Dr. HEINZ J. HOCKMANN, Chairman, PhD (30 Yrs experience)

• Established expert in finance industry and strong academic background.
• CEO of Fortis Investments Germany (AUM grew 200% during 3yr tenure).
• Head of Commerzbank Asset Management (AUM grew 250% during 8yr tenure).
• Author of 4 books on stock market research, accounting, tax policy and finance theory.

Education: M.S. Economics and PhD Business Finance (University of Bochum)
Nationality: German

MURRAY WHITE, Director Marketing (14 Yrs Experience)

• EVP, Executive Creative Director at Doner.
• Creative Director at Springer & Jacoby International.
• Awards include Gold Lion – Cannes International Advertising Awards, Golden Eurobest, amongst other distinctions.
• Client partners include Mercedes Benz, DWS and the Atradius.
• Co-founder of Silk Invest.

Education: BA of Arts in with Ass. Dip. In International Marketing (RMIT Melbourne)
Nationality: Australian

ALEXANDRE CANTACUZÈNE,   Director African Food Fund

• Senior food industry executive with over 40 years at Nestle (40 years experience)
• Headed operations in different countries in Africa, ME and South America
• Employers: Nestle in Africa, Middle East, South America, France and Head Office in Switzerland

Education: University of Arts in Paris

Nationality: French

ARI-PEKKA HILDEN, Director (20 years experience)

• Investment expert with 20 years track record and first hand investment expertise in emerging markets.
• Investment Committee member at various emerging markets funds.
• Employers: Varma, SEB, LGPI and Postipankki.

Education: Master of Economics (University of Tampere), Certified Financial Analyst (CEFA) (Swedish Business School, Helsinki)

Nationality: Finnish

HAJAR MOUATASSIM, Director Legal (10 Yrs Experience)

• Associate lawyer with Van Bael & Bellis, Brussels.
• Specialist in EU competition, trade and regulatory law and international trade law.
• Represents multinationals across a variety of sectors and countries.
• Co-founder of Silk Invest.

Education: MS Law, University of Leiden and MS European Law, University of Louvain la Neuve
Nationality: Moroccan & Dutch

ZIN ELABIDINE BEKKALI, CEO and CIO, MBA, CFA (12 Yrs Experience)

• Founder of Silk Invest with a successful track record in asset management and strategy consulting.
• Head of Business Development and Processes, Fortis Investments (grew revenues by €200m+ during 4 yr tenure).
• Consultant, Bain & Company.
• Head of Marketing Services, ING Investment Management.

Education: MS Econometrics (University Amsterdam), CFA & MBA (London Business School)
Nationality: Moroccan & Dutch

DANIEL BROBY, Deputy CEO and CIO Public Markets(25 Yrs Experience)

• CIO, Head of Asset Management and Director of the Renaissance Africa Fund, Renaissance Investment Management
• CIO, Bankinvest, Chief Portfolio Manager, Nordea Investments and Head of International Research, Morgan Stanley Quilter.
• Capital Markets Policy Council member, CFA Institute.
• Author of 3 books and numerous published articles on investment management.

Education: MPhil in economics and an MSc in investment analysis

Nationality: English

BALDWIN BERGES, Managing Partner (20 Yrs experience)

• Head of Global Business Development, Standard Asset Management.
• Fixed Income specialist, Credit Agricole Indosuez, Ahorro Corporacion and CIMD.
• Since 2000, has been active as a business developer in the investment management industry.
• Nordic and Iberian market coverage for INVESCO.

Education: B.S. Business Administration (European University Antwerp/ Madrid, 1991)

Nationality: Belgian

WASEEM A. KHAN, Managing Partner, MBA, PhD, CFA (25 years experience)

• Senior Investment Advisor, ADIA.
• Chief Economist and Head of Capital Markets, Kuwait Investment Authority.
• Senior Investment Adviser, and member of the investment strategy at ADIA.
• Head of Investments, Wealth Management Middle East, Citigroup.

Education: MBA from Ito School of Management (USA), PhD in Economics from Claremont University (USA), CFA, Management programmes at Harvard and Stanford.
Nationality: Pakistani

ABDELTIF STITOU, Chief Operating Officer (10 yrs Experience)

• Founder of one of the 1st Moroccan micro-credit funds
• Risk and Business Analyst, ABN AMRO
• Strategy and business development advisory experience to small companies
• Additional experience as an HR Consultant for DPA Flex
• Fluent in French, Arabic, Dutch and English

Education: MS Financial Economics, Erasmus University Rotterdam.
Nationality: Moroccan & Dutch

CHRIS MULLER, Investment Director Southern Africa, MBA (18 Yrs Experience)

• Founder and Portfolio Manager, Cedar Fund.
• Director, Fleming Martin (now JPMorgan).
• MBA Finance lecturer.
• Education: BA English and MBA (Wits University and Wits Business School) .

Education: B.S. English from Wits University, MBA degree from Wits Business School, 1998
Nationality: South African & Australian

HESHAM SAAD, Investment Director MENA (8 Yrs Experience)

• Portfolio Manager, NAEEM Holdings.
• Previous employers include Arab Bank and CIB.
• Education: BSc Business Administration (Ain Shams University) and CFA III candidate.

