Africa Business Forum
Overview
The Africa Business Forum convenes global business executives, government officials, academic leaders, and Mandela Washington Fellows from across sub-Saharan Africa to discuss today’s business environment in Africa and opportunities for spurring economic growth, good governance, and private sector investment. The Forum reflects the diversity of backgrounds from which attending Mandela Washington Fellows hail: business, civic engagement, and public management. In light of increasing economic growth throughout the African continent and a rapidly expanding youth population, participants are encouraged to focus on how these essential institutions can partner together to ensure that African countries experience sustainable economic and societal growth going forward. The 2019 program included moderated panel discussions and lightning roundtables and was followed by the Presidential Precinct’s Salute Africa event.
View Event Photos Watch Panel Discussions2019 Speakers
Scott Eisner
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Ramsey Day
USAID
Greg Fairchild
UVA Darden School of Business
Lisa Schroeter
Dow Chemical
Roslyn Docktor
IBM
Sabrina Roshan
Andela
Sinethemba Thwala
Mandela Washington Fellow
Rick Wade
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Heather Kulp
Chevron
Adam Hemphill
Walmart
Alex Walden
Abubakar Salim
Mandela Washington Fellow
Jonathan Eigege
Albright Stonebridge Group
Valerie Sinden
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Paul Burkhead
Eli Lilly
Leila Ndiaye
Initiative for Global Development
Teresa Jennings
Lexis Nexis
Caitlin McDonnell
Visa
Megan Ekstrom
Procter and Gamble
Ellen Szymanski
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Susan Zimmerman
UPS
Brionne Dawson
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Ru Nyambuya
Standard Bank
James B. Murray, Jr.
The Presidential Precinct
2019 Agenda
July 25
1:00-1:25PM
Arrival, Registration, Informal Networking
1:25-1:30PM
Welcome Remarks
Scott Eisner, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
1:30-1:40PM
1:40-1:45PM
Administrative Introduction
Greg Fairchild, Professor of Business Administration, UVA Darden School of Business
1:45-2:30PM
Panel 1 | Workforce Development Across the Continent
Lisa Schroeter, Dow Chemical
Roslyn Docktor, IBM
Sabrina Roshan, Andela
Moderator: Sinethemba Thwala, Mandela Washington Fellow, South Africa
2:30-2:45PM
Special Presentation
Rick Wade, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
2:45-3:30PM
Panel 2 | Corporate Citizenship and Evolving Business Models: How Companies are Integrating CSR into their Bottom Line
Heather Kulp, Chevron
Adam Hemphill, Walmart
Alex Walden, Google
Moderator: Abubakar Salim, Mandela Washington Fellow, Kenya
3:40-5:10PM
Lightning Roundtables
Table 1 - Emboldening Smallholder Farmers and Strengthening Agricultural Value Chains
Jonathan Eigege, Albright Stonebridge Group
Table 2 - Public-Private Partnerships: NCDs as a Global Health Crisis
Valerie Sinden, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Table 3 - Africa by 2050: Contributing to Youth Employment
Adam Hemphill, Walmart
Table 4 - The Power of Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Paul Burkhead, Eli Lilly
Table 5 - What Role Can Business Play in Advancing Positive Social Change?
Leila Ndiaye, Initiative for Global Development
Table 6 - Rule of Law and Business
Teresa Jennings, Lexis Nexis
Table 7 - Enabling Inclusion of Women into the Global Economy
Caitlin McDonnell, Visa
Table 8 - Business as a Driver of Inclusive Economic Growth
Megan Ekstrom, Procter and Gamble
Table 9 - The Importance of IP Protection in Enabling FDI and Promoting Innovation
Ellen Szymanski, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Table 10 - Supporting SMEs and Local Supply Chains
Valerie Sinden, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Table 11 - Africa Going Digital
Brionne Dawson, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Table 12 - Payment Systems and Financing Mechanisms Across the Continent
Ru Nyambuya, Standard Bank
Table 13 - How to Promote Environment Goods, Services, and Processes Development
Lisa Schroeter, Dow Chemical
5:10-5:25PM
Lightning Roundtable Reflections
Greg Fairchild, Professor of Business Administration, UVA Darden School of Business
5:25-5:30PM
Closing Remarks
James B. Murray, Jr.The Presidential Precinct
Past Agendas
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