Alex has over 30 years’ international experience as a corporate and commercial lawyer and non-executive director. He has cross-border expertise in infrastructure, impact investing, project finance, M&A and joint ventures across various sectors including technology, real estate, energy, agriculture and healthcare. Alex grew up in Ethiopia and has worked in country on numerous projects. He was Commercial Director for Africa’s first Waste to Energy Project near Addis Ababa and advises two US-based impact investment funds with investments in Ethiopia in agriculture and real estate. Alex also currently serves as General Manager of a diplomatic housing project in Addis Ababa.

Mekdes is the founder and principal of Mekdes & Associates, a boutique law office in Ethiopia specialising in investment, energy, infrastructure, project finance, PPPs, and M&A. She has extensive legal experience in Ethiopia and has spent time on secondment to Linklaters in London. Mekdes has advised on numerous large-scale foreign investment and private sector development projects. Her clients include start-ups, developers, utilities, commercial lenders, DFIs, and private equity investors. She also lectures part-time at Addis Ababa University in investment law. Mekdes has an LLB from Addis Ababa University and LLMs from Ohio Northern University and the University of London.

Kiya is a highly experienced and versatile business lawyer with expertise in immigration and employment law, corporate and investment law, mergers and acquisitions, real estate and intellectual property. He has assisted numerous investors in establishing and registering local entities and NGOs. Kiya has many years’ experience advising investors and their local staff navigate Ethiopia’s regulatory and legal environment. He has a Batchelors degree in Law from Mekelle University in Ethiopia and a Masters degree in Comparative Law, Economics and Finance from the University of Turin, Italy.

A seasoned finance consultant with more than 20 years’ experience in finance and accounting, Tigest is expert in financial management systems, financial reporting, strategic tax planning, tax audits and optimizing financial processes. She has accumulated many years’ experience dealing with banks and supporting clients with repatriation of dividends. Tigest is expert in navigating Ethiopia’s often complex tax and financial bureaucracy and in delivering effective financial solutions and clean tax audit outcomes. Tigest holds an MBA in Accounting and Finance and a BSc in Management Information.

Faizal is a UK qualified accountant with over fifteen years’ experience in real estate development, investment, finance, and management. He has extensive experience of private equity and real estate projects across Africa including in the diplomatic housing, education, hospitality, office, retail, logistics and healthcare sectors. He has worked in London and Mauritius and was formerly CFO of Verdant Ventures LLC, a US backed diplomatic real estate business with projects in Ethiopia and across Africa. Faizal has an MSc from Aston Business School and a BA in Administration and Management from the University of Kent.

Tom is a development economist specialising in enterprise development, microfinance and impact investing. He read Economics at Cambridge University and began his career as a Government Economist in London. Following his Masters degree, he spent 5 years in Uganda working on rural development, entrepreneurship and microcredit. Tom has worked across East Africa, serving thousands of clients, and recently advised an Ethiopian based social enterprise on its strategy and development. More recently, Tom has been the Senior Economist at BBC Media Action and Private Sector Adviser at the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. 

Peter is a seasoned transactional lawyer with deep experience in private equity, cross-border M&A, corporate conflicts, impact investment and growth capital transactions in Africa and other emerging markets. He has many years’ partner level experience, most recently with international law firm Orrick. He also has extensive experience as a board-level corporate governance advisor. His sector experience includes mobile telecoms, natural resources and technology investments. In addition he has extensive experience as a director and advisor to non profits in healthcare and disaster relief. Peter holds a BA from Oral Roberts University and JD from Northwestern University School of Law.

Javed Niamut is a partner at Bowmans in Mauritius, a popular jurisdiction for investments into Ethiopia. Javed advises on cross border investments, M&A transactions, joint ventures, business structuring and reorganisations. In addition to his corporate law background, he has expertise in tax structuring and tax law which uniquely positions him to advise on tax optimal legal structures for investors Javed has a law degree from Oxford Brookes University and completed the Bar Vocational Course at the University of the West of England and is a member of the Mauritius Bar. Javed is a regular contributor of published articles on corporate and tax matters.

Neil is a CFO/Advisor for growth companies and a former equity analyst at Goldman Sachs in New York where he helped to lead numerous IPOs including Zipcar's $1.1 billion IPO and other transactions. Previously, he was an equity analyst at Barclays Capital & Lehman Brothers and began his career at a boutique investment bank where he helped to lead 15 advisory & financing transactions totalling $1.3 billion. He built his operational skills as a start-up founder and CFO of an East Africa-focused impact investment firm. Neil is a CFA charter holder, a Certified Management Accountant and has an MBA from the University of South Carolina.