Education: B.S. Business Administration (Ain Shams University) and CFA III candidate
Nationality: Egyptian

JAMIL AKHUNDOV, Investment Director Eurasia (10 Yrs Experience)

• Founder and Director, Ploutos Capital.
• Investment Partner, Merrill Lynch Commodity Partners.
• Previous employers include Morgan Stanley and EBRD.

Education: B.A. International Relations (Keel University), PgDip Economics (Warwick University), MBA European Management (ESC Nantes, Universidad de Deusto)

Nationality: Azerbaijani

FUNMI AKINLUYI, Investment Director Sub-Saharan Africa (6 Yrs experience)

• 2nd Vice President and Portfolio Manager, Northern Trust and Stanbic IBTC.
• Expertise in commodities and African oil & gas research.
• Previous employers include Barings Asset Management and Citibank.
• Education: BSc Economics (University of Lagos), MSc Finance (Imperial College London) and CFA III candidate.

Education: BSc Economics (University of Lagos), MSc Finance and DIC (Imperial College) & CFA III candidate
Nationality: Nigerian

LAOLU ALABI, Investment Analyst (3 Yrs experience)

NIGEL BANNERMAN, Investment Director

• M&A/Corporate Finance, Cal Merchant Bank, Deutsche Bank AG, PwC.
• Management Consultant, Coopers & Lybrand (Ghana) .
• Entrepreneurial experience in food industry ventures (fisheries and crop production/export) in Ghana.Senegal, Mauritania and Congo.

Education: Bsc Econ (London School of Economics), MBA (Insead, Fontainebleau, France), Associate Chartered Accountant
Nationality: British

JOHN BATES, Director Fixed Income (15 year experience)

• Head of Credit Research for Sub-Sahara Africa at Renaissance Capital.
• Senior Analyst, Emerging Markets Research at ABN AMRO.
• Previous employers include West LB, West Merchant Bank and Bank Austria.

Education: BA in German (University College London) and Postgraduate Diploma in International Business and Finance

Nationality: British

STEPHEN CHARANGWA, Quantitative Analyst

• Senior Project Manager, UK National Health Service (UK), Colbro Transport (Zimbabwe) .
• Team Member, 2010 CFA Global Investment Research Challenge UK Finals winners.

Education: BA (Hons) Management (Leeds UK), PgDip Business Project Management (UK), IMC (CFA UK), MSc Investment Analysis with Distinction (University of Stirling) – CFA I candidate

Nationality: Zimbabwean

ADELE GIKONYO, Investment Analyst, Sub-Saharan Africa (3 years experience)

• Investment Banking and Finance Analyst, Credit Suisse.
• Investment Banking Analyst, Renaissance Capital.

Education: BEng in Chemical Engineering (McGill University), MSc in Engineering Project Management (University of Birmingham), CFA I candidate.

Nationality: Kenyan

YOUSSEF LAHLOU, Portfolio Manager Maghreb (5 Yrs experience)

• Senior Financial Analyst, CDG Capital.
• Atlas International.

Education: BS Finance (Arizona University), MS Finance (London School of Economics)
Nationality: Moroccan

PATRICK LANDI, INVESTMENT DIRECTOR (10 Yrs Experience)

• EM and African Fixed Income and Equity Sales & Trading, Exotix, ABN Amro and Fortis.
• Corporate Finance roles at HSBC and Broadview US Bancorp.
• Track record of building and developing business franchises in finance sector.

Education: BSc in Business Management (University of Bath)
Nationality: Italian

RICHARD ODUMODU, Investment Director Fixed Income (14 Yrs Experience)

• Head of Government coverage & the Local Authority Unit (LAU), Barclays.
• Advisory, business development and (academic and investment) research experience.
• Equity, options and fixed income sales trading, TD and CIBC.

Education: B.A. Political Science and Economics (University of Western Ontario), Post Graduate Certificate in International Business (ESCP-EAP), MBA (Cass Business School, City University London), Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA).
Nationality: Canadian, British

FELIX CASSEL, Investment Analyst (4 years experience)

• Investment Analyst, Somerset Capital and Trinity Street Asset Management.
• Co-founder of 1st investment society at Newcastle University and founded and managed investment club “Gekko growth fund” .
• Worked at the sales desk for Jefferies.

Education: BSc Hons Mathematics and Psychology (University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne).
Nationality: British

MOHAMED BAHAA ABDEEN, Portfolio Manager Egypt & GCC (7 years Experience)

• Financial Advisory Services, Deloitte.
• Previous employers include Arab Bank and Inertia Investment Bank.

Education: B.S.C Accounting (Ain shams University) and CFA III candidate.
Nationality: Egyptian

MARC FOSS, Executive Director Middle East (27 Yrs experience)

• Co-founder and Senior Portfolio Manager, Metaxis.
• Senior Portfolio Manager, ADIA and DIC.
• Previous employers include Citicorp Scrimgeour Vickers and Fuji International Finance.

Education: B.A. Hons History & Law (University of Kent) and MBA with Finance specialization
Nationality: English