OUR CHAIRMAN
Ibrahim Sagna
- Ibrahim Sagna (pronounced “San Ya”) is an institutional platform builder with over 25 years of experience in global finance. His track record includes enabling over USD 30 Billion of Africa-related investments spanning telecom, media, and technology projects, consumer spaces, traditional infrastructure, and natural resources
- Mr. Sagna serves on the boards of various leading institutions, including Founders Factory Africa, the Fund for Export Development for Africa (FEDA), and the Global Sports Summit's governing body. He is the Vice Chairman and Founding Partner of Severus LLC, the sole owner of Capetown Tigers, a South African champion and a team in the Basketball Africa League (BAL), the African League of the National Basketball Association (NBA)
- A technology and media enthusiast, he's been an angel investor in many tech startups across Africa. Recently, he also served as a co-executive producer of a top rated NETFLIX film series
- Prior to Silverbacks Holdings, Mr. Sagna held diverse roles within investment-grade-rated multilateral institutions and capital allocators such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank)
- His Africa-focused experience also includes operational positions in private equity-backed and technology-enabled platform IBEX Global (formerly TRG Global), fund management roles at the Emerging Capital Partners (ECP), Millennium Global Investments, and First Continent Capital
- Senegalese national, he holds a Masters Degree in Finance from Boston College and executive degrees from Harvard Business School, London Business School, and INSEAD
OUR EXECUTIVE BOARD AND MANAGEMENT
Nana Afoah Appiah-Korang
- Ms Nana Afoah serves as an Executive Director on the Board of Directors of Silverbacks Holdings
- Experienced senior private equity executive with expertise in deal origination, execution, portfolio management, exits & fundraising
- Senior Consultant to the African Development Bank and Development Bank of Ghana
- Served as Director/Senior Investment Professional of Emerging Capital Partners (ECP), one of the largest Africa-focused private equity firms with $3 billion AUM
- Co-founded Amayi Foods Limited, a Nigeria-based ready-to-eat food manufacturing business
- Investment professional with Goldman Sachs (REPIA), real estate private equity investors with exposure to a portfolio of assets including a senior housing platform
- Extensive Board experience: Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund | Continental Reinsurance Plc and Continental Reinsurance Ltd Kenya | Vanguard Assurance Company | New Forests
- Ghanian/American Citizen | MBA from Trium Global | Executive MBA (HEC Paris, LSE, NYU)
Nima Yussuf
- Ms Nima Yussuf serves as an Executive Director on the Board of Directors of Silverbacks Holdings
- Previously the Chief of Staff of the Gabonese Sovereign Wealth fund (FGIS). As special advisor to the CEO, she played a key role in executing the Fund’s strategy, supporting the government’s plan for energy transition and biodiversity promotion and protection
- Served as a senior Business Leader at ES Partners, overseeing projects in Rwanda, Guinea Conakry and Gabon
- Spearheaded technology projects as a Partner at First Continent Capital, providing advisory services to Sovereign Owned Institutions (SOEs) in Rwanda
- Worked 10+ years in Financial Services sector at Goldman Sachs and Hayfin Capital in London
- Serial entrepreneur and investor in the hospitality and Real Estate sectors in Rwanda
- British/Somali National | BA (1st Class Honours) in Marketing, University of Arts, London, and certificates in Startup Funding from the Judge Business School, University of Cambridge, and ESG Risks & Opportunities from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Dina Kamel
- Ms. Kamel is the Director of PR, Communication, and External Relations at Silverbacks Holdings
- Has over 10 years experience managing high-profile campaigns and building strong relationships with clients and media outlets in Egypt and the MENA region
- Previously, served as PR and Media Relations Manager at POD, the PR arm of Egypt’s United Media Services
- Extensive experience also includes roles with UK Think-tank Frontier, Daily News Egypt, CGTN, UAE's OC Communication, the European Patent Office and Swiss Shepard Fox Communications
- As a freelance ghost-writer, she penned economic analysis and whitepapers for UN and World Bank's affiliates
- Client portfolio includes Visa, Credit Agricole Egypt, Beltone Holdings, Cairo International Book Fair, Egypt’s Narrative Summit, Ericsson, Tiktok, and Danone to name a few
- Egyptian Citizen | BA in English Literature and Linguistics from Mansoura University’s School of Arts and is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in International Relations
OUR NON-EXECUTIVE BOARD
Nousrath Bhugeloo
- Executive Chairperson of Nexus Global Financial Services Limited
- Over 20 years of experience in corporate services, of which more than 10 years in advising global business clients on investment and trade structuring strategies for Asian and African emerging markets in order to enhance their enterprise and shareholder value
- Prior to Nexus, Mrs Bhugeloo was the Regional Head for Africa, Middle-East and Asia (AMEA) at Ocorian Corporate Services Limited
- Prior to joining Ocorian, Mrs Bhugeloo spearheaded the growth strategy at ABAX, which was acquired by Ocorian in 2018
- Board Member of Inq, Convergence Capital Partners, Umunthu Investment Company, Catalyst Capital Partners, Seacom Ltd, Activa Finance, The BoardRoom Africa Foundation, Hyde Energy Ltd etc.
