African debate: Participants

Naveed Riaz (NR) is head of Citigroup’s commercial Bank for Europe, Middle East and Africa. Previously, he was the emerging markets head of Citigroup’s commercial banking business, and before that he was the global head of Citigroup’s trade business. He has also been the head of Citigroup’s operations & technology for its international business.

Henry K Hall (HH) is a managing director responsible for Merrill Lynch’s sales, structuring and financing and overall strategy for the emerging markets equities business. His experience in African equities includes raising private equity and equity linked financing for African companies, and bringing institutional and private investors to the public African equity markets.

Graham Thomas (GT) is the head of Standard Bank of South Africa’s global private equity business. The business encompasses direct investing businesses in South Africa, Turkey and Russia, and joint venture funds in Dubai and southeast Asia, as well as a debt fund covering Africa, and has more than $1 billion under management. The business will be grown alongside Standard Bank’s leading global emerging market franchise, including in Nigeria and Brazil.

Valentine Ozigbo (VO) recently joined Bank PHB as the divisional director of international banking. His responsibilities include expansion of the bank’s presence in some countries in Africa and other global money centres, management of strategic alliances and relationships with foreign missions and donor agencies, and managing correspondent banking relationships.

Babatunde Soyoye (BS) is managing director and co-founder of Helios, a leading sub-Saharan Africa private equity fund created in 2006 with more than $600 million under management. Before forming Helios, he was a principal at the London offices of Texas Pacific Group, a leading global private equity firm managing more than $30 billion in capital.

Bamanga Tukur (BT) is the group chairman of BHI Holdings Limited (Daddo Group of Companies). He is the president of the African Business Roundtable and chairman of the Nepad Business Group. He holds numerous professional memberships and advisory roles, as well as awards in recognition of his contribution to business in Africa.

Jim Ovia (JO) is the managing director and chief executive of Zenith Bank, and has more than 25 years’ banking experience. He is chairman of the Nigeria Software Development Initiative and chairman of the National Information Technology Advisory Committee, as well as a member of the governing council of Nigerian Investment Promotion Council. He is also a member of the governing council of Lagos State University.