Private Equity Conference Begins Today

The theme of this year’s conference “Mauritius: Your Gateway to African Opportunities”. This one-and-a-half day will focus on private equity investments in the emerging African markets.

The conference will be officially launched by Xavier Duval, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and will also be attended by Arvin Boolell, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

From a gathering of almost 250 C-level delegates, including 100 foreign delegates from India, South Africa, Tanzania, USA, Singapore, Dubai and other regional countries at its launch in 2009, Private Equity Mauritius 2012 is set to continue this tradition of sharing views, ideas and strategic insights into the ever changing world of private equity.

This years’ conference will see the intervention of the legendary commodities investor and agriculture investing proponent Jim Rogers who will deliver a keynote address on the first day and share his views on the global economic scenario.

Jim Rogers believes Africa is an untapped resource and will be a major player 10-20 years down the road due to commodity shortages around the world.

There are plenty of ways to invest in Africa such as buying public Chinese companies who are currently investing large amounts of assets in African resources.

Jim Rogers believes there will be “phenomenal opportunities” in the African continent as natural resources exist in all 50 countries on the continent.

Arnold Ekpe, Chief Executive Officer of the Ecobank Group will deliver a keynote address on the second day. With 30 years banking experience in the industry, Ekpe has held several senior positions in African and international banking. Ekpe has led the ongoing transformation of the Ecobank Group, which has become the leading Pan-African banking institution, with operations in more countries in Africa than any other bank in the world.

Ekpe’s abiding passion is in promoting pan-African private-sector initiatives, particularly in financial serices sector.