Farida Abbas is a dynamic and visionary executive leader with over 20 years of experience driving transformative growth at the intersection of trade, investment and commercial strategy. As the Chief Executive Officer of the British Chamber of Commerce Kenya, she has been instrumental in building the Chamber into the largest international business network in East and Central Africa—growing corporate memberships tenfold and significantly increasing revenue and surplus. 

Known for her executive presence, entrepreneurial mindset and sharp commercial acumen, Farida has consistently led high-impact initiatives that promote UK-Kenya bilateral trade, elevate ethical business practices and empower SMEs for market expansion. She has brokered over £10M in new business for UK companies, led integrity-driven sector reforms through FCDO-funded programs, and built multi-stakeholder partnerships with government, private sector, and civil society. 

Farida brings a wealth of experience in business development, operational excellence, and strategic leadership, having previously held senior roles in technology and systems integration companies across East Africa. Her deep commitment to empowering people extends beyond business—she actively chairs youth mentorship boards and champions women in leadership. 

Armed with an MBA in Coaching, Mentorship, and Leadership for Business, and credentials from the Academy of Executive Coaching, Farida is a sought-after speaker and facilitator on topics such as ethical leadership, business innovation, women in trade, and scaling impact in emerging markets. Her storytelling style blends authenticity, lived experience, and strategic insight—energizing audiences to lead with purpose and deliver results. 

Suleiman Isah is a technology leader and public sector innovator who served as the
Honourable Commissioner for Communications Technology and Digital Economy in Niger
State. During his tenure, he led the state’s first digital transformation drive—expanding
broadband access, improving public service delivery through e-governance, and creating
inclusive opportunities for youth and women in the digital economy.

Under his leadership, Niger State achieved major milestones, including the digitalisation of
secondary health facilities, an AI-powered home-based civil service recruitment system, and
the removal of Right-of-Way charges to encourage broadband investment. He also launched
Techsis, a program promoting women in tech, and introduced digital literacy programs in
local languages for artisans, traders, and internally displaced persons.

Before joining the state cabinet, Suleiman served as Special Adviser on Digital
Transformation at the Niger State Internal Revenue Service, where he automated tax
processes and modernised revenue administration. His earlier career includes roles at the
Upper Niger River Basin Development Authority and the Federal Inland Revenue Service
(FIRS), where he worked on enterprise network management, cybersecurity, and IT
modernisation across 197 offices nationwide.

Suleiman holds an MSc in Information Security and Digital Forensics from the University of
East London and a BSc in Computer Science and Information Technology from Igbinedion
University, Okada. He is a member of the Nigeria Computer Society and the British
Computer Society, with professional certifications including CEH, RHCE, and MCITP.
Passionate about innovation, digital inclusion, and governance reform, Suleiman continues to
advocate for technology-driven development across Nigeria

A physician, scientist and serial healthtech entrepreneur, Dr. Moka Lantum is one of Africa’s leading voices innovating models to radically expand healthcare access for the continent’s underserved populations. As CEO and Co-Founder of CheckUps Medical, East Africa’s homegrown trailblazer in tech-enabled urgent care and treatment home delivery, Moka is spearheading breakthrough solutions that simultaneously advance health equity and youth economic inclusion. His nurse-powered care coordination platform currently serves 300,000+ previously uninsured or vulnerable patients across Kenya and South Sudan.

Recognized as an Ashoka Fellow and Foreign Policy Global Thinker, Moka’s two-decade track record of marrying purpose with pragmatic business viability has rendered him a magnet for strategic capital and allies like Philips Foundation. He leverages data and strategic partnerships to address systemic constraints at the intersection of accessibility, affordability and quality. The ambition is to scale CheckUps’ success formula into Africa’s first mass-market health brand anchored on principles of sustainability, shared value, and cementing healthcare as a catalyst for uplifting lives, livelihoods, and
national prosperity. Moka represents the vanguard of forward-thinking, high-impact African healthtech leadership parting clouds on the continent’s most intractable development roadblocks through market-based solutions amplifying social returns. With strategic investment and collaboration, his models pave exciting pathways to Health for All in Africa and beyond.

Dr. Lantum trained in medicine at the University of Yaoundé, Cameroon (1997) and went on to obtain a PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Rochester (2001), a Master’s in Healthcare Management from Harvard (2013) as well as diplomas in nutrition, emergency response and global child health from academic institutions across Africa, Europe and North America.

He accrued over a decade of global experience including as a senior healthcare benefits management executive roles with Excellus Health Plan and Eastman Kodak in the USA. He then founded MicroClinic Technologies in Kenya – developing Africa’s first government-adopted national electronic medical record system used by over 200 facilities

Lawrence Aswani is a seasoned finance, risk, and strategy leader with over 20 years of experience driving transformation, operational excellence, and financial stewardship across Sub-Saharan Africa. His career spans senior leadership roles in both the private sector and government-adjacent advisory, including top-tier regional banking institutions such as I&M Bank, National Bank of Kenya, and Standard Chartered Bank. 

Lawrence has built a strong track record in financial controls, risk management, strategy formulation, and large-scale process re-engineering. He has deep expertise in hubbing, financial governance, enterprise risk, operational transformation, and multi-jurisdictional strategy execution—consistently delivering resilient systems, strengthened controls, and sustainable performance outcomes. He has successfully led multi-country finance transformation initiatives across 16 African markets, enabling efficiency, standardization, and cost reduction. 

Beyond the private sector, Lawrence also offers strategic advisory services to Banks, Financial Institutions, SMEs, sector regulators, and African startups, supporting policy, structural reforms, and compliance across various industries. 

Renowned for his strategic acumen, transformational & ethical leadership, and ability to build high-performing teams, Lawrence is respected as a thought leader advancing robust financial governance and resilient operational models while creating long-term value within institutions across the region. 

Jackson Kiminje is the Business Development Leader, Chamas and SACCOs, with more than 18 years of experience in the Capital Markets.

He joined the Nairobi Securities Exchange Plc (NSE) in 2005 and has served in various roles within the organization. Jackson has been instrumental in enhancing investor education in the Kenyan Capital Market and the East African region at large.

He played a key role in the establishment of the NSE Digital Academy, which currently provides capital markets capacity development and certification programs in Kenya and across East Africa. Jackson was also pivotal in the development of the NSE Investment Challenge simulator, which has empowered over 10 million young people in Kenya with financial literacy and investment knowledge.

Additionally, he was a founding member of the Securities Industrial Training Institute—an initiative of the East African Securities Exchanges Association (EASEA)—which focuses on strengthening capital markets capacity across the East African region.

Mr. Kiminje serves as the Chair of Capacity Development in EASEA, Vice Chairman of the Capacity Development Working Group at the Africa Stock Exchanges Association (ASEA), and sits on the Advisory Council for Technical and Vocational Training (TVET) in the Financial Services Sector.

Jackson holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, a Postgraduate Degree in Actuarial Science from the University of Nairobi, and a Diploma in Information Communication Technology. He also possesses numerous certifications in financial markets and is a Certified Trustee of the NSE and CDSC Staff Provident Fund Scheme.

Jackson is deeply passionate about advancing knowledge in the capital markets and has extensive professional training and exposure, both locally and internationally, in investor education, training, and business development. His work continues to make a lasting impact in expanding financial inclusion through Chamas, SACCOs, and other grassroots investment networks.