degree from St Louis University, as well as an MA and PhD (Economics) degrees from the New School University in New York.


004 - Mr Khumo Shuenyane
Group Executive - Mergers and Acquisitions, MTN Group Limited


005 - Mr Simon Freemantle
Senior Analyst - African Political Economy Unit, Standard Bank Research

Simon Freemantle is a Senior Analyst in the African Political Economy Unit with Standard Bank Research. In this role, his focus lies on interrogating the nature of Africa’s external relations with the world and internal structural growth dynamics. In 2009, Simon and a colleague launched the BRIC-Africa report series, which continues to contribute towards corporate strategy and national policy on the continent. In 2009 and 2010 Simon worked in Standard Bank’s Nairobi office as an economist covering East Africa and other broader thematic regional issues.

Simon is widely published and regularly presents at a variety of public forums on areas of expertise. In 2008, Simon led an independent Africa-focused research team ranked first in South Africa in the Other African Economies and Markets category by the Financial Mail, and, in 2010, Simon and a colleague were also awarded the EM Research Award for Africa by prominent Europe-based publication Emerging Markets. Simon has studied at Stellenbosch University, the University of Amsterdam, and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).


006 - Mr Xhanti Payi
Emerging Markets Economist: Stanlib

Xhanti Payi is Stanlib’s Emerging Markets Economist, and joined the business in 2010. He primarily researches the BRIC countries and key African economies, including Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda and Kenya. His analysis centers around determining key trends and risks, including political developments, which impact on STANLIB’s investment decisions. Prior to joining Stanlib, he worked as a Portfolio Analyst at Investec Bank’s Wealth Management division, where he was responsible for construction, analysis and reporting on both local and international private client portfolios. Xhanti has also had some experience in Insurance and Retail banking, having worked for two of South Africa’s large banks, namely Absa Bank and Standard Bank. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Economics and Finance) degree from the University of Cape Town and a Postgraduate Diploma in Finance - Economic Policy with the University of London.


007 - Mr Reginald Max
Head - Infrastructure Government & Utilities – Southern Africa, PricewaterhouseCoopers

Reginald heads the Infrastructure, Government and Utilities team at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Southern Africa. He has undertaken advisory mandates on behalf of the World Bank, IFC and USAID. He focuses on the “deals” component of infrastructure provision, which require advanced financial modelling, debt raising and transaction advisory capabilities. Consequently Reg has successfully led and completed PPP transactions, public sector asset disposals, privatisations and capital raising exercises. Reginald was the leader of the South Africa team that advised PetroSA in South Africa on it LNG importation project. He was instrumental in the creation of a joint venture company between Vitens from the Netherlands and Rand Water Services in creating a management company that was subsequently awarded a five year management contract to manage and develop infrastructure
in Ghana.

The focus of his advice is on delivering success. Reginald has a post graduate degree in Development Economics from Cambridge University, has successfully completed courses through the Securities Institute in London and is part of a thematic group that designs infrastructure finance solutions in Africa. He has also written occasional papers and delivered key speeches at infrastructure conferences on the continent.


008 - Anthony M Makwiramiti
Senior Analyst, Consultancy Africa Intelligence (CAI) in the Africa Finance and Economy Research Unit.

The Unit is concerned with the state of finance an deconomics in Africa focusing mainly on issues around financial stability, economic growth, foreign direct investment, fiscal responsibility and employment. This presents opportunities to explore how local, regional and global developments influence African finance and economy. Mr. Makwiramiti holds a Master of Commerce (Economics –Financial Markets) degree from Rhodes University and is particularly interested in policy analysis and research. He also has experience in working in Government as a Senior Policy Analyst at the National Treasury.


