This segment brings together international economists, business leaders and government officials to discuss the prospects and opportunities for investment in Africa.
Africa’s rich natural resources, demographic dividend and increasingly robust regulatory environment have made it a focus for global investors. At the same time, the acceleration of digital transformation and infrastructure construction has also provided a broader market for multinational enterprises.
Director of Fok Ying Tung Foundation, Chairman of the B&P Forum
Benjamin Fok Chun-yue is a permanent governor of the Fok Ying Tung Foundation and a director within the Fok Ying Tung Group founded by his father, Dr Henry Fok Ying Tung. From the mid-1980s he led the development of some ten square kilometres of Nansha, Guangzhou, including a container terminal, science park and the Fok Ying Tung HKUST Graduate Research Centre. He has since established the Humanity Vision Trust in Hong Kong, focused on sustainable development and the societal impact of science and AI.
Co-Chair of the B&P Forum, Chairman of Hong How Group
Daniel Teo Tong How is chairman and managing director of Singapore's Hong How Group, with investment and property interests across Asia, Australia, Europe and the United States. He is a past president of the Real Estate Developers' Association of Singapore and a former world president of FIABCI. A founding member of the Singapore Cultural Foundation, he was appointed honorary chairman of the Securities Investors Association (Singapore) in 2018.
Chairman & CEO of Sinovation Ventures, Founder & CEO of 01.AI
Kai-Fu Lee is a computer scientist and investor who founded Sinovation Ventures in 2009, after leading Google China and holding senior roles at Microsoft and Apple. In 2023 he founded 01.AI. He is the author of AI Superpowers and AI 2041.
Chairman of McLane Group
Drayton McLane Jr. is chairman of McLane Group, the Texas holding company he established in 1992 after the family distribution business was sold to Walmart. He owned the Houston Astros from 1992 to 2011 and is a longstanding supporter of education, healthcare and community causes.
Adjunct Associate Professor, Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs
Howard W. Buffett teaches public policy and international affairs at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, where his research covers impact measurement and cross-sector partnerships. He previously served as executive director of the Howard G. Buffett Foundation and as a policy advisor to the White House Domestic Policy Council, and co-authored Social Value Investing.
Co-founder of Arcadia
Lisbet Rausing is a historian of science and a philanthropist who co-founded Arcadia in 2002 with her husband, the historian Peter Baldwin. The fund makes grants worldwide to preserve endangered cultural heritage and nature and to promote open access to knowledge. She is a member of the Swedish Rausing family associated with Tetra Pak.
Former President and CEO of Sony Corporation
Kazuo Hirai served as president and CEO of Sony Corporation from 2012 to 2018 and as chairman until 2019, leading the turnaround that returned the group to record profits. He joined Sony in 1984 and previously headed Sony Computer Entertainment, where he oversaw the PlayStation business. He retired from the company in 2019 and stepped down as senior adviser in 2024.
CEO of Crescent Enterprises, UAE Special Envoy for Business and Philanthropy
Badr Jafar is chief executive officer of Crescent Enterprises, the UAE-based diversified group, and chairman of the port operator Gulftainer. He serves as the UAE Special Envoy for Business and Philanthropy, founded the Pearl Initiative on corporate transparency in the Gulf, and is founding patron of the Centre for Strategic Philanthropy at Cambridge Judge Business School.
Her Majesty the Queen Mother of Bhutan, President of the Bhutan Youth Development Fund
Her Majesty Ashi Tshering Pem Wangchuck is a Queen Mother of Bhutan. She serves as president of the Bhutan Youth Development Fund, established by royal decree in 1998, which supports education, vocational training, youth wellbeing and drug-prevention programmes across Bhutan.
Sequoia Capital Professor of Computer Science, Stanford University, Co-founder & CEO of World Labs
Fei-Fei Li is the inaugural Sequoia Capital Professor in Stanford University's computer science department and a founding co-director of the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI. She created the ImageNet dataset and directed the Stanford AI Lab from 2013 to 2018. In 2024 she co-founded World Labs, where she is CEO.
Faculty Specialist, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, University liaison to the Obama Foundation
Maya Soetoro-Ng is a faculty specialist in the College of Social Sciences at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and the university's liaison to the Obama Foundation. She formerly directed the Matsunaga Institute for Peace and co-founded Ceeds of Peace, The Peace Studio and the Institute for Climate and Peace.
