• What is the outlook for GDP growth within Africa? How does it compare to other emerging markets?
• How are increasing inflation, rising interest rates, and volatile currencies affecting the financial circumstances of African nations?
• How will geopolitics, supply chain disruptions, and unpredictable ratings affect the future of African economies and financial markets?
• How can Africa best prepare for potential shifts in international capital flow?

• Sovereign funding and investment strategy: What are the plans for debt raising and where will this capital be deployed?
• How are global geopolitical developments and increasing inflation rates influencing the funding strategies of the region’s sovereigns?
• What steps need to be taken to promote higher levels of international foreign investment into Africa?
• What international shifts need to happen to enable African sovereigns to tap the Eurobond market once again?

• Bonds vs. Loans, Hard vs. Local Currency: How can borrowers tap into local bond and loan markets and unlock their full potential? What strategies can be implemented?
• How can DFI’s, multilaterals, ECAs and insurance brokers aid corporates in raising capital at the best price?
• How can supply chain finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer lending, securitisation & impact investing be used as alternative funding tools?
• What are the best practices for integrating sustainability into corporate finance?

• Which countries and sectors are the most attractive to investors?
• What are the key investment drivers and how are these influencing investment decisions?
• Comparing Africa to other emerging markets in a global EM investor’s portfolio
• What are investors’ expectations for ESG transparency?
• Which reforms have been successful in generating international investor confidence in Africa?

• Hard vs. Local currency: What works for Africa? How will international banks and MDB’s view this?
• North, South, East & West Africa: Which regions are the most attractive to lenders?
• Which sectors are deemed the most bankable? How do lenders differentiate between low and high-risk borrowers?
• Sovereigns vs. Corporates: To what extent are banks more prepared to lend to sovereigns based on perceived stability? How do loan structures and pricing differ between these borrowers?

• What factors are contributing to higher funding costs for FI’s?
• Raising capital in the face of increased costs: What instruments are FI’s turning to? Debt, equity, or hybrid?
• How FI’s are adjusting their risk appetites, balance sheet management and hedging against heightened interest rates
• What alternative sources of funding are available, aside from the traditional channels?
• What measures are FI’s taking to ensure the profitability and stability of their balance sheets?
• Exploring the implementation of new tech innovations to optimise balance sheets and reduce costs

• With some of SA listed credit names trading at spreads close to historical lows, what sort of risks are reflected in those spreads?
• Utilising risk-adjusted analysis to evaluate listed credit spreads from a portfolio manager’s perspective.
• Should SA listed credit spreads trade at wider levels?

• What hurdles does Africa need to overcome to promote market growth?
• How can tech and financial instrument innovations be adapted for Africa?
• How can Africa enhance regulation frameworks to facilitate market growth and attract international investment?
• How can the exchange promote innovation for sustainability? At what point will the exchange enforce regulations that require companies to disclose their ESG practices and performance?

This keynote is a masterclass study of how the worlds most underloved and overlooked teams have achieved success. This keynote is relevant to leaders, investors & managers who want to understand how they can achieve disruptive growth and disproportionate impact in traditional markets dominated by a few large players.

For asset managers and portfolio managers this keynote contains valuable insights on the DNA of the teams that do the impossible.

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Audience discretion is advised.

• What is currently being done to promote and develop cross border trade in Africa? What doors has AfCTFA already opened to unlock cross border issuances and investments, and what doors remain closed?
• How is AfCFTA continuing to work with existing regional trade areas, whilst overcoming challenges in others?
• Examining the challenges posed from the process of harmonising different countries contradictory regulations
• How will CBDC’s aid in the cross border and regulatory development?

• Are the Global Reporting Initiative and the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosure standards adequate? Or do they need improvement?
• What are the roadblocks preventing ESG standardisation? How does the lack of global standards affect Africa?
• How can Africa best incorporate cultural nuances and diverse perspectives to create comprehensive ESG standards that align with the continent’s priorities?
• How should Africa invest in human capital, develop skillsets, and build expertise to ensure that established standards are as comprehensive as possible?

• Are global standards for ESG financing applicable for Africa? How should these standards and best practices be applied in the context of African issuers?
• How can issuers and investors accurately assess the ESG outcomes of their projects and investments? What are the best practices on impact measurement?
• What are the most important steps to prevent greenwashing and ensure the authenticity of ESG financing? Where are the shortfalls at present?

