Ambassador Leulseged Tadese Abebe

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to Brazil

H.E. Leulseged Tadese Abebe is Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to Brazil. A career diplomat with over two decades of experience. He holds a B.A. in Political Science and International Relations (with distinction) from Addis Ababa University, a Master’s degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy from Euclid University/ great distinction/, and a Master’s degree in Government, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution/ magna cum laude from Reichman University. He previously served as Director General for International Organizations Affairs at Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and held diplomatic posts in New York, Geneva, and Israel. He has expertise in economic diplomacy, trade, investment, peace and security, and sustainable development. He participated in multiple UN summits and conferences, leading negotiations on trade, finance, and sustainable development issues. He has also chaired the African Group, the Group of 77 and China at UNCTAD.

Ambassador Téte António

Minister of External Relations of the Republic of Angola

H.E. Ambassador Téte António is the current Minister of Foreign Affairs of Angola and holds a Master’s degree in International Economic Relations from the University of Kiev. He has held various diplomatic positions, including Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, member of Angola’s delegation to the UN Security Council, Advisor to the President of the 59th UN General Assembly, and African Union Representative to the United Nations. He also served as Political Observer for the African Union in the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) and as a diplomat at Angola’s Embassy in Addis Ababa, liaising with the African Union. António has participated in election observation and post-conflict assessment missions, and represented the African Union in initiatives with the African diaspora in the Caribbean and Latin America.

Andre Maiani Ogliara

CEO at BARN Energy

Andre Maiani Ogliara holds a degree in Economics from PUC-SP and has 20 years of experience in the energy market. He spent nearly 10 years as a Senior Banker, responsible for the energy sector at Banco Santander, served as CFO of Brasil BioFuels, and, since 2016, has become an entrepreneur, as a founding partner of Skopos Energia (2016), Paraty Energia (2020), and Barn Energy (2025).

Across his companies, he has raised more than R$1.4 billion in capital investments and developed a portfolio of 225 MW of renewable generation assets, including hydroelectric and solar plants.

He is currently the CEO of BARN Energy, a company focused on developing energy supply solutions for operations in remote locations in the mining, oil and gas, and agribusiness sectors.

Aurélio Souza

CEO at X-EON

Aurélio Souza, a Mechanical Engineer with a master’s degree in Energy Industry Regulation, is the current CEO of X-EON, a company specializing in renewable energy and sustainable services. With more than 30 years of experience in solar energy, biomass, energy efficiency and, more recently, green hydrogen, Souza has dedicated his career to promoting sustainable energy solutions. Since 1994, he has worked on isolated power systems in the Legal Amazon, benefiting riverside, Indigenous, and quilombola communities, as well as environmental protection areas. In the 2000s, he contributed to World Bank energy access projects in Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa.

He is a Collaborating Researcher at the Photovoltaic Systems Laboratory (LSF) of the Institute of Energy and Environment (IEE) at the University of São Paulo (USP). He also serves as an Advisor to the Brazilian Association of Distributed Energy Resources (RED) and as Vice-Chair of the Board of the ClimaInfo Institute. He previously served on the Private Sector Advisory Group of the UN Green Climate Fund (GCF). He worked for more than a decade at Winrock International (Rockefeller), where he held the position of Country Director for Brazil.

Binyam Abdu Mahamed

General Manager for South America at Ethiopian Airlines

Mr. Binyam Abdu Mahamed is an aviation professional with 15 years of experience in the airline industry. He currently serves as Area Manager – South America for Ethiopian Airlines, based in Brazil, overseeing the airline’s commercial activities across several markets in the region.

Throughout his career with Ethiopian Airlines, he has gained extensive international experience in airline operations and management, working across different markets and contributing to the airline’s business development and regional presence. His current role focuses on strengthening Ethiopian Airlines’ presence in South America, expanding international air connectivity, fostering strategic partnerships, and supporting trade, tourism and business opportunities across global markets.

