(Posted 24th May 2023)
With the agenda of the Africa Hospitality Investment Forum (AHIF) just announced, the event’s organiser, the bench, has confirmed that several of Africa’s largest and most influential hospitality investors will be present and live on stage. They include Olivier Granet, Managing Partner & CEO, Kasada Capital Management, Alyshia Mangalji, VP Europe & Africa, Westmont Hospitality Group, Rahul Chaudhary, Managing Director, CG Corp Global and more. Investors of their calibre can help to fund projects that create thousands of jobs and boost international tourism, which is a major source of export revenue for many African countries.
Their presence, alongside numerous other hotel owners, has attracted top hospitality executives, government ministers, officials, bankers, consultants, and industry experts from over 50 countries to network and discuss the most pressing issues affecting the development of hotels across the continent.
The AHIF program will cover a wide range of topics, including global risks and their impact on Africa’s hospitality industry, achieving net-zero targets, implementing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies, access to capital, transformational travel, hotel development challenges and opportunities, hotel financing criteria, successful tourism entrepreneurship, operational excellence, the importance of human skills, alternative accommodation, emerging market dynamics, the latest trends, the future of hospitality investment in Africa and more.
The event is further enhanced by AviaDev Real Estate, which overlaps with the last day of AHIF. It offers high-level discussion and case study presentations on successful airport real estate projects. Pre-set appointments will connect the owners and operators of African airports to those with the finance, expertise, and contacts to help them maximise revenue from their airport infrastructure, including from hospitality, as well as retail, cargo, warehousing, and other activities.
A highly influential speaker line-up also includes:
- Hon. Peninah Malonza OGW, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Tourism & Wildlife Kenya
- Haitham Mattar, MD MEA & SW Asia, IHG Hotels & Resorts
- Peter Greenberg, Travel Editor, CBS News
- Rajan Datar, Host of BBC Travel Show & BBC World News
- Pat Thaker, Economist Intelligence Unit
- Thomas Mundy, Head of Capital Markets Strategy & Research EMEA, JLL
- Jameel Verjee, Founder & CEO, CityBlue Hotels
- Catherine Hendry, Principal: Property Finance Africa, Nedbank
- Srividya Jagannathan, Manager Consumer and Social Services, International Finance Corporation, World Bank Group
- Vimbai Masiyiwa, CEO, Batoka Hospitality Group
- Karim Cheltout, Regional Vice President, Lodging Development Africa & All-Inclusive EMEA, Marriott International
- Trevor Ward, Managing Director, W Hospitality Group
- Billy Cheung You Tung, Chairman of the Board, Century Park Hotel and Residences Ltd
- Dupe Olusola, CEO, Transcorp Hotels
- Hamza Farooqui, Founder & CEO, Milat Investments
- Wytze Van den Berg, VP EMEA, BWH Hotels
- Daniel Silke, Political Futures Consultancy
… and an array of other impressive individuals, discussing more topics such as empowering women, green tech, and regional sourcing.
“We feel honoured to have such an exceptional list of speakers for this year’s Africa Hospitality Investment Forum,” said Matthew Weihs, Managing Director of the bench, which organises AHIF before adding: “Their expertise and unique perspectives will undoubtedly produce enlightening discussions on the key issues shaping the African hospitality industry. Thanks to their engagement and our commitment to providing a platform for industry leaders to connect and collaborate, AHIF will continue to play a vital role in driving investment and growth in the sector.”
For more details about AHIF, which takes place on 12th – 14th June in Nairobi, and to register for the event, please visit www.AHIF.com.
