Our Organisation

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Arise IIP organisational structure

OUR SHAREHOLDERS

Arise IIP is backed by two shareholders, AFC and ATIF

ARISE IIP-AFC shareholding 2024

Arise IIP has strategic partnerships with African governments and is working on multiple ongoing activities across Africa.

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Governance

REUEL ANDREWS, Director of Transport and Logistics - Africa Finance Corporation
Reuel Andrews

Director of Transport and Logistics - Africa Finance Corporation

Reuel Andrews is the current Transports & Logistics Director for the Africa Finance Corporation. He previously occupied the position of Vice President for General Electric Capital Corporation, and Director for Global Infrastructure and Projects at Fitch Ratings. He has also been a board member for Cenpower Generation, a Special Purpose Vehicle created to develop the Kpone Independent Power Plant in the Tema Industrial Zone, near Accra (Ghana). He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan.

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Gagan Gupta
Gagan Gupta

FOUNDER AND CEO – ARISE IIP, ARISE IS, ARISE P&L

Gagan Gupta is a seasoned entrepreneur, boasting 20+ years of professional experience, of which 12+ as a top executive. Learn More

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Marlene Ngoyi
Marlène Ngoyi Mvidia

Chief Executive Officer of FEDA

Marlène Ngoyi Mvidia currently holds the position of Chief Executive Officer of FEDA (Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), a subsidiary of Afreximbank. Prior to this, Marlène held various other leading roles in banking and fund management, and M&A, both on the African continent and beyond. With over 22 years of experience, she served as CEO for BGFI Capital & BGFI Bourse in France, Gabon, and the DRC, where she developed a Trading activity generating 1.5 million USD in revenues per year, as well as led as an arranger for a capital raise of 450 million USD, among various other key initiatives. Preceding her experience at BGFI Bank Group, Marlene was a Portfolio Manager and member of the Senior Management team at Grassroots Business Fund, a former member of the IFC/World Bank. She was also a member of the founding team of Catalyst Principal Partners, where she held a decisive role in the establishment of a generalist private equity company focused on investments in East Africa. Marlène holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Finance from Bentley University in the United States, an MBA from Harvard Business School, and is a recipient of the 2009 Harvard Business School Leadership Fellowship.

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SAMEH SHENOUDA, Executive Director and Chief Investment Officer - Africa Finance Corporation
Sameh Shenouda

Executive Director and Chief Investment Officer - Africa Finance Corporation

Sameh Shenouda is an Executive Director and the Chief Investment Officer of the Africa Finance Corporation. He oversees the origination, execution, and the portfolio management of transactions across a wide range of sectors and products at AFC. With over 27 years of experience in infrastructure investments, project development and fundraising in international capital markets, Mr. Shenouda has a deep knowledge of African markets as well as the Power, Transport & Logistics and Oil & Gas sectors. Prior to joining AFC, Sameh was the Chief Executive Officer of Zarou, a developer, owner, investor, and operator of infrastructure projects in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, that is 100% owned by The Blackstone Group. He had previously spent 5 years as Head of Infrastructure for CDC Group Plc, the UK’s development finance institution, where he built the institution’s direct infrastructure equity business, investing more than US$2 billion in Africa and South Asia. He had also acquired earlier professional experience as the Natural Gas Industries Director for Orascom Construction Industries, and as Investment Principal at Actis. Sameh holds an MBA in Financial Management from the University of Exeter, UK and degrees from the American University in Cairo, Egypt in Development Studies and Economics. He is also a graduate of INSEAD’s International Executive Program.

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Srivathsan Venkataramani, Managing director and CEO, Africa and Middle East, Olam
Srivathsan Venkataramani

Managing director and CEO, Africa and Middle East - Olam

Srivathsan is a Chartered Accountant who has joined Olam in 1994. He started his career in 1988 as an Asset Manager for the Sanmar Group in India, and later moved on to General Management where he gained significant experience managing businesses in Africa. When Srivathsan joined Olam in Africa, he became part the team which set up Olam’s operations across Africa. From 1996 to1998, he assumed the position of Country Head for Ghana and Country Head for Nigeria from 1998 to 2000. Under his leadership, Olam Nigeria won several international and national awards. Subsequently, he was promoted as Regional Controller for Nigeria, Ghana and Benin from 2001 to 2005, and later as Regional Head West Africa from 2005 to 2010. In 2010, he was appointed Global Head of Agri Inputs. Srivathsan has been instrumental in building a strong business in Africa for Olam and is currently a member of the Global Executive Committee. He is currently the Regional Head of Africa and Middle East and oversees the Fertiliser business. Srivathsan has been a recipient of many National and International Awards such as the Prestigious Oslo Business for Peace Award in 2010, the UNDP World Business Development Award in 2008, and the Best Non–oil Exporter Award (Nigeria) 2008, amongst others. Srivathsan holds the title of Chartered Accountant of India since 1988. He also holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the St Xavier’s College Tirunelveli.