Carlos Sérgio Sobral Duarte

Secretary for Africa and the Middle East of the Ministry of External Relations of Brazil

Carlos Sérgio Sobral Duarte is a Brazilian diplomat who is currently the Secretary for Africa and the Middle East at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil. He has a long career in the diplomatic service and has served as the Ambassador of Brazil in India, Chile, and headed the Permanent Mission to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna. He also was Deputy Permanent Representative of Brazil to the United Nations in New York. He has also been actively involved in various issues related to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.

Chris Oshiafi

Group Chief Executive Officer of PanAfrican Capital Holdings

Executive, financial market specialist, and philanthropist with more than three decades of experience in structured finance, capital markets, and investment advisory across Africa and other markets. At PanAfrican Capital Holdings, he leads investments, strategic initiatives, and partnerships across a range of sectors, including financial services, infrastructure, agribusiness, healthcare, technology, and media. His professional experience includes founding PAC Capital, where he served as CEO, as well as serving as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the PAC Foundation, an organization dedicated to youth development and social impact. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of London, an MBA from the University of Lagos, and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). He is also an alumnus of the OPM Program at Harvard Business School and of executive programs at other renowned business schools.

Dahir Shire Mohamed

Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of the Federal Republic of Somalia

H.E. Dahir Shire Mohamed has held the position of Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of the Federal Republic of Somalia since December of 2024. He provides strategic leadership for the development and governance of Somalia’s petroleum and mineral resources at a pivotal stage in the country’s extractive-sector development. He works closely with federal government institutions and Federal Member States to strengthen coordination and ensure that the development of Somalia’s natural resources advances national economic priorities, with a focus on responsible exploration, transparent resource governance, investment promotion and sustainable development. Prior to his appointment, he served in public administration and governance, contributing to institutional reform, state-capacity development, and initiatives aimed at expanding access to quality education in Somalia. He holds a master’s degree in Development Studies and a bachelor’s degree in Business and Public Administration.

Daniel Franco

CEO of the Mario Franco Group and President of the Daniel Franco Institute

Dr. Daniel de Oliveira Franco is a Brazilian entrepreneur, CEO of Grupo Mario Franco, a business group with 97 years of tradition in agribusiness, and President of the Daniel Franco Institute. With a prominent international presence, he is dedicated to strengthening agricultural cooperation between Brazil and the African continent, particularly through the export of live animals, the genetic improvement of herds, and the transfer of technologies aimed at the sustainable development of animal production.

His work focuses on the modernization of African livestock farming, promoting greater productivity, quality and efficiency in the production of milk and dairy products, meat and eggs, with an emphasis on food security and on expanding the supply of animal-source protein. Through the Daniel Franco Institute, he develops and promotes technical cooperation initiatives, producer training, the adaptation of breeds to African climate conditions, and the improvement of animal breeding and management systems.

He engages with governments, international institutions and representatives of the productive sector, seeking to establish strategic partnerships, stimulate investment and strengthen local value chains. His work aims to contribute to food self-sufficiency, the creation of economic opportunities, and the development of a more productive, modern and sustainable African livestock sector.

Dr. Damyana Bakardzhieva

Acting Director of Research and Analysis Department at the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy

Dr. Damyana Bakardzhieva is the Senior Research Fellow leading the Economic Diplomacy research programme at the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA) in the UAE. With a dual PhD in Economics from the University of Nice Sophia-Antipolis (France) and Sofia University (Bulgaria), Dr Bakardzhieva has taught Economics and Sustainable Development in Bulgaria, France, Monaco, the United States, and Egypt. Prior to joining AGDA, she was Chief Sustainability Consultant for Global Economics and Finance Consulting (Monaco) and Associate Department Chair and Director of Graduate Programmes at the Department of Economics of the American University in Cairo. She is Editor of the International Journal of Diplomacy and Economy.