009 - Mr Coenraad Bezuidenhout
Executive Director, Manufacturing Circle, South Africa

Coenraad Bezuidenhout is the Executive Director at the Manufacturing Circle. He formerly headed economic policy at BUSA, for which he started the BUSA Parliamentary Office in 2009. Coenraad was commended in the labour and business section of the M&G’s200 Young South Africans project in 2011 and serves on the technical working of committee of the Small Business Partnership’s Small Business Growth Index. He holds a Master’s Degree in Political Science and SA politics.


010 - Abdullah H Verachia
Director and Business Division Head Frontier Advisory (Pty) Ltd

Abdullah Hassen Verachia is an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa and holds qualifications from some of South Africa’s leading academic institutions. Having presented in over 60 cities globally Abdullah Verachia has been recognised as a leading strategist and thought leader on Frontier and Emerging Markets. His speeches, public presentations and lectures have been described as ‘incredibly powerful, eye opening and mindblowing’. Abdullah serves as a co-founder and partner at Frontier Advisory and also currently heads up the Asia Frontier Advisory Division within the company. In this position he has provided business
strategy solutions on behalf of listed and multinational clients in Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America. Abdullah has also initiated and advised on some of the largest Asian investments into
Africa.

In June 2010 Abdullah was asked by South African business to draft the strategy document that was presented to President Jacob Zuma in his discussions with Prime Minister Manmohann Singh. Abdullah continues to play a close advisory role to both the South African and Indian governments. He has also advised and engaged with a number of Indian companies entering Africa. He has participated in numerous high profile Asia-Africa initiatives, private meetings, conferences and delegations and served on a number of initiatives including the South African-India CEO’s Forum and the Brazil-India-South Africa (IBSA) heads of state summit. Abdullah is also a regular media commentator. He has served as an advisor to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) Development Centre on the 2011 edition of the African Economic Outlook, focusing on Africa and its Emerging Partners.

Abdullah has also led numerous international delegations on global executive programmes and international investment missions to numerous destinations in various countries including China, India, Dubai, Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, Germany, Denmark, London, Malaysia, Singapore and the US amongst others. He has led senior executives to these countries and has been hailed for his incredible knowledge and understanding of these markets.Abdullah serves as adjunct faculty member at the Gordon Institute of Business Science. Abdullah also serves as the founding director of the FirstRand India Africa Business Network at GIBS. The
Network provides South Africa with the region’s only comprehensive base from which to educate about and promote Indian business subjects whilst raising the profile of Indian business in South Africa and the region.
 

Abdullah also lectures at the University of Stellenbosch Business School where he is a visiting faculty member as well as the Da Vinci Institute for Technology Management. In this position Abdullah designed, conceptualised and introduced South Africa’s first ever Masters (MSC) Programme in Managing in Frontier and Emerging Markets. Abdullah has been recognised as a visionary young leader who has played an active role in South African society for a number of years. In 2003 former President Thabo Mbeki recognised Abdullah as one of the ‘foremost young leaders in South Africa.’’ Abdullah is a member of the Brightest Young Minds as well as the President of the Model United Nations of South Africa. Abdullah has also been selected as the Mpumalanga youth leader of the year and a finalist for the South African youth leader of the year.


011 - Dr Martyn Davies
Chief Executive Officer Frontier Advisory (Pty) Ltd

Dr Martyn Davies is the Chief Executive Officer of Frontier Advisory - a leading research, strategy and capital advisory firm that specialises in emerging markets. Martyn was selected in 2010 as a Young Global Leader, an honour bestowed by the World Economic Forum each year to recognise the most distinguished young leaders nominated below the age of 40 from around the world. He has served as a strategy advisor to a large number of multinational clients in Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America. He has previously been ranked the # 1 analyst in South Africa in the “Other African Economies &Markets” category as awarded by the prestigious
Financial Mail in its Annual Analysts of the Year awards. Martyn is an Adjunct Faculty member at the Gordon Institute of also guest lectured at the University of Stellenbosch Business School and Wits Business School .
 