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Rama Yade
Rama Yade

Director of the Africa Center - Atlantic Council

Rama Yade is director of the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center and senior fellow for the Europe Center. A seasoned political figure who has over a decade of experience working in French, European and international politics, she is also a teacher of African affairs at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Morocco and, since 2017, at Sciences Po Paris. Prior to joining the Council, she was a consultant for the World Bank, advising the institution on education, youth, sports, human capital, and disability issues in Africa. She also has strong experience in the private sector as an editor in London, and as director for development at a French consulting firm in CSR. Rama Yade began her career as a parliamentary high civil servant in the French Senate, where she was a senior legal advisor for the Social Affairs Committee between 2000 and 2007. In 2006, Rama was appointed by the then French presidential party UMP as a national delegate for the Francophonie. At the age of thirty, she was appointed as the French deputy minister for Foreign Affairs and Human Rights, making her the first woman of African descent to become a member of the French government. She was subsequently appointed to the position of deputy minister of sports. In this role, she led the campaign for all French sports federations to sign a charter against homophobia in sports and to get more involved in equal pay for female athletes. In 2010, Rama Yade was appointed as the ambassador of France to UNESCO. Ambassador Yade received a master’s degree in Political Science and Public Affairs from Sciences Po Paris.

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SAMAILA ZUBAIRU, CEO, AFC
Samaila Zubairu

CEO - Africa Finance Corporation

Samaila Zubairu is AFC’s third President and CEO. With over 30 years of professional experience, his entrepreneurial leadership propelled the development and implementation of a new five-year corporate strategy for the development and financing of infrastructure projects, and the management of natural resources and industrial assets on the continent. Prior to his appointment at AFC, Mr. Zubairu was the CEO of Africapital Management Limited, where he established a joint venture with Old Mutual’s African Infrastructure Investment Managers, to develop the Nigerian Infrastructure Investment Fund for infrastructure private equity across West Africa. This appointment followed one as CFO for Dangote Cement Plc, where he launched Africa’s largest syndicated project finance facility for the Obajana Cement project. Prior to that, he was the Treasurer for the Dangote Group during its transformation from a trading company to an industrial conglomerate. Mr. Zubairu is an Eisenhower Fellow and the first African appointed to the Board of Trustees of the 67-year-old international leadership exchange programme. He also holds several Non-Executive Board positions. He holds a BSc in Accounting from Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Nigeria (FCA).

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Colin Coleman
Colin Coleman

Former partner and CEO of sub-Saharan Africa at Goldman Sachs and senior fellow and lecturer at Yale University’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs. Colin is also a member of the Board of The Foschini Group and is co-chairman of the Youth Employment Service.

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BRUNO DELAYE
Bruno Delaye

Former high-ranking French diplomat, Bruno Delaye is president of Entreprise et Diplomatie, a branch of ADIT Group, the European leader in strategic intelligence. He has vast experience providing strategic advice to corporates operating in Africa.

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LAUREEN KOUASSI-OLSSON
Laureen Kouassi-Olsson

A seasoned executive in the African financial services and private equity industries. Laureen spent the last 8 years as investment director at French investment fund Amethis. She is the founder and CEO of Birimian, a long term investment holding company dedicated to African brands and serves on the board of several leading financial institutions across the continent.

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CARLOS LOPES
Carlos Lopes

Professor at the University of Cape Town and Sciences Po Paris and member of a dozen boards, Carlos has led several United Nations institutions, including the Economic Commission for Africa. He has been at the forefront of economic integration projects such the African Continental Free-Trade Area, the reform of the African Union or the establishment of new partnerships with the European Union.

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MOMAR NGUER
Momar Nguer

Senior Advisor to the CEO of Total and member of the French oil & gas major’s Executive Committee. Momar has worked extensively across the continent. Formerly managing director, Marketing and Services at Total, he contributed to the company's key green energy initiatives.