Dr. Gladys Lechini

Director of the Center for International Relations Studies at the National University of Rosario

Dr. Gladys Lechini holds undergraduate degrees in Political Science (1974) and International Relations (1975) from the Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), Argentina. She holds a Master’s degree in Social Sciences from the Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO, 1995) and a Ph.D. in Sociology from the Faculty of Philosophy, Letters and Human Sciences of the University of São Paulo (USP, 2003). She is currently a Senior Researcher at the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Honorary Professor at the Faculty of Political Science and International Relations of UNR, and Director of the Centro de Estudios en Relaciones Internacionales de Rosario (CERIR). Her work focuses mainly on the following topics: Brazil, Argentina, Africa, South Africa, foreign policy, and South-South cooperation.

Dr. Jorge Werthein

Senior Advisor of the Director General at the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)

Dr. Jorge Werthein, an Argentine national, has devoted 45 years to international cooperation and public policy. In recent years, he has channeled all his enthusiasm into contributing to the sustainable development of agriculture and the well-being of rural populations. He is currently Special Advisor to the Director General of IICA, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture. He previously served as Senior Advisor for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Education Above All Foundation, chaired by Sheikha Moza of Qatar, and as Special Advisor to the Secretary General of the OEI, the Organization of Ibero-American States for Education, Science and Culture. He was Director and Representative of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in Brazil from 1996 to 2005. He is the author and co-author of numerous books and publications on education, science, development, and public policy. He holds a Doctorate in Education from Stanford University, as well as Master’s degrees in Communications and Education from the same university, and a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of California, Berkeley. He speaks Spanish, English, and Portuguese.

Dr. Mabouba Diagne

Managing Partner of MD Advisory; former Vice-President of Finance & Corporate Services at the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID)

Dr. Mabouba Diagne is a senior executive, development finance expert, investment banker, strategic advisor and former minister, with more than twenty-five years of international experience across the public sector, multilateral and regional development finance institutions, international banking and the private sector.

He is currently Managing Partner of MD Advisory, advising governments, development finance institutions, banks, institutional investors and project sponsors on infrastructure, project finance, public-private partnerships and capital mobilization. He is also co-founder of Groupe Gade Gui, an integrated agro-industrial platform in West Africa.

Dr. Diagne previously served as Senegal’s Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock, and chaired the 44th Session of the FAO Conference in Rome in 2025. Earlier, he was Vice-President Finance at the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), Regional Managing Director at the Trade and Development Bank (TDB), and Regional Managing Director, Corporate & Investment Banking, at Barclays Bank Africa.

Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Al Dhaheri

Deputy Director-General of the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy

H.E. Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Al Dhaheri is a senior Emirati diplomat who serves as Deputy Director-General of the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy. Since February 2026, he has served as Advisor in the Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, with the rank of Minister Plenipotentiary, providing strategic counsel on institutional planning, foresight, and the advancement of the UAE’s foreign policy priorities.

Dr. Natalia Fingermann

Coordinator of the African Business and Studies Center (NENAF) and a Tenured Professor of International Relations at ESPM São Paulo

Dr. Natalia Fingermann holds a PhD in Public Administration and Government from Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV-SP, Brazil) and a Master’s degree in Social Development from the University of Sussex (UK). She is the Coordinator of the African Business and Studies Center (NENAF) and a Professor of International Relations at ESPM São Paulo, Brazil. Her academic and professional experience includes international research collaborations with institutions in the United Kingdom, Mozambique, and Singapore, as well as consultancy projects, academic publications, and corporate lectures. Her research interests focus on international development cooperation, Brazilian foreign policy, geopolitics, and Brazil–Africa relations, particularly the political and economic dimensions of international development.

Edmar Bernaldino

National Corporate Superintendent at Banco da Amazônia

Mr. Edmar Bernaldino has served for over 25 years at the Banco da Amazônia and currently is the National Corporate Superintendent since 2025. He holds a degree in Economics, an MBA in Financial Business from UNB, an MBA in Leadership, Innovation, and Management from PUC-RS, a postgraduate degree in Institutional and Environmental Controllership from the Federal University of Rondônia, and an MBA in Banking and Financial Institutions from FGV.