Martyn was previously the (founding) Director of the Centre for Chinese Studies (CCS) that was established under the South Africa – China Bi-national Commission at Vice Presidential level, a position he vacated in December 2009. During this time, he established the first Confucius Institute in Africa on behalf of the PRC Government in June 2004. Martyn has chaired both public and private sessions at the World Economic Forum including chairing a session at the WEF’s annual Davos summit. Since 2008, he has participated in the WEF’s Mining & Metals Industry Group – an advisory body providing strategic advice to leading global
mining and extractive industry companies. Martyn is a recipient of a Dangote Fellowship awarded by the WEF for young Africa ns selected each year for their outstanding leadership, professional
accomplishments and commitment to society.

In January 2012, Martyn was appointed as an Advisor to the WEF’s “Emerging Best Practices of Chinese Globalizers” initiative. In October 2008, he was appointed as an advisor to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD) for its Global Development Outlook project. He is a member of MasterCard‘s Global Knowledge Panel– a six-member strong group comprising leading international economists and is also a member of MasterCard’s Africa Knowledge Panel providing strategic advice to the Board of MasterCard. Martyn holds a BA degree in Law, an Honours Degree in International Relations (cum laude), a Master’s Degree in International Relations (cum laude) (University of the Witwatersrand), a Diploma in Asian Studies (Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea), and a PhD in International Relations (University of the Witwatersrand). He also has a certificate from Harvard Business School & GIBS for its “Making Markets Work” course.Business Science (GIBS), University of Pretoria, South Africa. He has


012 - Hannah Edinger
Senior Manager- Head of Research & Strategy Frontier Advisory (Pty) Ltd

Hannah Edinger is Senior Manager and Head of Research at Frontier Advisory (Pty) Ltd, a leading research and strategy firm that specialises in emerging markets, based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Hannah oversees and manages all research products and projects of the company. She has headed various projects around China‘s economic and commercial relations with Africa, and projects relating to investment and trading opportunities for South African corporates in mainly sub-Saharan Africa, but also Middle East and North Africa.

Hannah also holds the position of Research Fellow at the recently launched China Africa Network under the Centre for Business Analysis and Research at the Gordon Institute of Business Science, University of Pretoria in South Africa. Previously, Hannah has worked with the Centre for Chinese Studies (CCS) based at the University of Stellenbosch, where she held the position of Economistand Research Manager. She has project management and research experience in Africa and China, conducting both desktop and on-the-ground research for inter alia country and sectorspecific reports. Key sector focus has included mining, agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure and construction, financial services, trade, ICT, power and energy.
 

Hannah is currently heading a research team evaluating the environmental practices of Chinese companies in the extractive industries and infrastructure sector in Africa for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). She recently formed part of a research team that evaluated agricultural technologies and lessons from China for smallholder farmers in Africa, together with the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF). She has headed research conducted for the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) forthcoming flagship publication on China-Africa evaluating the manufacturing sector competition of China in Africa, and potential positive spillovers for the diversification of Africa’s industrial capacity from this engagement. She has formed part of the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) network and recently completed research for the Nordic Africa Institute (NAI), the Department for International Development (DFID), Rockefeller Foundation and Mastercard as well as multiple corporate and financial institutions.
 

Hannah has authored, co-authored and edited various articles, chapters and publications and provides regular commentary, as well as corporate and academic presentations on China’s economic role in Africa, both locally and internationally. She previously was a columnist for a leading South African newspaper, The Business Day. She has lectured on the principles of macroeconomics and microeconomics at the University
of Stellenbosch as well as more recently lectured on China’s mining interests and infrastructure rollouts in Africa at Rhodes University in Grahamstown and at the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB).
Hannah holds a BComm degree, majoring in Economics and Statistics, a BComm Honours degree in Economics (cum laude), and a MComm degree in Economics (cum laude) from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. Hannah has also completed a one-month academic exchange programme at the Institute for West Asian and African Studies (IWAAS) in Beijing and is currently registered with the CFA Institute.