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Mr. Suren
Suren Abeywickrema

Country Manager – Nigeria

Suren Abeywickrema is Vice President and Country Head, Nigeria at Arise IIP. His seasoned, vast, and versatile portfolio encompasses 30+ years of Management experience, including 22 at Director and CEO levels, from the FMCG, Shipping, Construction, Manufacturing, Agriculture, and Retail industries, in Africa, South & East Asia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, and more. Suren’s professional footprint spans Maga Engineering (Pvt) Ltd., Brandix Group – Phoenix, MBf Carpenter Group, Al Ghurair Group, Capital Maharaja Group – Tuffline, and Reckitt Benckiser, to mention a few. In addition, he has held prestigious board positions at recognised companies such as McLarens Holdings, McShaw Automotive Ltd, and WR Carpenter (PNG) Group. Suren holds a Master of Business Administration degree in International Business, a Postgraduate degree in Marketing, and is a Chartered Management Accountant. He has been awarded the Fellow status of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), UK, and is also one of select Fellows of the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing. Furthermore, he is a Chartered Marketer of CIM, UK.

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Sarah Adnane
Sarah Adnane

Chief Communications Officer - Arise IS & Arise IIP

Sarah Adnane is ARISE’s Chief Communications Officer. Prior to that, she was Head of Communications for Olam in Gabon since 2016. Sarah is a part of Olam’s senior management team in Gabon, which was launched in 2019, with the task of creating and managing ARISE’s new identity and operations. As Chief Communications Officer, her responsibilities include overseeing public relations across all of ARISE’s countries of operation, providing public affairs and communications support to Arise’s senior management, as well as managing the ARISE brand. This position has led Sarah to play a major role in the public launch of ARISE’s infrastructure projects in Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, Mauritania, Togo, and Benin. She has also focused on achieving global recognition of the GSEZ for its contribution to a sustainable timber industry in Gabon. Prior to joining Olam, Sarah worked between 2014 and 2016 as a Project developer for an the Cheikh Khalifa Foundation, an international health NGO based in Casablanca. While she started her career in 2010 as an Internal Communications Associate for Orange in Paris, she has also held positions, in her early career, as Manager of External Communications and Corporate Affairs for Imperial Tobacco in Morocco, and as consultant at Global Intelligence Partners in Rabat. Sarah obtained a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Management from the Université Paris 1 – Panthéon Sorbonne in 2008, followed by a master’s degree in Communications from the Ecole Française des Attachés de Presse obtained in 2012.

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MOHIT AGRAWAL
Mohit Agrawal

PCH Gabon AIIP

Mohit Agrawal is the Profit Center Head for Gabon, where he manages the sustainable raw material sourcing, operations and the robust industrialization of 3 Special Economic Zones. An architecture graduate from India, with a finance background from the London School of Economics and Political Science, Mohit has spent the last decade developing infrastructure projects such as industrial zones, electrical networks and ports across Gabon and Mauritania.

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Jesper Boll
Jesper BOLL

Director - Logistics Value Chain

Jesper Boll is presently the Director of Logistics Value Chain at Arise IIP. Prior to this role, he was workig as the Chief Operating Officer of Arise IIP, responsible for the daily operation of all business units across the Arise IIP portfolio. Jesper has extensive international experience (Europe, Asia, Africa, and Middle East) of leading companies as well as portfolios of businesses with a proven record of turnarounds and profitable growth through organic growth, acquisitions, and business partnerships. Prior to taking up the position as COO, Jesper Boll was a C-suite executive responsible for the global growth strategy of UAE-based Gulftainer Group. Before that, he acted as Managing Director for APM Terminals in Southern and Eastern Africa with responsibility for managing 10 business units across 7 countries. From 2000 to 2011, Jesper Boll was assigned by AP Moller Group to various leadership roles within Finance and Business Development in Europe and Asia, among others Business development Director and Regional CFO. Apart from his MSc degree in Economics and Finance from Denmark, Jesper has continued his studies with various courses and executive programs from, among others, IMD. He lives in Dubai with his wife and three daughters.

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SHAILESH BAROT
Shailesh Barot

Country Manager - Congo-Brazzaville

LETONDJI T. BEHETON
Letondji T. Beheton

Country Manager – Benin

Letondji Beheton currently serves as Deputy Managing Director of SIPI-BENIN SA (Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone). Prior to his appointment at SIPI-BENIN SA, he was the Director of Investment Promotion and Communication at APIEx between 2018 and 2021, as well as a Senior Advisor to the President of the Republic of Benin between 2017 and 2021. He was responsible for the promotion of the Republic of Benin as a business-friendly destination, and the attraction of investors to Benin. His portfolio at APIEx also included the promotion of Benin exports on international markets. He has contributed to bringing multinational corporations involved in the transformation of agricultural products to Benin. As a Senior Advisor to the President of the Republic of Benin, Letondji brought insights and his extensive experience in the corporate world and the US Government to policy crafting that made the Government of Benin more efficient in its mission. He advised the President of the Republic of Benin on a wide variety of topics ranging from agriculture, tourism, industry, healthcare to vocational and technical training. Prior to joining the Government of Benin, Letondji held senior positions with various institutions among which Bank of America, and the United States Department of Treasury. Letondji holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Business Administration from the University of Maryland and a certificate from the Bank of America Executive leadership program, as well as several other certificates and distinctions for outstanding achievements throughout his professional career.