Director of The David Rockefeller Fund
Camilla Rockefeller is a fifth-generation member of the Rockefeller family and a director of the David Rockefeller Fund, which makes grants in the arts, climate and justice. She previously served as chair of the fund's board and also sits on the board of the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation.
Author and venture philanthropist, Founding Chair of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
Eileen Rockefeller is an author, public speaker and venture philanthropist, and the youngest daughter of David Rockefeller. She founded the Institute for the Advancement of Health, co-founded CASEL, was founding chair of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, and co-founded the Growald Climate Fund. She wrote the memoir Being a Rockefeller, Becoming Myself.
Head of Arts and Chief Curator of Collection Pictet
Loa Haagen Pictet is a Danish art historian who serves as head of arts and chief curator of Collection Pictet, the Pictet Group's collection of Swiss art from 1805 to the present, which she has built since 2004. She has served as president of the International Association of Corporate Collections of Contemporary Art and sits on the Prix Pictet jury.
Former UFC Heavyweight Champion and PFL Super Fights Heavyweight World Champion
Francis Ngannou is a Cameroonian-French heavyweight who held the UFC heavyweight title from 2021 to 2023 before leaving the promotion. In October 2024 he won the inaugural PFL Super Fights Heavyweight World Championship and has also boxed professionally against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. He founded the Francis Ngannou Foundation, supporting sport and education for young people in Cameroon.
Chinese Actor and Singer
Ren Jialun, also known as Allen Ren, is a Chinese actor and singer born in Qingdao. A former professional table tennis player with the Shandong provincial team, he trained in South Korea and debuted in a Chinese-Korean group before turning to acting in 2014. He rose to prominence in the 2017 historical drama The Glory of Tang Dynasty and has since led series including Under the Power, One and Only and Love of Nirvana.
Chinese Singer, Dancer and Producer
Liu Yuxin, who performs as XIN Liu, is a Chinese singer, dancer and producer from Guizhou province. She finished first on the 2020 talent competition Youth With You 2 and became the centre of the girl group THE9, which was active until December 2021. As a solo artist she released the albums Epsilon and Xanadu, served as the first female captain on Street Dance of China, and made her US festival debut at Coachella in 2024 after joining 88rising.
President's Chair Professor and Chair of the College of Computing and Data Science, Nanyang Technological University
Chunyan Miao is President’s Chair Professor and Chair of the College of Computing and Data Science at NTU Singapore. A leading researcher in artificial intelligence, her work spans human-centred AI, multimodal computing and applications in health, ageing and education. She has also led major university-industry research collaborations in AI and digital technologies.
Distinguished University Professor and Director of the Generative AI Lab, Nanyang Technological University
Dacheng Tao is a Distinguished University Professor at NTU Singapore and inaugural director of its Generative AI Lab. He was previously an Australian Laureate Fellow and Peter Nicol Russell Chair at the University of Sydney, founding director of the Sydney AI Centre, and inaugural director of the JD Explore Academy. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, the IEEE and the ACM.
Chairman of Heyi Holdings, Co-founder of Tianren Culture
Victor Koo founded Youku, China's leading online video platform, and served as its chairman and chief executive until stepping down after the Alibaba acquisition in 2016. He chairs Heyi Holdings, the investment vehicle he founded in 2005, which focuses on health, genomics and food innovation. He co-founded Tianren Culture in 2016.
Co-founder of Infosys, Chairman of Axilor Ventures
Kris Gopalakrishnan co-founded Infosys in 1981 and served as its chief executive from 2007 to 2011 and executive vice chairman until 2014. He chairs Axilor Ventures, the early-stage accelerator and seed fund he co-founded in 2014. Through the Pratiksha Trust he funds brain and neuroscience research in India, including the Centre for Brain Research at IISc Bangalore.
Co-founder and CEO of Carousell Group
Quek Siu Rui co-founded Carousell in Singapore in 2012 with Marcus Tan and Lucas Ngoo and has led the company as chief executive since. Carousell Group operates classifieds and recommerce marketplaces across Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan. He was named to Forbes Asia's 30 Under 30 list in 2016.
Executive Vice Chair and Director of Tamara Leisure Experiences
Shruti Shibulal led Tamara Leisure Experiences as chief executive and director from 2018 until June 2025, overseeing its expansion and its responsible-hospitality policies. She moved to executive vice chair in June 2025 and continues to shape long-term strategy and property development. She is the daughter of Infosys co-founder S.D. Shibulal.