In this presentation, Dipak Patel will delve into the vital role of blended finance and appropriately structured finance for driving South Africa's transition to a green and climate-resilient economy, ultimately working towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

• Which energy transition solutions are the best fit for Africa?
• What is Africa’s plan to transition to a renewable future, whilst leveraging natural resources in the meantime?
• What investments are required to facilitate the energy transition? How can Africa secure funding for these projects? What can governments do to incentivise investors?
• Promoting collaboration between stakeholders, including governments, regulators, financial institutions, and businesses, to drive innovation in ESG finance and accelerate the region's energy transition goals

• How to best navigate and utilise ESG data: What standards and methodologies should be used?
• How to address the need for more stringent enforcement on regulation and reporting
• What is the real-world impact of regulatory efforts to standardise ESG reporting?
• Getting investors involved: How to upgrade due diligence processes for ESG KPIs and reporting to better inform investment decisions

• Exploring the role of impact funds, regional & development banks and nonbank FI’s: How are they supporting sustainable finance for infrastructure projects?
• What are the biggest challenges and risks that are associated with sustainable infrastructure financing?
• Unpacking the potential pitfalls that are linked to sustainable infrastructure financing: Which projects are most deserving?
• What is the potential impact of tech, such as blockchain, on infrastructure projects? How can Africa leverage these technologies to attract sustainable capital?

• How much deal volume is there in Africa? Who are the lenders? What types of companies are accessing the market? What are investor expectations?
• Demand and supply drivers: Banking regulations? Underwriting standards? Hunt for yield?
• Capacity and size of the market: Is it a buyer or seller market?
• Credit regimes: How much work to get deals done in a timely manner vs. what returns?

• Credit investment in a rising rate environment: How are investors adapting their strategies and allocations?
• US High Yield vs. EM Investment Grade vs. Private Credit: What risk-adjusted returns are investors after?
• Risk vs. return, structure vs. liquidity: What are investors in Africa private credit’s criteria for investment?
• Are funds with global mandates looking at opportunistic/cross-over opportunities? In what size? What are their criteria?

• Private credit vs. private equity vs. commercial loans: What is the capital raising thought-process of CEOs and CFOs when weighing up the pros and cons of Private Credit?
• What types and size of companies are potential Private Credit borrowers? What sectors are they coming from and what makes their companies suitable candidates for Private Credit?
• Structure vs. pricing vs. size: What are the economic and capital advantages and disadvantages of Private Credit compared to other debt markets?
• Private credit as a bridge to senior debt: Case studies and templates for future deals

• Globally, regionally, locally: How are commercial and investment banks participating in the private credit market?
• Credit enhancement, asset allocators, side-by-side lenders, distributors: What role can DFIs and IFIs play to support development and depth of the market?
• What opportunities are there for syndicators to distribute private credit deals?
• Private credit/private placement: Can DCMs act as connector between asset managers hunting for opportunities and commercial bank customers searching for growth capital?

• Who are the companies that can borrower directly from asset managers? How do asset managers find them?
• How big is the market? How do investors source deals? How are funds building a track-record?
• How to obtain and have confidence in data presented to evaluate transactions
• Senior secured, high yield, distressed: What do private credit opportunities look like across Africa?

• What happens in a default’s scenario? What mechanisms are in place so creditors can get title in a timely manner?
• Private credit fund regimes: What exists?
• Structure and documentation: Are deals moving towards standardisation or is every deal bespoke?
• How can regulators and legislators work with the market to speed-up development and bring down deal costs?

• Investment vs. debt management: How much are sovereigns planning to raise? Where will investment be directed?
• Exploring debt sustainability: Unpacking sovereigns’ bonds – how are governments able to access this market?
• Assessing the options for how sovereigns can restructure and/or refinance their existing debt obligations
• Engaging the international investor appetite for WAEMU local currency market: What do investors want to see from sovereigns?

• How does inflationary pressure and higher interest rates impact sovereigns’ ability to refinance debt?
• What sources of financing are available to sovereigns to reduce fiscal deficits?
• How have rating downgrades affected sovereigns’ ability to source funding? What options are now on the table?
• How are governments striking a balance between borrowing to support economic growth and maintaining ratings by lowering fiscal deficits?

• Fostering good governance: What transparency and accountability measures are in place?
• Strengthening legal and regulatory frameworks to enable institutional development and enhance effectiveness
• The role of innovation: Exploring the impact of technology adoption and innovation to leapfrog governance challenges
• How can investors help to create an environment that allows for a more transparent engagement with sovereigns?

• What does a ‘perfect’ implementation of SDG’s look like?
• Looking at Africa’s environmental challenges: Which innovative solutions are out there? What is currently being done?
• What is the best way to leverage collaborative partnerships to have an effective SDG implementation?
• Best practices for identifying opportunities for regional collaboration and partnerships