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ARNAB BOSE
Arnab Bose

Business Development & Project Manager – Rwanda

Arnab Bose is a highly accomplished professional serving as the Managing Director for Rwanda since 2022. In his current role, he spearheads the sustainable construction, operation, and development of the Special Economic Zone while also overseeing the business development of various value chains for Arise IIP in Rwanda. Hailing from India, Arnab holds a degree in Electrical Engineering and has a strong finance background from MIT Sloan. Throughout the past decade, Arnab has been an integral part of Arise, contributing significantly to the development of infrastructure projects, such as industrial zones and rural electrification in Gabon. He has also played a vital role in the business expansion efforts of Arise across multiple countries in Africa. Arnab's deep expertise lies in project feasibility, origin development, and financing. He leverages his extensive knowledge to provide valuable guidance to governments and development finance institutions on sustainable development and the structuring and execution of public-private partnerships (PPPs). With his broad skill set and wealth of experience, Arnab Bose continues to drive impactful and sustainable development initiatives in Rwanda and beyond.

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ROSELYNE CHAMBRIER CHALOBAH, Country Manager, Côte d’Ivoire - Arise IIP
Roselyne Chambrier CHALOBAH

Country Manager, Côte d’Ivoire - Arise IIP

Roselyne Chambrier Chalobah is the Country Head for Arise in Côte d’Ivoire since September 2018. In 2020, following the reorganization of Arise, she has become Chairwoman and CEO of Arise Ivoire. Roselyne joined Olam in Gabon in 2012. In 2016, she was appointed as Business Development head and led the business strategy, brand awareness and growth of the platform by vetting new partnerships and licensing opportunities in Africa. In 2017, Roselyne was instrumental in identifying the opportunity of San Pedro’s port development plans for ARISE, enabling the company to secure its first infrastructure deal outside Gabon, a €131 million 35-year concession through the joint venture TIPSP. She was appointed Managing Director of TIPSP in 2018, thus supervising the ongoing construction phase planned for delivery in 2021. She capitalized on her strong momentum to sign in 2020 a concession agreement with Côte d’Ivoire for the development of industrial economic zones in 3 locations (Abidjan, Ferkessedougou and San Pedro). Roselyne graduated from the ESCP Europe Grande Ecole program with a Master’s in International Management. She originally started her career as an investment banker, and has previously served at global companies including HSBC, Capgemini or BGFIBank group. In her previous roles at Olam in Gabon she started as risk and financial analyst, before becoming head of communications.

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Romain Deniel
Romain Deniel

Director General Adjoint, AIIP Senegal

Sanjay Dey
Sanjay Dey

Head of Project - Finance

Sanjay Dey is the Head of Project Finance & Treasury and brings sound experience in Project Finance & Corporate Finance of more than two decades. During his career, he has been involved in the financing of large-scale infrastructure projects, mining projects, power generation projects, electric mobility projects and iron & steel projects. Apart from financing projects, he has had considerable exposure to private equity sector and have raised large capital for Greenfield and Brownfield Projects. Additionally, he has expertise in reorganizing stressed assets through Special Situations Funds. In his earlier tenure, he worked as the Executive Vice President – Finance of Punj Lloyd Limited, a listed multinational and major EPC player in the core infra sector. He holds a degree from ICSI, India.

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Thierry Ducret
Thierry Ducret

Chief Security Officer

Thierry Ducret joined Arise in September 2022 as Chief Security Officer. Thierry holds a Master of Science from Saint-Cyr academy and is a graduate of the French War Schools and the NATO Defence College. Thierry Ducret has served in the French Marines (Army) for 40 years, dedicating his career to crisis management and international affairs. He commanded different operational units in France and deployed abroad for many missions like in Lebanon, Afghanistan, or ex-Yugoslavia. He spent some years around Africa (Senegal and Madagascar as a child, La Reunion, Central Africa, Gabon, Chad, and Djibouti). He was attached to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in charge of Central America for two years, participated to training missions in Europe, and was posted in Spain, United Kingdom, and the USA. He left the Army as a Major General commanding the Army Special Forces in 2020 and created an independent consultant business. He worked for entities like French Prime Minister Office (on complex crisis management) or DCI company (product lines manager for Staff capacity building and Special forces training). He gives lectures on Team building and Management to executives of companies (e.g. Vuitton or Bulgari watch). He is a scuba diving instructor trainer.