Board Member of Sabancı Holding, Founder of Gate 27
Melisa Sabancı Tapan is a member of the Sabancı family and serves on the board of directors of Sabancı Holding and the board of trustees of Sabancı University. In 2019 she founded Gate 27, an Istanbul-based residency and platform supporting artists and projects focused on sustainability and social impact. She is a member of TÜSİAD and the Tate International Council.
Chairwoman of the Lo Kwee Seong Foundation
Joy Lo Cheung chairs the Lo Kwee Seong Foundation, the Hong Kong family foundation established in 1991 by her grandfather Dr Lo Kwee-seong, founder of Vitasoy. She joined the foundation in 2019 as chair of donations and was appointed chairwoman in 2025. Its giving spans scientific research, education, entrepreneurship, community and the arts.
Founder and Chairman of the Hinrich Foundation, Executive Chairman of Global Sources
Merle A. Hinrich founded Global Sources in 1970 to address information gaps between buyers and sellers in Asia-West trade, and remains its executive chairman. In 2012 he established the Hinrich Foundation, which advances sustainable global trade through research, education and trade scholarships. He continues to publish on trade policy, including proposals for WTO reform.
Co-founder and Creative Director of Small Giants
Berry Liberman co-founded Small Giants, Australia's first B Corporation, in 2007 with her husband Danny Almagor. The impact-aligned family office invests across media, property, regenerative agriculture, venture capital and climate solutions. She is creative director of Small Giants Academy and was publisher and editor-in-chief of Dumbo Feather magazine for twelve years.
Vice Chairman of GITI Group, Co-founder of United in Diversity Foundation
Cherie Nursalim is vice chairman of GITI Group, an Asia-Pacific group spanning tyre manufacturing, real estate and consumer businesses, and a co-founder of Indonesia's United in Diversity Foundation. She chairs the Southeast Asia chapter of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and the Tsinghua Southeast Asia Centre in Bali. She is a vice chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce.
Council Member of the Tan Chin Tuan Foundation, Executive Director of Tecity Group
Chew Gek Hiang has been a council member of the Tan Chin Tuan Foundation since 1991. As executive director and head of finance at the Tecity Group she oversees its securities portfolio and its human resources and administrative functions. An NUS-trained accountant admitted to the ICAEW in 1990, she is president of Noah's Ark CARES.
Chairperson of the Board of the Tsao Foundation
Dr Mary Ann Tsao is a US-trained paediatrician and founding director of the Tsao Foundation, the Singapore non-profit chartered in 1993 by her grandmother Mrs Tsao Ng Yu Shun to address population ageing. She chairs the foundation's board and also serves as its interim chief executive. She has received Singapore's Public Service Medal and the Public Service Star with Bar.
Emeritus Professor of Cosmology and Astrophysics, University of Cambridge, Member of the House of Lords
Lord Rees of Ludlow is an astrophysicist and cosmologist whose research spans galaxy formation, quasars, black holes and cosmology. He served as Astronomer Royal from 1995 to 2025, President of the Royal Society from 2005 to 2010, and Master of Trinity College, Cambridge from 2004 to 2012. He co-founded Cambridge's Centre for the Study of Existential Risk and writes on long-term global risks from technology and environmental pressure.
President of Clare Hall and Professor of Architecture, University of Cambridge
Professor C. Alan Short became the ninth President of Clare Hall, Cambridge in August 2020. Appointed the fifth Professor of Architecture at Cambridge in 2001, he leads interdisciplinary research on low-carbon buildings, natural ventilation and infection-resilient environments. He was awarded a Litt.D. by the university in 2023.
President of the National University of Singapore
Professor Tan Eng Chye, a mathematician, became the fifth President of NUS in January 2018, having previously served as Provost and Deputy President for Academic Affairs. He is closely associated with the design of the NUS undergraduate academic system, including its interdisciplinary and residential college programmes. He joined the NUS faculty in 1985.
Founding Dean and Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business
Dr Xiang Bing founded the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business in 2002 and led it as dean until the end of 2023, when he became vice chairman of its board of trustees and senior advisor to the dean. He previously taught at Peking University's Guanghua School of Management and was one of seven founding faculty of CEIBS. His work focuses on China's economic transformation, innovation and globalisation by Chinese firms.
Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen, Queen of Bhutan
Her Majesty Queen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck became the Gyaltsuen, Queen of Bhutan, on her marriage to King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck in 2011. She is President of the Bhutan Red Cross Society, a UNICEF Eminent Advocate for Children and a UN Environment Programme Ozone Ambassador, and serves as Royal Patron of the Ability Bhutan Society and the Bhutan Kidney Foundation. Her social welfare work is administered through the Queen’s Project, including the One Gewog One Product programme supporting rural producers.
Princess of the Royal Bafokeng Nation, South Africa
Princess Tirelo Molotlegi is a member of the royal family of the Royal Bafokeng Nation in South Africa's North West Province, the youngest daughter of the late Kgosi Lebone II and Queen Mother Semane Bonolo Molotlegi. She works on community development, education and youth programmes in the Bafokeng community, including an after-school mentoring initiative in Phokeng. She is also recognised as South Africa's first Black female helicopter pilot.
CEO and Co-founder of Teach For All
Wendy Kopp founded Teach For America in 1989, developing the idea from her Princeton undergraduate thesis, and co-founded Teach For All in 2007. The global network now comprises independent organisations in more than sixty countries working to expand educational opportunity. She has served as chief executive of Teach For All since its founding.
Family Business Advisor, Lansberg Gersick Advisors
Basma Al Zamil is a Saudi family-enterprise advisor specialising in governance, succession planning and leadership development for families across the Middle East. A member of the Zamil Group family and among the first women in the family to work in the business, she rose to General Manager of Corporate Human Resources and later led corporate social responsibility. She is a Certified Family Business Advisor with the Family Firm Institute and sits on the board of trustees of the Royal University for Women in Bahrain.
Founder and Executive Chairman of Abdulla Al Gurg Global Investments, UAE
Abdulla Fareed Al Gurg founded Abdulla Al Gurg Global Investments in 2020, a UAE-based private investment holding group with interests in healthcare, hospitality, real estate, technology and sport. He previously served as Group General Manager and then Group Chief Executive of the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group, where he remains on the board. He also sits on the board of the National Bank of Fujairah.
Chief Sustainability Officer, Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance
Kyungsun Chung joined Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance as chief sustainability officer in January 2024 and was elevated to executive vice president in 2026. A third-generation member of the Hyundai founding family, he previously co-founded and served as managing partner of The Sylvan Group, a Singapore-based impact private equity firm. He also founded Root Impact and Merry Year Social Company in Korea.
Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Messer Group
Stefan Messer is a third-generation member of the founding family of Messer, the world's largest privately held industrial gases company. He led the group as chief executive and owner until April 2023, when he moved to chair the supervisory board. He has overseen the group's leadership transitions since.
Co-founder of PropertyGuru, Co-founder and Partner of Wavemaker Impact
Steve Melhuish co-founded PropertyGuru in 2007 and served as chief executive for over a decade, building it into a Southeast Asian property-technology company later listed in New York. In 2021 he co-founded Wavemaker Impact, a Singapore-based climate-tech venture builder and fund, having founded Planet Rise in 2019. He is an active angel investor and adviser to climate and social impact start-ups across Asia.
Director of Ciputra Group, Indonesia
Nararya Ciputra Sastrawinata is a grandson of the late Indonesian property developer Ciputra and has served as a director of Ciputra Group since 2017, having joined the family business in 2009. He holds a degree in aeronautical engineering from Imperial College London and previously worked as an engineering consultant in the United Kingdom. He represents the group on its domestic and international developments.
Founder and Chief Executive of Longshot, Co-founder of Beaverbrook
Joel Cadbury is a British entrepreneur and member of the Cadbury family who founded the leisure and hospitality group Longshot in 1994. Its ventures have included The Groucho Club, Bel & The Dragon, Third Space and the co-founding of the Beaverbrook hotel and golf estate in Surrey. He has previously chaired The Royal Parks Foundation.
Chief Executive Officer of Your Family Entertainment AG
Dr Stefan Piëch is an Austrian media entrepreneur and a member of the Porsche and Piëch family. He has served on the executive board of Munich-listed Your Family Entertainment AG since 2006 and is its chief executive; the company operates the children's channels RiC TV and Fix&Foxi TV. He also holds trustee and board roles including the Volkswagen Employee Foundation and SOS Children's Villages.
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