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Demystifying Risk to SDG Investments in African Markets: Spotlight Ghana & Kenya

Wednesday, October 5, 2022 – Wednesday, October 5, 2022
11:00 – 12:30
Centre International de Conférences Genève - Workshop Room 14

Innovative Finance

This workshop will bring into roundtable discussions live examples of SDG- focused pipelines from Ghana and Kenya. It will provide hands-on engagement with local entrepreneurs, asset managers, and public sector actors to show existing potential; address perceived risks and information asymmetries between capital providers and project developers on the ground.

Speakers:

Yofi Grant

CEO, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre

Reginald Yofi Grant, draws from over three decades of a successful career and experience in investment banking and finance as he heads the Ghana Investment Promotion Agency, under the Office of the President of Ghana.

Stephen Jackson

UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya - UNRC Kenya

Stephen Jackson brings close to 30 years of experience in international development, peacebuilding and humanitarian affairs to the position, including more than 10 years in Sub-Saharan Africa. At the United Nations, Mr. Jackson most recently served as Resident Coordinator in Gabon, after holding leadership positions at the Department of Political Affairs (DPA) and with UN Peacekeeping. In DPA, he served as Chief of Policy Planning and Guidance, headed the Secretariat to the High-Level Review of United Nations Peacebuilding in 2015, worked as Team Leader of the Mediation Support Unit, was Chief of Staff of the UN Office in Burundi (BNUB), led the Policy Planning Unit as well as the Africa Great Lakes Team, and worked as Special Adviser to the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes. With UN Peacekeeping, he served as a Senior Political Adviser with the UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC). Prior to joining the Organization, Mr. Jackson was the Deputy Director of the Conflict Prevention and Peace Forum (CPPF) at the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) in New York and served as the Director of the International Famine Centre and a Lecturer in Sociology at the National University of Ireland in Cork after working in humanitarian relief and development in Angola, Rwanda and Somalia. Mr. Jackson holds a doctorate in cultural anthropology and a master’s degree in public affairs from Princeton University, USA, as well as a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland.

Mohammad Abbadi

Senior Investment Manager, Local Development Finance Practice, UNCDF

Mohammad Abbadi brings over 16 years of international development and managerial experience. He continues to provide innovative approaches to Investment and Impact management, including industry standard assessment instruments, methodologies and best practices in building sustainable investment portfolios.

Muthoni Wachira

Chief of Staff, MarketForce, Nairobi

Muthoni Wachira is a change-maker recognised as one of 12 venture capitalists to know in Africa. She has 15 years experience in corporates such as Merrill Lynch, American Express and Safaricom.

Chuck Olson

Managing Partner, Enabling Qapital

Chuck Olson has worked in the financial sector for over 25 years, starting work in 1992 in a rural financial institution as a Peace Corps volunteer, continuing in emerging market finance at the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU), working over six years in Latin America, Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa.

Joanne Manda

Senior SDG Investment Advisor - UNDP AFRICA

Joanne is the Senior SDG Investment Advisor in UNDP Africa Finance Sector Hub (AFSH) supporting countries to accelerate investments that align with SDG goals. Prior to joining the AFSH, Joanne was the Regional Advisor: Climate Change and Innovative Finance based in UNDP Indonesia’s Innovative Finance Lab (IF Lab) where she was providing technical advice on financing SDGs. Joanne is passionate about fighting climate change and generating development results by leveraging innovative financing mechanisms. Over the past eight years she supported countries in Asia Pacific to strengthen planning and budgeting systems and implement public financial reforms that incentivize climate action.

Preeti Sinha

Executive Secretary, United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)

Preeti Sinha is a globally experienced investment and development banker with a 30-year track record associated with raising and managing institutional public and private development capital. She served as CEO & President of FFD Financing for Development LLC, a specialist development finance firm focused on financing the UN SDGs.

Jerry Parkes

CEO and Co-Founder - Injaro Investments Limited

Jerry Parkes is the CEO and co-founder of Injaro Investments Limited (Injaro), a private capital management firm with over a decade’s experience of impact investment in Africa. Jerry is passionate about building multi-generational African businesses and achieving job-based economic growth in Africa through building partnerships, growing businesses and developing people. Over the last decade, he co-founded Injaro with an Ivorian partner, advised entrepreneurs on business development and groomed several investment professionals who now serve in senior roles at leading investment firms across Africa. Under his leadership, Injaro has secured mandates to manage Injaro Agricultural Capital Holdings Limited (IACHL), a US$50m fund; and to serve as investment advisor to the Agribusiness Capital (ABC) Fund, a €200 million fund. Since inception in 2009, Injaro has made over US$35 million of investments in African SMEs which have benefitted over 3 million people. In 2015, Injaro was featured on the Impact Assets 50, a list of top impact investment fund managers globally. Additionally, five IACHL portfolio companies were featured in The London Stock Exchange report, Companies to Inspire Africa 2017 while the turnaround story of another portfolio company earned Injaro the “Portfolio Company of the Year” award at the 2018 Private Equity Awards in London. Prior to Injaro, Jerry was a Director at a UK-based fund manager and activist private equity investor. He also served a variety of clients in an advisory capacity at Accenture, Merrill Lynch, UBS and Technoserve. He holds an M.Eng. Electrical and Electronic Engineering with French from the University of Manchester and an MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He also serves on the Board of African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (AVCA).