Emile Myburgh

Founder of Emile Myburgh Attorneys

Emile Myburgh is a South African attorney with over 25 years of experience working between Brazil and Africa. He is the Founder and Managing Partner of Emile Myburgh Attorneys, a Johannesburg-based practice specializing in cross-border commercial law, dispute resolution, and aviation law. Fluent in Portuguese, he advises Brazilian and South African companies on market entry, contracts, regulatory engagement, and investment risk, and writes extensively on Brazil-South Africa trade and Mercosur-AfCFTA integration. In aviation, he represents airlines, pilots, and operators in regulatory, commercial, and employment matters, and is also a licensed private pilot and aviation-law mediator.

He began his career as the first South African attorney to work at a Brazilian law firm, joining Noronha Advogados in São Paulo (2000–2002), before founding his own practice in 2003. A frequent commentator on Brazil-South Africa relations, he has contributed to Business Day and been interviewed by CNN Portugal, TV Record Brazil, Veja, and other outlets.

Florent del Pinto

Head of the International Federation Regional Delegation for the Southern Cone countries and Brazil

Mr. Florent Del Pinto has over twenty years’ experience in humanitarian operations, crisis management, strategic leadership and organizational development across various regions, including the Middle East, Africa, the Americas and at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’s (IFRC) global headquarters. His career has spanned a wide range of operational, managerial and representative roles within the IFRC and the French Red Cross. More recently, Mr. Del Pinto served in Geneva as Head of DREF, Quality of Humanitarian Action and Information Management, where he led the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) at a global level, significantly expanding its scale and strengthening the IFRC’s disaster response mechanisms, accountability and proactive action. Mr. Del Pinto holds master’s degrees in development studies (Paris I – Sorbonne) and in international organizations (Sciences Po Grenoble), and has training in humanitarian diplomacy.

Humphrey Oriakhi

Managing Director and CEO at PAC Capital Limited

Mr. Humphrey Oriakhi is the Managing Director and CEO of PAC Capital Limited. He has over 17 years of experience in Investment Banking, Commercial Banking & Operations and is experienced in several African fund-raising transactions. Throughout his career, Mr. Oriakhi has been involved in landmark transactions across various sectors including oil & gas, power generation, telecommunications, and financial services. His expertise spans pre-export finance, acquisition finance, project finance, and capital markets transactions. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Fellow of the Institute of Credit Administration (ICA), and Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Stockbrokers of Nigeria (CIS). Mr. Oriakhi holds an M.Sc. in Banking & Finance and B.Sc. and Industrial Physics from the University of Benin. He is an Alumnus of prestigious business schools including Lagos Business School, Strathmore Business School, and Yale School of Management.

Jasper Osita Nduagwuike

Vice-President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA)

Mr. Jasper Osita Nduagwuike is an investment Lawyer and management consultant is a National Vice President of NACCIMA, a prominent business leader from Southeast Nigeria. He once served as President of Enugu Chamber of Commerce. He engages in commodity trade and agricultural supply chain business. He is a member of the national Institute in Nigeria an elite body that produces the very best of policy makers that Nigeria has to offer. He takes part in NACCIMA governance and AfCFTA promotion in the southeast region. He has participated in China Nigeria business exchanges, connecting local producers with Chinese partners in agricultural products, minerals and building materials. He runs agricultural and trading enterprises and supports youth entrepreneurship initiatives.

João Antônio Fagundes Neto

Executive Director at Grupo Raça Agro

João Antônio Fagundes Neto is an economist and entrepreneur, and serves as Chief Executive Officer at Grupo Raça Agro, a Brazilian platform for the distribution of inputs, services, and technology for agricultural production, with a presence in five Brazilian states. The group’s operations include agricultural supply stores, financial services, animal nutrition production, pasture seed processing, and exports to more than 20 countries. Mr. Fagundes Neto works on the expansion and transformation of the company, as well as on developing cooperation opportunities between Brazil and tropical markets, including African countries.