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Nikhil Gandhi
Nikhil Gandhi

Global Head of Strategic Partnerships, Marketing & Sales

Nikhil Gandhi is the Global Head of Strategic Partnerships, Marketing & Sales for Arise IIP businesses, leading the charge in establishing strategic alliances, partnerships, and joint ventures with global investors across our SEZs. With a global team spread across China, Vietnam, India, France, UAE, Nigeria, Tanzania, and various SEZ marketing offices in Africa, Nikhil ensures the successful implementation of these initiatives. Prior to joining Arise, Nikhil held esteemed leadership positions including CEO of TikTok India, Middle East & Africa, Global COO of MX Player & Times Group, and VP of Walt Disney. With a focus on consumer tech businesses, digital marketing, brand management, and business development, Nikhil brings a wealth of expertise to his role. He is a proud alumnus of The Wharton School, where he obtained a Master's degree in Business Management with a specialization in data analytics.

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Pawan Jain
Pawan Jain

Chief Human Resources Officer - ARISE IIP & IS

Pawan Jain is a Vice President and the current Head of Human Resources for the West Africa Region at Olam International, a company he joined in 2017 as HR Director for Olam Gabon. Pawan has an extensive track record in creating business value through organizational and talent-based strategies. He has extensive experience in working in diverse, complex, and global environments. Prior to joining Olam, Pawan was the Human Resources Business Leader at Cairn India Ltd, between 2011 and 2017. Pawan had joined Cairn India Ltd after having worked for 7 years as Senior Manager in Human Resources for Jubilant Life Sciences Ldt, where he started his career in 2004. Pawan holds an Executive Masters in Coaching and Consulting for Change run jointly by the Saïd Business School (University of Oxford), and HEC Paris, a degree he obtained in 2021. Prior to that, Pawan had graduated from the Xavier Institute of Social Service in 2004.

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VINODANAND JHA
Vinodanand Jha

Chief Information Officer - ARISE IIP & IS

Vinodanand Jha is Senior Vice President of Information Technology and Administration at Olam, as well as Chief Information & Technology Officer at ARISE. He is primarily responsible of the implementation of digitalization and automation strategies at ARISE IIP, ARISE IS and ARISE P&L. Vinodanand has accumulated over 21 years of professional experience in leading and driving technological change across three continents (Asia, Europe, and Africa). He has intervened across a large variety of sectors, including banking, capital markets, steel, power, agriculture, large scale sustainable forestry operation, and on infrastructure verticals comprising integrated Special Economy Zones, ports, logistical operations, airports, road development, among others. This extensive experience has allowed Vinodanand to take part in the growth story of Arise from its foundation, and across the three verticals by which it operates. Vinodanand holds a master’s degree in Computers and Mathematics from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) and has completed various management courses form Ivy League Business Schools, namely Harvard and Yale. Having worked for Olam and Arise for 9 years in Africa, Vinodanand is currently based out of Dubai. He is happily married and loves running, music, gardening and exploring the world.

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KUMARASWAMI SWAMINATHAN
Swaminathan Kumaraswami

Chief Risk Officer, Arise IIP & Arise IS

Mr Swaminathan Kumaraswami is the Chief Risk Officer for Arise IIP Managing Office, Dubai. He previously held the position of Country Finance Controller for Olam International Ltd in Gabon where he headed the Finance function of 4 new businesses (including Palm, Rubber and Fertiliser & Project Graine) with investment of over $2.4 billion. He promotes a close relationship between Olam and the Republic of Gabon based on mutual advantage and sustainable development. With over 26 years of experience, he is a Chartered Accountant by profession and has been with Olam in Nigeria and in Gabon. During the course of his career, Mr Swamy also served in multinational companies like Dunlop India Ltd as Senior Manager in Finance. He began his work in Africa in 1997 and accumulates an added experience of over 10 years in Textile, Packaging and the Soap Manufacturing Industry within Nigeria.

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Atreyee
Atreyee Mitra

Feasibility & Design Officer and Country Manager - India

Atreyee Mitra leads the Design & Project Feasibility Team in Arise IIP and is the Country Manager for Arise in India. She has spent the last 17 years in the field of project development & infrastructure design for industrial zones, SEZ and mixed-use developments across Africa & Asia. Prior to joining Arise, Atreyee worked with Louis Berger Consulting, Egis India and Voyants as the Head of the Urban Planning & Development departments, extensively involved in the design, planning and implementation of multi-sectoral SEZs, residential and commercial area developments as well as city level interventions as part of the Smart City mission in India. Atreyee is an Architect-Planner by profession and holds Bachelor of Architecture and Master of Environmental Planning degrees from the School of Planning & Architecture (SPA), Delhi, the premier design institute of India.