- Executive MBA – Essex Business School and Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (UK)
Amira elAdawi
- Founder and Managing Partner of Amira & Co, a boutique global management consulting firm that works exclusively on "M&A Integrations" and "Enterprise Optimization"
- Serves as External Advisor to Bain & Company, and previously served as a Senior Principal at Booz & Company,
- Serves on the Advisory Boards of A.L.M.A. Impact Investing, and Via Group, as well as on the Executive Board of ArtLab Residency.
- BA in Economics and International Relations from the American University in Cairo and MBA from Harvard Business School.
Guillaume Castel
- CEO of PerfectServe since July 2019 | Responsible to develop and grow the portfolio
- 20 years of experience in strategy, business development, finance and operations across the technology and healthcare industries
- Previously served as VP, Business Development at Inova Health System, a large nonprofit provider in Northern Virginia with $3bn+ yearly revenue
- Before Inova, Mr. Castel was with the Advisory Board Company, a publicly-traded best practices firm specializing in healthcare | He was part of the team that arranged the sale of the Advisory Board’s Performance Technology portfolio to Optum
- Mr. Castel spent 6 years at Cisco Systems, ultimately serving as Director of Business Development. Before that, he worked at IBM for 7 years
- Serves on the board of the Heifer Foundation, Fraym.io, and Grapevine Health
OUR ADVISORY BOARD
Eli Talmor, Chair of the Advisory Board
- Professor at London Business School and founder of LBS Private Equity
- Serial entrepreneur and cornerstone investor with multiple exits notably a turnaround of a NASDAQ enterprise software company sold at $700 million and co-founding a renewable energy company exited for $270 million
- Co-author of Private Capital . (reference book on PE industry)
- Testified at the UK Parliament on PE and advised the UK Prime Minister’s Office
- Served on the advisory board of the African Venture Capital Association
- Previously on the faculty of UCLA and Wharton.
Dr. N'Gunu Tiny, Vice-Chair of the Advisory Board
- Founded Media N9ve group with titles Forbes Portugal, Forbes África Lusófona, Jornal Económico with the purpose of informing and strengthening relationships among Lusophone
- Chairman, CEO and Founder of the Emerald Group
- Former Partner & Board Member at Optimal Investments. Co-Founder & Former Chairman of Eaglestone
- Dr. Tiny has been recognised as one of the 100 Most Influential Leaders of Tomorrow by the Choiseul Institute
SPORTS, ENTERTAINMENT & MEDIA EXPERTS
Paxton K. Baker
Manoj Narender Madnani
Oluwatosin Ajibade (Mr. Eazi)
- President at PKB Enterprises, Inc. | Launched Liquid Soul in 2018
- Served in the entertainment, music, sports and production industries for over 30 years
- Minority owner of the Washington Nationals Baseball club | Chairman of the Washington Nationals Founding Partners Group | Partner in the ownership of the Washington Kastles World Team Tennis League | Governing Board Member of the Global Sports Summit
- For 16 years, Baker served as the Executive Vice President and General Manager of CENTRIC (formerly BETJ)
Oluwatosin Ajibade (Mr. Eazi)
Manoj Narender Madnani
Oluwatosin Ajibade (Mr. Eazi)
- Nigerian-born, Ghana-based singer who is the pioneer of Banku music
- Launched Phonetrader.ng in 2014, an online marketplace where Nigerians could sell, and trade used phones. The digital business was selected for a startup incubator program by 440NG, a partnership between venture firms 88mph and L5Lab
- Launched EmPawa Africa, a talent incubator designed to accelerate the careers of young, up-and-coming musicians, including Joeboy, a fast-rising Nigerian artist
- In 2020, he launched a $20 million Africa Music Fund to invest in the continent’s musical newcomers
Manoj Narender Madnani
Manoj Narender Madnani
Manoj Narender Madnani
- Co-founded Beacon Media with Dr. Deepak Chopra. The entertainment company employs data-driven and technology-enabled approaches to content creation, talent allocation, and transmedia strategy.