João Bosco Monte

President of the Brazil Africa Institute

João Bosco Monte is founder and president of the Brazil Africa Institute and Secretary for International and Institutional Relations of Fortaleza. PhD in Education (UFC) with postdoctoral studies at UnB, he researches African integration and South-South Cooperation. International consultant, author and professor, he created the Brazil Africa Forum. Twice awarded the Order of Rio Branco, he contributes to global debates on development and food security.

Manuel Otero

Senior Advisor at the World Bank Group and Former Director-General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

Mr. Manuel Otero is an Argentine veterinarian specializing in agricultural development and international cooperation. He served as Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) for two consecutive terms, from 2018 to 2026. IICA is the specialized agricultural agency of the Western Hemisphere, with the United States as its largest funder. He was Vice President of INTA, Argentina’s National Institute of Agricultural Technology, and Argentina’s agricultural attaché in Washington.

Marcos Brandalise

Founder and CEO at BrazAfric Group of Companies

MARCOS R.G. BRANDALISE is a Brazilian entrepreneur residing in Africa for the past 37 years and is the founder of the BrazAfric Group of Companies (BGC) and LEAF Africa. The group has close to three decades of uninterrupted performance in the provision of Pre- & Post-Harvest Equipment solutions including value addition, in East and Central Africa, with offices in Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda, partnerships in Tanzania, DR Congo, and Burundi. Over the years, MRGB has developed several projects to improve food production in Africa. As a result, LEAF Africa was established to carry out such projects as the “Integrated African Model Farm (IAMF)”. The IAMF project aims at the production of food on a large scale, largely based on the success of Brazilian agribusiness and utilizing the most recent developments in tropical agriculture, particularly with an emphasis on the environment, progressive replacement of chemicals, and full mechanization. His career demonstrates a commitment to innovation, technology transfer, and fostering agribusiness success in Africa.

Maria Beatriz Bley Martins Costa

CEO of Green Rio

Maria Beatriz Bley Martins Costa is a partner and president of GREEN RIO / GREEN LATIN AMERICA, an international event on Bioeconomy, Innovation, and the Circular Economy held in Rio since 2012. She was director of Planeta Orgânico and coordinated the BIOFACH fair in Brazil from 2003 to 2010. She worked as a consultant for SEBRAE on Forest-Based Cosmetics from the Amazon and has been a speaker at the German-Brazilian Economic Meeting since 2014. In 2017, she launched the German-Brazilian Bioeconomy Workshop during Green Rio. She received the Tiradentes Medal in 2019 and organizes events on sustainability in Brazil, South America, Germany, France, and the USA.

Maria Tereza Umbelino

Founder and President of BMV Group

An economist and financial management specialist with over 30 years’ experience in the financial market, she has dedicated the last 15 years to projects aimed at preserving biodiversity. Since 2007, she has been a pioneer in the creation of the first financial instrument for Payment for Environmental Services, standing out for founding IMEI, which offers financial solutions to more than a thousand companies, and BMV Global, where she created Brasil Mata Viva, an ecosystem that brings together rural producers, organizations and scientists. His most notable innovation, the Sustainability Credit Unit (UCS), is the world’s first regulated means of environmental payment and marks a significant advance in positive impact finance. In recognition of her work in environmental preservation, Maria Tereza was appointed Ambassador for Universal Peace by the UN in 2023. Her visionary leadership in the ecological sector continues to influence the new Green Economy, managing a natural heritage valued at more than R$76 billion in conservation assets. With a combination of economic expertise and a passion for environmental preservation, she shapes the sustainable future of the sector and seeks to influence both society and public and private institutions.

Miguel Azevedo

Head of Investment Banking, Middle East and Africa at Citigroup

Miguel Azevedo is currently the Head of Investment Banking at Citi for the Middle East and Africa (excluding South Africa), where he is responsible for leading and executing transactions in various sectors, such as energy, infrastructure, telecom, consumer, and financial services.

Nasser Al Shaikh

Chairman of the Eshraq Investments PJSC

H.E. Nasser Hassan Al Shaikh is a leading UAE financial figure whose career spans public policy, corporate governance, capital markets and investment management. He currently serves as Chairman of Eshraq Investments PJSC, an Abu Dhabi-listed investment company; Northacre Limited, a British luxury real estate developer; and Al Shaikh Holdings, a diversified investment group. He is also a Contributing Expert at the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR).