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Kumar Mohan
Kumar Mohan

Cluster Director - Forestry Value Chain

Kumar Mohan is the Cluster Director for the Forestry Value Chain. He oversees the expansion of forestry value chain footprint across the Congo basin including Gabon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo.

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Sudipta
Sudipta Mukhopadhyay

Director - Agri Value Chain - Cluster 1

Sudipta is driving the Agri Value Chain (AVC) development for Arise in the Congo Basin. With a keen focus on strategic initiatives and stakeholder management, Sudipta plays a pivotal role in shaping and expanding AVC businesses across the Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, and Gabon, in alignment with our corporate strategy. With an illustrious career spanning over 22 years, Sudipta has showcased his expertise in building and managing businesses across the entire spectrum of the Food and Agri value chain, both in developed and emerging markets. One of his notable accomplishments includes leading a ground-breaking digital intervention in agribusinesses with ITC e-Choupal, revolutionizing the supply chain of agricultural commodities and positively impacting the lives of approximately 1 million farmers in India. Before his assignments in Africa, Sudipta held the position of Vice President and GMM at Walmart in India, where he played a critical role in implementing international best practices in food safety and traceability. Sudipta is a staunch advocate for frugal innovation and digital intervention, believing in the power of knowledge-driven communities to ensure sustainable livelihoods. His remarkable leadership and expertise continue to drive Arise's success in the AVC sector.

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AMANDINE OGOUEBANDJA
Amandine Ogouebandja

Director General Adjoint, AIIP Gabon

Amandine Ogouebandja is the Deputy General Manager of the Arise Group in Gabon who is responsible to support corporate affairs, liaison and government interface. She manages relations with the Gabonese government to ensure that the group's new projects become a reality. Additionally, she plays a leading role in flagship projects such as the birth and development of the ZES, the Seed program, the commissioning of Ports, the construction of a Hydrocarbons depot and the Dry Port (ICD). Previously, Amandine was associated as DGA for SAG, a fundamental project of the Gabonese State whose goal is to build the Transgabonaise, an 828 km long road linking Libreville to Franceville. Graduated with a Masters degree in Business Administration, Finance major in 2009 from Nova Southeastern University, she began her career in Gabon as an Advisor to the Ministry of Economy, Business, Tourism and Industry for two years. With her keen knowledge of business, Amandine has worked for the group for more than 12 years, holding the positions of Deputy General Manager SAG, Head of Marketing & Sales / Project Manager at Olam, then at GSEZ as Head of Corporate Affairs. Recently, she actively participated in the project of the construction of solar panels, SOLEN. In 2011, Amandine received the Award for "Best employee of the year worldwide Olam", as well as that of "Positivity Award". In 2022 she also received the ‘Happy Chapie award’ because she embodies joy and positivity around her. Married and living in Libreville, she is the founder of the NGO "Forgotten Angels", which brings comfort to orphans.

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GEORGES OLAKA, Chief Finance Officer - Arise IIP & Arise IS
George Olaka

Chief Finance Officer - Arise IIP & Arise IS

George Olaka is Chief Financial Officer of Arise IIP and Arise IS, alongside being a Non-Executive Director at MainOne. Until November 2020, George served Africa Finance Corporation’s (AFC) Head of Portfolio Management, where he was responsible for managing AFC’s investment portfolio and providing on-going monitoring, evaluation, and reports to AFC’s senior management on investee companies. Prior to this, George served as Business Performance & Product Controller at AFC, where his responsibilities included full financial management of AFC Equity. There, he achieved the setup of a product control unit within the Financial Control Department to oversee Treasury activities and coordinate Treasury and Investment Divisions valuations. George has over 15 years of product control management experience. George has also worked at the Emirates National Bank of Dubai and Standard Chartered Bank. George is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and has a bachelor’s degree in Commerce and Accounting from Kenyatta University (Nairobi), an MSC in Economic Policy from the University of London, and an MBA (Global MBA) from the Manchester Business School.

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REMYA ONATTU
Remya Onattu

Chief of Staff

Jacky Riviere
Jacky Riviere

Cluster Director II – Chad, Rwanda

Jacky Riviere is Senior Vice President at Olam Agri and is Country Director in Chad. He has worked with Olam for 8 years, including 6 years in Chad. Jacky has a strong management background, with senior experience in Africa in industrial sectors such as timber, cotton and textiles. He has excellent strategic appreciation and long-term vision, with the ability to develop and implement sophisticated plans that explicitly support the needs of the business. Autonomous and independent, Jacky sets objectives and targets and leads by example, with a collaborative approach and with his personal qualities he engages, motivates and encourages others through change.

