SYPALA PANEL DISCUSSION
“WHERE IS THE MONEY NOW?”
ASHESI UNIVERSITY, LABONE, BUILDING 3
As the global economic crisis tear through Africa’s sense of isolation from the international financial system, and we begin to see unanticipated channels of exposure to the crisis, ranging from commodity-based sovereign funds to growing irregularities in remittances flow. The Nigerian stock market has been routed, and Ghana’s is in the doldrums too. Private equity is faltering and corporate Ghana is feeling the pinch from a renewed urge on the part of government to tax its way out of its budget constraints. But could it be that this moment of crisis paints the best hope out of economic mediocrity for Africa? As returns to investment and assets fall precipitously in Europe and America, could investors switch to frontier markets such as Africa? Do we sufficiently understand the current flows in financial resources to position ourselves in favourable light? Our amazing array of speakers turn this and related subjects inside out.
10:00AM
Introduction by Moderator
Mr. Eric Don-Arthur
10:05AM
Panel Discussion
Michael Wilson
Robert Ahomka Lindsay
Pearl Esua – Mensah
June Arunga
Albert Biga
11:05AM
Audience Feedback & Interaction
11:45AM
Moderator Vote of Thanks & Remarks
MODERATOR
BIOGRAPHY
Eric Don-Arthur
Eric Don-Arthur, lead Anchor of the morning show at arguably Ghana’s premier television adds charm to his exceptional talents, as one of Ghana’s most respected independent the Foundation for Contemporary Art and a communications specialist.
Eric Don-Arthur, lead Anchor of the morning show at arguably Ghana’s premier television adds charm to his exceptional talents, as one of Ghana’s most respected independent the Foundation for Contemporary Art and a communications specialist.
Panelists
Michael Wilson
Robert Ahomka-Lindsay
Pearl Esua-Mensah
Michael Wilson is the Managing Partner of Migson Ghana Ltd. He has degrees in
Management and Economics from the Universities of Geneva and Cambridge. He Has
served in decision making posts with many multinationals and international organizations. He was formerly Vice President of Coctena for the African Region. He currently sits on the boards of Cenpower, Ghana; Kasibante Group, Tanzania; Bathgate Group, UK, and is and is a member of the Commonwealth Business Council and the NEPAD Business Group
Robert Ahomka Lindsay is former CEO of Ghana Investment Promotion Centre and the Chairman of the Metropolitan Insurance Company, as well as Chairman of CalBank Ghana Ltd. Mr Ahomka Lindsay was previously a Vice President of Public Affairs and Communication and a Director of Coca Cola International. He sits on the board of the Coca Cola Africa Foundation, and holds a MBA (University of Chicago, 2000) and a BA (Hons.) Economics (University of Sussex, England, 1988).
Pearl Esua-Mensah is the Director of Finance & Administration of UT Group of
15 Companies, a Ghana Club 100 company. She holds a BSc Administration from the
University of Ghana, she also has FCCA (UK) as an additional professional qualification. She has significant experience gained from working with a number of companies such as Parity Group PLC (UK) and The Kantar Group (UK) as a Group Financial Accountant and Group Reporting Accountant respectively.
Albert’s international experience includes his work with Ford Foundation in
Nigeria providing solutions to Micro-finance institutions and his 3 year stint with Intel Corporation, South Africa. While at Intel Albert was responsible for theconcept and implementation of the Government Assisted PC Program (GAPP) inGhana that assisted almost 30,000 Ghanaians (mostly teachers and salaried public servants) acquire PCs under the program. He was also the Project Director for thdevelopment of the skoool (www.skoool.com.gh), the online Maths and science content for the Ministry of Education for deployment into Senior and Junior High Schools. Albert has implemented a number of ICT in education solutions working
with local and international partners.
June Arunga is Communications Manager BSL Global, a company aimed at leveraging the power of mobile phones to transform the fortunes of Africa’s SME (small & medium enterprises) sector. She is a Law graduate from the University of Buckingham in England. She has written and hosted several television documentaries for BBC and Channel 4, UK."The Devil’s Footpath" about her 5,000 mile journey from Cairo to Cape town through six conflict inflicted countries. "Africa: Who is to Blame?" which she co-hosted with the former president of Ghana –Jerry Rawlings. "Africa’s Ultimate Resource", profiling African immigrant entrepreneurs, why they leave and what happens to their ventures when transplanted to a different political and economic regime. She also worked with renowned Swedish economic historian Johan Norberg, on "Globalization is Good", based on his award winning book, In Defense of Global Capitalism. Ms. Arunga has a passion for economics and explores the impact of economic policy on wealth creation in various industries in Africa through her documentaries. Her documentaries have been aired by BBC, Australian Broadcasting Network, Channel 4, UK, SABC, South Africa and numerous other broadcasters around the globe. She is regularly featured on several television interviews and conferences around the globe and has always used these platforms to advocate for international and national economic policies that would open up Africa for vibrant trade. In February 2007 Ms. Arunga co- authored a study on "The Cell-Phone Revolution in Kenya", published by Istituto bruno Leoni, a Milan based public policy think tank, and International Policy Network, a London based public policy charity.
The study was the subject of BBC "NewsNight" mini-documentary by the same title.
Ms. Arunga is a member of the Board of Advisors for Global Envision in the United
States, The Inter-Region Economic Network, an economics think tank in Kenya, Grassroot Free Markets, a public policy nonprofit in Hawaii, The Bastiat Society in Charleston, South Carolina, and is on the Creative Council of the Moving Pictures Institute in New York. She is a H. B. Earhart Graduate Fellow of Law, a Fellow at IMANI Center for Policy & Education, the International Policy Network- (IPN) – a London based public policy charity, and Senior Fellow with the Istituto Bruno Leoni, a Milan based public policy think tank.