Holding internationally recognised qualifications from the UAE and the United States, he held some of the Dubai Government’s most senior financial positions, including Director-General of the Dubai Department of Finance, Member of the Executive Council of the Government of Dubai, and Member of the Supreme Fiscal Committee. Earlier, he was Head of Finance and Administration at the Executive Office of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and later Chief Financial Officer of the Dubai Office.

In the private sector, he has chaired Amlak Finance, Deyaar Development and Taaleem, and served as Vice Chairman of National Bonds Corporation. He has also sat on the boards of Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, Dubai Islamic Bank and Wasl.

Nelson Narciso Filho

Founder and President of NNF Energy Consultancy

Nelson Narciso Filho holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering and a postgraduate degree in Engineering Economics and Industrial Management and has more than 40 years of solid experience gained with international companies in the Oil and Gas Sectors. His experience includes establishing and managing operations in Brazil, Angola, and Namibia, involving the planning, execution, and implementation of new projects and the development of local talent. In the public sphere, he served as Director of the Brazilian National Agency for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP), where he played a significant role in the regulation and development of the industry. He has served as a Board Member of respected public and private institutions, including the CDES (Council for Economic and Social Development of the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil), FGV Energia, and GGAC, a SPAC listed on NASDAQ. He is currently Founding Partner and President of NNF Energy Consultancy, a company specializing in project integration and regulatory affairs in the energy sector, operating in Brazil and on the African continent.

Osório Coelho Guimarães Neto

Director of the Department of Innovation Programs at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation of Brazil

Mr. Osório Coelho Guimarães Neto currently serves as the Director of the Department of Innovation Programs (DEPIN) and Deputy Secretary of the Secretariat of Technological Development and Innovation (SETEC). He previously held the roles of Deputy Chief of Staff for the Secretariat of Technological Development and Innovation, as well as Deputy Coordinator of Research Support Mechanisms, Development, and Innovation, and Deputy General Coordinator of Business Environments at the Secretariat for Information Technology Policies (SEPIN) of the Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovations, and Communications (MCTIC). Additionally, he has held positions such as General Coordinator of Technological Extension and Director of the Department of Regional Actions (DEARE) at the Secretariat of Science and Technology for Social Inclusion (SECIS). His prior experience includes serving as Deputy Chief of Staff in the Executive Secretariat of the Civil House at the Presidency of the Republic and most recently as Technical Assistant to the Science and Technology Working Group of the Brazilian transitional government.

Otaviano Canuto

Former Vice-President and Executive Director at the World Bank, Senior Fellow at the Policy Center for the New South

Otaviano Canuto, is a former vice president and a former executive director at the World Bank, a former executive director at the International Monetary Fund, and a former vice president at the Inter-American Development Bank. He is also a former deputy minister for international affairs at Brazil’s Ministry of Finance and a former professor of economics at the University of São Paulo and the University of Campinas, Brazil. Currently based in Washington, D.C, he is a senior fellow at the Policy Center for the New South, a professorial lecturer of international affairs at the Elliott School of International Affairs – George Washington University, a nonresident senior fellow at Brookings Institution, a professor affiliate at UM6P, and principal at Center for Macroeconomics and Development.

Paulo Gomes

Chairman of Orango Investment Corporation

Paulo Gomes is CEO and founder of Orango Group Investment Corporation, a strategic investment company that focuses on sustainable development projects in Africa. He is also a global business leader, an active environmentalist, and a key political actor in Guinea Bissau. He has over 30 years of experience in sovereign and corporate advisory, working on issues related to international trade, natural resources, and development.