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ALAIN SARAKA, Chief Strategy Officer - ARISE IIP & IS
Alain SARAKA

Chief Strategy Officer - ARISE IIP & IS

Alain Saraka is an expert Investment and Project Development professional with more than 15 years of combined experience in Audit, Commercial and Investment Banking, Private Equity, and Infrastructure Project Finance. Alain has accumulated sizeable international experience in these industries, especially in Côte d’Ivoire, France, Nigeria, and Gabon. Throughout his career, he has also supervised projects in Switzerland and North America. Since 2014, Alain has been holding various Vice-Presidency and Executive roles in the Infrastructure Development industry, focusing on the management of ports and logistic operations, but also of economic and industrial zones. Alain currently sits on several Boards of Directors. He is a Board of Director on the HKB toll road (Côte d’Ivoire) and holds the Chairmanship on the Board of Directors of Aéroport de Libreville (Gabon) since 2020. Alain is a native French speaker and is fluent in English. He studied in France where he graduated in Economics & Capital Markets from the University of Lille and obtained a Master’s in Financial Analysis from Reims Management School.

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Gianni Sharrouf
Gianni Sharrouf

PCH - Furniture business

Gianni Sharrouf leads the company’s furniture business, with responsibilities for developing the furniture manufacturing cluster within Gabon Special Economic Zone (GSEZ), and in countries where the company operates. He also oversees the development of the company’s own furniture brand: Akiba – African Wood Furniture. In his previous roles with Arise IIP, he served as General Manager in various Dubai-based furniture trading companies, importing, distributing, and retailing high-end design brands from Europe and the US. He holds a master’s degree in Business Administration and Marketing Management from USJ, Beirut – Lebanon and a master’s degree in Hotel Management from SIST, Rome – Italy. He is currently based between the UAE and Gabon.

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Amarpreet Arise
Amarpreet Sidhu

PCH - Meat Business

Dr. Amarpreet Sidhu is the Profit Centre Head (PCH) responsible for the Meat Business division within Arise IIP. With a focus on establishing meat operations across various countries in Africa and marketing meat products in Africa, the Middle East, and other regions, he plays a crucial role in expanding Arise's presence in the global meat market. Notably, he has successfully operationalized a meat processing and packing facility for bovine, ovine, and caprine meat in Chad and is currently involved in setting up a unique camel meat facility in the same country, alongside other meat factories across Africa. Dr. Sidhu holds a veterinarian degree and has complemented his qualifications with an executive course in strategic management. With over 24 years of professional experience, he has held key positions in India and Kenya. He has served as the business head of a dairy and beverage company in Kenya, operations head for the largest integrated dairy company in India, operations head for one of the largest meat factories in India, and business head of the second-largest animal genetics company in India. Outside of work, Dr. Sidhu enjoys listening to music and is a passionate runner, participating in half marathon events 2-3 times a year. His diverse expertise and dedication contribute to the success and growth of Arise's Meat Business division.

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IGOR SIMARD
Igor Simard

Country Manager - AIIP Gabon and PCH - Airport business

JASVEER SINGH
Jasveer Singh

Cluster Director III – Togo, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire and Nigeria

Jasveer Singh is the Cluster Director for Togo, Benin, Cote d'Ivorie and Senegal offices of Arise IIP. Prior to this, he was working as the Chief Development Officer at Arise. He is a development expert specializing in economic diversification and job generation through industrialization. He has deep knowledge of the development of large-scale industrial ecosystems and is credited in his 25 years of professional life with conceptualization and implementation of multiple large-scale Industrial Zones, Special Economic Zones, Free Trade Zones, Logistics Hubs, Investment Corridors, Growth Poles, and Regional Hubs in Asia and Africa. He strongly believes in incorporating Circularity and Sustainability principles in the development strategy from the inception and making them the USP of the project.