- 15 years of managing investment and trading operating companies across Europe, Asia and Africa.
- BA from Babson College and Member of the Young Presidents Organization
GOVERNANCE & GENDER EXPERTS
Dr Eelco Fiole, CFA
Vymala Poligadu-Thuron
Vymala Poligadu-Thuron
- Managing Partner and co-founder of Alpha Governance Partners
- 15+ years experience as NED, COO and CFO with a.o. Credit Suisse Alternative Investments and Millennium Global Investments
- 25+ years experience in consulting (PwC) and finance, including emerging markets, blockchain, alternative investments, wealth and banking (ABN AMRO)
- Volunteers at a.o. the Institute of Directors and the Cambridge University Sustainability & Social Impact Society, and previously at the CFA Institute
- Adjunct Professor at HEC Lausanne and University of Neuchatel
Vymala Poligadu-Thuron
Vymala Poligadu-Thuron
Vymala Poligadu-Thuron
- Director at Triple A - Advisor and Advocacy for Africa.
- Previously the Deputy Managing Director of the Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund, overseeing a USD 200 million Fund of funds
- Designed and facilitated funds for youth and women in MENA and Sub-Saharan Africa
- Led outreach programs, government working groups, and PR/marketing activities, and launched initiatives to close the digital access gap in Africa
- Collaborates with development organizations on SDG-aligned projects
- Advises on Boards and is a frequent speaker at international events.
Siddik Bakir
Vymala Poligadu-Thuron
Siddik Bakir
- Director of the Oil & Gas Department in the Ministry of Energy, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Previously worked as Senior Oil Market Analyst at Saudi Aramco’s Strategy and Market Analysis Department in Saudi Arabia | Prior to Aramco, worked at IHS Markit as Senior Energy Analyst for the Middle East
- Began his career as Political Assistant, covering foreign affairs and Middle East politics for senior politicians in various parliaments
- MPhil Master’s in Modern Middle Eastern Studies from St. Antony’s College at the University of Oxford
FINANCE & TECHNOLOGY EXPERTS
Burak Alici
Margaret O'Connor
Margaret O'Connor
- Founder and CEO of QVIDTVM, Pontem Corp´s main sponsor, an employee-owned investment firm
- Worked at Morgan Stanley Investment Management (MSIM) for 12 years
- 20 years of public and private investment experience
- MBA from Columbia Business School | Master of Science in Finance from Boston College
Margaret O'Connor
Margaret O'Connor
Margaret O'Connor
- Chairperson of the Launch Africa Ventures a preeminent Pan-African VC fund solving the significant funding gap in the Seed to Series A growth stage of tech companies across the continent.
- Co-founder of the Made in Africa Foundation (assists in the development of large-scale infrastructure projects on the continent).
- Led the development of MasterCard in the Asia-Pacific region.
- Co-founded as a frontier AdTech solutions company which emerged during the Internet 1.0.
- BA from Rutgers University, and MA in International Relations from Princeton University
Alan Chan
Margaret O'Connor
Alan Chan
- Managing Partner and co-founder of Vectr Ventures | Leads Vectr’s investment and strategic direction
- Earlier an investment banker, private investor and entrepreneur across various geographies
- Later, he joined his family’s business, ITC Corporation, a Hong Kong based company owning various listed and unlisted companies in numerous markets, where he focused on global alternative and real estate investments
- Co-founded and sold iPiao.com (now Yulemao.cn), an entertainment and ticketing platform in China
- BA from Duke University | Mentor at SparkLabs Global