Auboin, Awani, Mene, Quaynor to Lead Conversations at Access Bank’s AfricaTrade Conference
By, springbewsng Media limited March 11,2025
Cape Town, South Africa – Tuesday, March 11, 2025: Access Bank PLC, Africa’s
leading financial institution, today, announced a distinguished line-up of speakers for
the maiden edition of its highly anticipated Africa Trade Conference 2025, set to hold
on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre
(CTICC), South Africa. Under the theme “Empowering Africa: Driving Trade,
Innovation, and Sustainable Prosperity”, the conference will convene some of the most
influential figures in global finance, trade, and economic development to discuss the
future of commerce and investment across the continent.
H.E. Wamkele K. Mene, Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area
(AfCFTA), will deliver the keynote address, exploring how Africa can fully harness the
AfCFTA to drive economic growth and industrialisation. The event will also feature a
presentation from Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President of the Africa Export-Import
Bank (Afreximbank), who will analyse the opportunities and challenges shaping Africa’s
trade landscape.
Further insights will come from Solomon Quaynor, Vice President of the African
Development Bank (AfDB), who will examine the role of trade facilitation in economic
growth, and Dr. Marc Auboin, Counsellor for Economic Research and Statistics at the
World Trade Organization (WTO), who will discuss the impact of digitisation and
innovation on global supply chains.
Adding further depth to the discussions, experts from leading multinational financial
institutions will weigh in on strategies for enhancing Africa’s competitiveness in global
markets. Florian Wicht, Regional Lead for Africa, Trade & Supply Chain Finance at
IFC, alongside Kristina Holzhauser, Managing Director for Regional FI Africa & Middle
East at Commerzbank AG; Ferdinand Zaumu, Managing Director, Head of Trade &
Working Capital Solutions for the Middle East and Africa at Citibank, and Shyamasish
Acharya, Resident Representative, India EXIM Bank, will provide perspectives on
financing solutions to unlock trade potential. Meanwhile, Eduardo Barbosa, CFO of
Grupo Naval, along with other industry leaders, will share practical insights from the
private sector on navigating Africa’s evolving trade and logistics environment.
Tanya Dos Santos-Ford, Faculty Lead on Climate Leadership and Sustainability at
GIBS Business School, who will lead discussion on the intersection of trade and
sustainability, is billed to explore how Africa can balance trade expansion with
www.accessbankplc.com
environmental responsibility. Additionally, industry leaders such as Marcelo Mendes,
Head of
Commercial at Tennant Metals South Africa, and Lodewyk Meyer, Director of Banking
and Finance at OWP Partners, will offer perspectives on how businesses can capitalise
on Africa’s growing trade opportunities while mitigating risks.
With an agenda designed to foster actionable solutions and strategic partnerships, the
Africa Trade Conference 2025 is set to be a defining event for business leaders,
investors, and policymakers working to unlock Africa’s vast trade potential.
Interested participants can take part in the discourse by visiting