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ANURAG SINHA, Vice President of Agri-Supply Chain Business, ARISE IIP Africa
Anurag Sinha

Director - Agri Value Chain

Anurag Sinha is Director of Agri-Value Chain Business, overseeing the development of a comprehensive Agri-Supply Chain business ecosystem for ARISE. His missions include leading the evaluation and execution of strategic projects, identifying new opportunities & partnerships, venture investments or joint ventures in alignment with corporate strategy. Anurag is the former Regional Head (East & West) of ITC Ltd. Agri-Business Division. He spearheaded the backward integration model for direct farmer purchases impacting over 1 million farmers. He also anchored critical projects of Agri-Supply Chain transformation including Multimodal Logistics for domestic trade, Containerization of food grains and largest private crop development (over 100,000 ha). Earlier in his career, Anurag led the Retail business, along with Rural Distribution & Marketing of various ITC brands. He successfully delivered a greenfield rural distribution project, “FMCG 3.0”, on direct coverage enhancement adding over 80,000 outlets to the service network. Anurag is a MANAGE alumnus. He holds a Management degree in Agri-business Management and a Bachelor’s in Agriculture with distinction. Throughout his career, Anurag has been distinguished as a “Champion of Rural Market” by The Economic Times and received the “Indian Agribusiness Excellence Award for Digitization of Agri Value Chain” by Media Today. He is married and has two daughters.

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BHAVIN VYAS
Bhavin VYAS

Chief ESG Officer - Arise IIP & IS

Bhavin Vyas is the Chief ESG Officer of Environmental and Social Governance (ESG), in charge of ensuring the sustainability of company operations and the creation of shared value for all stakeholders whilst protecting ARISE’S environment and ecosystem services, across the three ARISE verticals. With professional expertise in developing industrial economic zones, and managing the subsequent construction projects, Bhavin’s experience spans various types of industrial sectors, such as roads, airports, agribusiness activities, oil and gas, mining, ports, and hydropower. Bhavin has worked in more than 25 countries across Europe, Asia, Middle East, and Africa. 20 years of professional experience have provided Bhavin with a detailed understanding of environmental and social risks and a knowledge of the positive benefits private investment can generate. Bhavin’s ESG experience covers ESIAs, the preparation and implementation of SEPs, Resettlement Action Plans, Social Investment, Human Rights IA, and Social Due Diligence. Bhavin has excellent working knowledge of the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Policies, IFC Performance Standards, EBRD’s Performance Requirements and AfDB’s Performance Requirements. Prior to joining ARISE, Bhavin worked for AECOM, URS, ERM, Mott McDonald in United Kingdom in Environment & Social development, Environment and Social safeguard auditing, disaster management, urban planning, poverty reduction, urban development, resettlement planning, community development, participatory planning, livelihood studies and migration.

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Amiya Verma
Amiya Verma

Chief Procurement & Contracts Officer

Amiya Verma is the Chief Procurement & Contracts Officer for Arise IIP, directly reporting to the CEO. His main objective is to establish and oversee a Central Procurement function for the company. Amiya is responsible for strategic negotiations, supplier portfolio analysis, qualification and consolidation, as well as implementing top-notch procurement systems and controls. With 30 years of experience in global and domestic sourcing, SCM operations, and sub-contracting, Amiya has worked with renowned companies like L&T, Holcim, Asian Paints, and Case New Holland. He is known for his innovative thinking and has led various global and regional projects, developing and implementing SCM strategies to reduce procurement costs and ensure compliance. Previously, Amiya headed procurement and supply chain for the Bullet train Project at L&T and held positions in SCM for Buildings and Factories Vertical and Central Procurement in L&T for over 7 years. He has been involved in prestigious EPC projects such as the Statue of Unity, MTHL, Mumbai Coastal Road, and Motera Stadium. Before L&T, he worked as Sr. Vice President- Operational Procurement and Regional Category Manager at Lafarge-Holcim, with expertise in sourcing and contracting strategies both domestically and globally. Amiya is a strong advocate of value engineering and has extensive knowledge of worldwide purchasing systems and sustainable procurement programs. His additional responsibilities include risk mitigation, demand forecasting, inventory management, budgeting, and mentoring his global procurement team. Amiya holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, a Grad Dip in Materials Management, and an MBA.

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LAETITIA YUINANG
Laetitia Yuinang

General Counsel

Laetitia Yuinang is a highly experienced legal professional with almost 20 years of experience in the private and public sectors. She holds a degree in business law from Aix-en-Provence and has had a stellar career trajectory. Laetitia started her career at Deloitte before moving on to work in the oil sector with Total and Addax (a subsidiary of Sinopec group). After eight years as legal head for Olam in Gabon, she took on the role of special legal advisor to the President of Gabon at the Gabonese Presidency. Laetitia recently joined Arise IIP Dubai Office, where she heads a department of 25 legal and paralegal experts. Her team is responsible for drafting, reviewing, and negotiating PPP/concessions/framework agreements, providing legal support in project finance transactions, and drafting and reviewing vendor contracts. They also manage pre-litigation and litigation matters and engage external legal counsel when necessary. With her wealth of experience and legal expertise, Laetitia is a true leader, mentor, and trailblazer in the legal profession.

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