Paulo Rage

Paulo Rage is a Partner at Mayer Brown, a major international law firm, based in the Brazil (primary) and UAE/UK offices (secondary) and a member of the Corporate and M&A; International Tax; Middle East and Africa (MEA) and Latin America (LATAM) practice groups. Paulo also served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Brazil-Mozambique Chamber of Commerce (CCIABM) for more than a decade. Paulo has LL.B./J.D., LL.M. and Ph.D. degrees; and, is currently developing his Postdoctoral Research (PostDoc.) in Law. Paulo is one of the very few lawyers to be quadruple-qualified: UK (England & Wales), UAE (Dubai), EU (Portugal) and Brazil (RJ & MG). He is also considered a “foreign expert” for the Lusophone Africa (Angola, Mozambique, STP) jurisdictions by major legal rankings. Paulo is fluent in Portuguese, English, Spanish and French.

Corporate entities turn to Paulo Rage for his significant practical experience in complex cross-border projects and M&As. Clients leverage his broad project development skills, from the planning and structuring phase (finance, tax, corporate, regulatory and labor planning) through implementation and divestment phases, mainly in the energy sector (oil & gas, power and hydrogen). Paulo advises on projects in emerging LATAM (Latin America) and MEA (Middle East and Africa) markets, especially Sub-Saharan and Lusophone Africa (Angola, Mozambique and STP). Multinational companies seek Paulo’s guidance on transactions in different jurisdictions, such as UK, Portugal, Netherlands, UAE, KSA, Qatar, Mozambique, Angola, STP, South Africa, Malawi, Nigeria, Kenya, Botswana, Mauritania, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Mexico, Panama, Colombia, Bolivia, Dominican Republic, USA, Albania, China, India, among others.

He served several of the Brazilian largest multinational companies in their international projects, including in Africa, such as Vale, Itaú, Eletrobrás/Axia, AB Inbev, BRF, Eurofarma, EMS, Embraer, Odebrecht, Andrade Gutierrez, Camargo Correa, Concremat, U&M, Fidens, Egesa, CCR, A.R.G., Alpargatas, Ambipar, Romagnole, among others. He also has served several National Regulatory Agencies and Ministries (from Angola, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sao Tome and Principe and others), several SOEs (from Angola, Mozambique, China, Thailand, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Malaysia, Ethiopia and others), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and its legal arm African Legal Support Facility (ALSF). Paulo also advised many major international industrial companies in complex project developments and M&As around the globe.

Rodrigo Herrera Bravo

President of Strategic Dialogs Foundation

Rodrigo Herrera Bravois a tenured professor of Economic Geography and Logistics Planning at the National University of Lanus, and Director of Asian & African Studies Institute of National University of La Matanza of Argentina. Since 2013, he is the President of Strategic Dialogs Foundation of Argentina. He holds a degree in Government and Political Sciences from the University of Manchester.

Vasco Correia Nhabinde

Executive-Secretary of the Central Office for Reforms and Strategic Projects, of the Office of the President of the Republic of Mozambique

Mr. Vasco Correia Nhabinde is currently Executive Secretary of the Central Office for Reforms and Strategic Projects, within the Office of the President of the Republic of Mozambique. Previously, he served as National Director of Economic and Financial Studies at the Ministry of Economy and Finance (2015–2020), National Director of Policy Studies and Analysis at the Ministry of Planning and Development (2013–2015), and Economic Advisor to the Minister (2012–2013). At Eduardo Mondlane University, he was Head of the Department of Economics and Executive Director of the Center for Studies in Economics and Management. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Eduardo Mondlane University, a master’s degree in Regulatory Economics (Italy, 2000), and a PhD in Economics (South Africa, 2007). He has taught Macroeconomics and Microeconomics since 2001 and Industrial Economics since 2008. He began his career as a chemical analyst at Eduardo Mondlane University and, later, at the National Directorate of Water.

Walker Lahmann

Executive Director at Eurofarma

Mr. Walker Lahmann is a pharmacist and businessman who leads Eurofarma, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in Latin America. He is also the President of the Brazilian Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry (Abifina), an entity that represents the national producers of drugs, biotechnology, and fine chemicals. He is committed to promoting the development of the Brazilian pharmaceutical sector and fostering the collaboration among academia, industry, and government.