(AfDB) - African Hidden Champions (AHC) will host an exclusive Soirée on April 24, 2024, in Johannesburg to convene and celebrate entrepreneurial spirit with top African founders taking on the global stage. The event will also feature a private concert with award-winning South African artist, Ami Faku. 

African Hidden Champions, a co-partnership of Africa Foresight Group, Germany’s development finance institution DEG – Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft and the African Development Bank, was founded in 2020 and now has more than 25 dynamic African firms in its network. It works to support companies to move to global expansion through visibility, technical assistance, innovation, talent, and investment support. This event, dubbed "Proudly Local, Boldly Global," is also supported by British International Investment (BII), the UK’s development finance institution (DFI) and impact investor.  

The evening will feature opening addresses by Kuseni Dlamini, Chairman of Aspen Pharmacare and AHC Ambassador; Anne Keppler, Regional Director for Southern Africa at DEG; and Chris Chijiutomi, Managing Director and Head of Africa at BII. It will include  a fireside chat with AHC Company founder, Dare Okoudjou, founder and CEO of Onafriq. 

"Investing in Africa's businesses goes beyond just capital; it's about believing in our potential to lead on the global stage. This Soirée is our testament to the world: Africa is not just rising; it is ready to lead," said Yasmin Kumi, AHC Co-Founder and CEO of Africa Foresight Group, emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts in achieving long-term goals on the continent.  

In addition to engaging in discussions and networking opportunities,  attendees will be treated to a private concert by Faku, showcasing the continent's vibrant spirit and cultural richness.  

"Intentional investments and empowerment of African companies create value far surpassing what individuals can achieve alone. This Soirée is a celebration of what we can accomplish together and a look forward to the boundless possibilities ahead to be

proudly local and boldly global," said Thomas Viot, Chief Investment Officer at the African Development Bank Group.

Chris Chijiutomi, Managing Director and Head of Africa at BII, said: “As Africa’s first DFI, we have been supporting private sector growth and innovation across the continent for over 75 years. This celebration reflects our commitment to empower local businesses that are critical to drive forward a prosperous and sustainable economic future for Africa. This includes increasing our focus on black-owned and led businesses and funds across our portfolio."

AHC embodies the entrepreneurial mindset of African homegrown businesses believing in their global potential, which is underlined throughout the initiative's work, spanning visibility, support services and events. Once a year, new member companies sign the AHC declaration to commit to the same spirit. Together, the 25+ member companies generate revenues surpassing $8.3 billion, provide employment to a 78,000-strong workforce, and extend their reach across 14 African nations.  

To learn more about the event, visit the AHC website.

About AFG

AFG is a talent technology company in Africa that focuses on developing innovative products and services to accelerate private sector development on the continent.  AFG aims to build African people and companies into global champions through technology and networks. The company is known for three brands: African Hidden Champions, which is the top scaling platform for African mid-sized businesses to grow into global companies; Peralta, a managed marketplace for placing top talent with businesses across the continent; and AHEAD, a training community of top empowered young African professionals, including the diaspora.

For more information: www.africaforesight.com 

About DEG

For more than 60 years, DEG has been financing and advising private enterprises operating in developing and emerging-market countries. With a portfolio of around EUR 10.3 billion we’re one of the largest private-sector development financiers. As an impact and climate investor we accompany companies that are addressing transformation and aiming to seize their opportunities. Our customers not only receive financing and advisory solutions tailored to their needs: they can build on our market knowledge, our impact and climate expertise and our international network. In this way, DEG, a subsidiary of KfW, contributes to creating more skilled jobs and local income and to improving value creation on the ground in line with the SDGs.

For more information: www.deginvest.de 

About British International Investment

British International Investment (BII) is the UK’s development finance institution and a trusted investment partner to businesses in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. It invests to support the UK Government’s Clean Green Initiative and to create productive, sustainable, and inclusive economies in eligible markets. Between 2022 and 2026, at least 30 percent of BII’s total new commitments by value will be in climate finance. The company has investments in over 1,470 businesses in emerging economies across 65 countries and total assets of £8.1 billion. For further information about BII and its impactful initiatives, please visit: www.bii.co.uk | watch here.