Speakers

ADIS26 Home
The Venue
- Where to stay
Agenda
Topics
Speakers
Awards
- Barka Awards
- Luminaire Awards
Get Involved

ADIS26 Home
The Venue
- Where to stay
Agenda
Topics
Speakers
Awards
- Barka Awards
- Luminaire Awards
Get Involved

Speakers List ( Partial)

John Aisien

SVP, Central Product Management - ServiceNow

John Aisien

SVP, Central Product Management - ServiceNow

John Aisien is an enterprise software executive and company builder with a track record of imagining, building, and scaling software businesses from early stage ventures to global platforms. At ServiceNow, he leads cross-workflow outbound product management, representing Product and Engineering to the global field, customers, and partners, and driving GTM execution, pricing, partnerships, and AI adoption. Previously, John ran Microsoft’s threat intelligence product & engineering teams and co-founded Blue Cedar. He holds an MBA from NYU Stern and a BEng in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Benin.

British Robinson

Chair, Africa - Milken International

British Robinson

Chair, Africa - Milken International

British A. Robinson is a mission-driven nonprofit executive, diplomat, and development finance leader with experience in blended finance, impact investing, and institutional capital mobilization. She has held leadership roles at Citibank, the U.S. Department of State, and major nonprofits, structuring public-private partnerships and mobilizing capital for high-impact initiatives. She currently serves as Chair, Africa, for Milken Institute International, leading initiatives across the continent. Previously, she was Deputy Assistant Administrator of Prosper Africa, working with global investors to unlock investment opportunities in Africa.

Pierre Theodore

Executive Director of Population Health, Product Development - Roche - Genentech

Pierre Theodore

Executive Director of Population Health, Product Development - Roche - Genentech

Dr. Pierre R. Theodore is an Executive Director of Product Development and Population Health at Roche Genentech, a global pharmaceutical leader. With a career spanning healthcare delivery, innovation, and global health, he serves on the teaching faculty at Stanford University. He holds board certification in Cardio-thoracic Surgery and general surgery. , Pierre is a champion of health equity, leading efforts to democratize healthcare technologies and break down accessibility barriers; he advocates for private sector interventions to address health disparities. Pierre is the proud father of two accomplished children.

Ayo Sopitan

Founder & CEO, Metalex Commodities Inc.

Ayo Sopitan

Founder & CEO, Metalex Commodities Inc.

Ayo Sopitan is the Founder and CEO of Metalex Commodities Inc., which supplies carbon-neutral critical metals (copper and cobalt) from Africa. The company offsets its mining and processing emissions via nature-based carbon capture and uses mine waste for affordable housing bricks. Before Metalex, Ayo spent 15 years in consulting and commodity trading at firms including Bank of America, Ernst & Young, and Accenture. He is an investor in over 25 startups and a member of several angel networks. Ayo holds degrees from Bryant and NYU and is a fellow at MIT's Legatum Centre.

Dr. Tiffani J. Bright

Co-Director, Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Education Assistant Professor of Computational Biomedicine - Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University

Dr. Tiffani J. Bright

Co-Director, Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Education Assistant Professor of Computational Biomedicine - Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University

Dr. Tiffani J. Bright is an Assistant Professor of Computational Biomedicine at Cedars-Sinai and Co-Director of the Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Education. An applied clinical informatician, she designs and evaluates clinical decision support tools and optimizes electronic health records. A self-described AI evangelist and skeptic, she leads laboratory efforts to detect and correct bias in machine learning models to promote health equity. Nationally, she is recognized for her leadership in AI ethics, shaping guidelines for responsible AI use in healthcare. Dr. Bright is the first Black woman in the U.S. and from Columbia University to earn a doctorate in biomedical informatics.

John Kamara

Founder, AI CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE AFRICA (KENYA)

John Kamara

Founder, AI CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE AFRICA (KENYA)

John Kamara is a globally recognized AI and data transformation expert, entrepreneur, and ecosystem builder with extensive experience driving AI adoption, capacity development, and research commercialization across multiple sectors. He is the Founder and CEO of AICE Africa (Artificial Intelligence Centre of Excellence Africa), pioneering AI-driven solutions to accelerate digital transformation across the continent. John is also the founder of Adanian Labs, established in 2020, which has supported over 60 startups across South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Zambia. John is actively involved and heavily invested in new technologies focusing on IoT (Internet of Things) and has held growth leadership roles at companies including PocketKings Ireland, Google, eir Ireland, Digicel, and BMC Software.

Tunde Agboke

Director, Government, HP Inc

Tunde Agboke

Director, Government, HP Inc

Tunde Agboke is a mission-driven executive with over 18 years of experience leading public policy, education, workforce development, and social impact initiatives across the Americas and Africa. He specializes in aligning legislative strategy with enterprise IT priorities, helping organizations navigate digital transformation, infrastructure readiness, and the future of work. Tunde currently serves as Director of Government Affairs & Public Policy at HP Inc., where he leads advocacy strategy across U.S. legislatures and leads HP’s efforts to explore and establish a government affairs presence in Sub-Saharan Africa. His work directly influences HP’s access to public sector sales opportunities exceeding $300 million annually, while shaping policy positions that impact digital equity, education, and skills-first hiring.

Hugh Molotsi

Innovation Leader and Board Director, Mozilla

Hugh Molotsi

Innovation Leader and Board Director, Mozilla

Hugh Molotsi is a seasoned product and technology leader with more than 30 years of experience creating global solutions for small businesses and consumers. A recognized innovator, Hugh has been instrumental in launching multiple disruptive products and driving digital transformation initiatives. He is also deeply committed to leadership development and advancing diversity and inclusion in technology. Hugh is the former President and CTO of BuyNothing, a gift economy platform with over 15 million members worldwide. Prior to that, he spent 22 years at Intuit, where he rose to the role of Engineering Fellow and Vice President of Innovation. In 2011, Hugh became the inaugural recipient of Intuit’s Founders Innovation Award for his pioneering contributions to Intuit Payments. He currently serves on the boards of Barloworld and the Mozilla Corporation. Hugh is also the co-author of The Intrapreneur’s Journey, a guide to building cultures of innovation within large organizations to empower employees to drive growth. Throughout his career, he has remained passionate about fostering grassroots innovation and ensuring that good ideas are heard—wherever they may originate. Tunde currently serves as Director of Government Affairs & Public Policy at HP Inc., where he leads advocacy strategy across U.S. legislatures and leads HP’s efforts to explore and establish a government affairs presence in Sub-Saharan Africa. His work directly influences HP’s access to public sector sales opportunities exceeding $300 million annually, while shaping policy positions that impact digital equity, education, and skills-first hiring.

President Julie Sullivan

President, Santa Clara University

Dorothy Nyambi

President & CEO, Mennonite Economic Development Associates

Dorothy Nyambi

President & CEO, Mennonite Economic Development Associates

Dr. Dorothy Nyambi is a dynamic leader with over 30 years of experience in entrepreneurship, investment, and international economic development. She champions inclusive economic transformation, with a strong focus on women, youth, and impact investing, particularly through mobilizing African diaspora capital. As CEO of Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA), she leads systems change globally, including through the Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund and the MEDA Risk Capital Fund. Previously, she held senior roles at AIMS, the U.S. Peace Corps, WHO, and USAID. Bilingual in English and French, Dorothy chairs CAMFED Canada and IDRC’s Board of Governors and serves on multiple governance and mentorship boards advancing women’s leadership.

Anupam Awasthi

CEO and Co-founder, Catalyst Business Partners

Anupam Awasthi

CEO and Co-founder, Catalyst Business Partners

Anupam Awasthi is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Catalyst Business Partners, the largest system integrator in Africa focusing on Digital Transformation. Having worked in Africa since 2002, Anupam has built deep relationships and network across the region. He has expanded the footprint of Catalyst with subsidiaries in nine countries in Africa and Middle East, creating a niche Digital Transformation Consulting Company with 500+ enterprise customers in over 40 countries. Anupam continues to invest in Africa as it’s the last emerging continent going through rapid technological, social, and economic changes. Technology is a key driver for digital transformation and Anupam is harnessing this growth by creating a bridge between Silicon Valley and Africa. Anupam is also the founding partner and inventor in Senslytics, a causation based AI platform to Forewarn Uncertain State Changes in Chemical, Biological & Geological Industries. Recently, Anupam founded Edhas Technologies which is creating natural animal feed supplements using herbal and natural ingredients with modern technology for healthier animal nutrition, enhancing animal health and relieving animal stress. He has earned an MBA and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Anupam holds patents in IoT based analytics.

Maya Kulycky

Vice President, Strategy, Operations, and Outreach, Google Research, Google

Maya Kulycky

Vice President, Strategy, Operations, and Outreach, Google Research, Google

Maya is VP for Strategy, Operations and Outreach for Google Research. She leads Google Research teams that accelerate impact by driving strategy, governance, and technical and program management and operations. To ensure Google Research achieves world-class scientific breakthroughs and technical achievements, Maya’s team creates critical strategic processes for goals, priorities, and roadmaps, and focuses on program management, portfolio management, resource management, and compliance. Maya spent ten years on the African continent leading and supporting organizations. She resided and worked in Kenya and South Africa. She has expertise in strategic planning, building partnerships, communications, intellectual property, developing markets and transforming operations. She began her career as a journalist – covering business and politics. Maya is a lawyer by training, a graduate of Yale Law School, member of the New York bar, and serves on the board of trustees for the New York Hall of Science and Math for America. She is also a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University, the University of London, and Goldsmith's College.

Pawan Varyani

Strategy Director, Academic City University, Ghana & US Foundation

Pawan Varyani

Strategy Director, Academic City University, Ghana & US Foundation

Pawan Varyani leads strategy and partnerships for Academic City University in Ghana and the Academic City University US Foundation. His work focuses on aligning university education with real labor-market needs, employer demand, and global mobility pathways. He is directly involved in building new engineering and technology programs, industry partnerships, and sustainable scholarship models that help African graduates transition into high-impact careers.

Kofi Ampadu

Investor & Advisor

Kofi Ampadu

Investor & Advisor

Kofi Ampadu is an investor, operator, and advisor with over 15 years of experience helping organizations navigate strategy and innovation. He has invested in more than 70 startups and worked closely with teams through critical inflection points, follow-on fundraising, and scaling. Kofi is the founder and General Partner of SKU’d Ventures and most recently a fund lead at Andreessen Horowitz focused on backing under-resourced founders. Earlier, he was a founder and operator, a strategy consultant and engineer, and has been recognized as a Power100 Investor by Blueprint Capital Advisors. Born in Ghana, he maintains a strong interest in Africa’s future.

Richard Kiplagat

Group Board Member, Partner and Managing Director - Africa Practice, East Africa

Jen MacBruce

Director, Investment Finance, MEDA

Jen MacBruce

Director, Investment Finance, MEDA

Jen MacBruce is a seasoned financial services leader and strategic advisor with over 15 years of global experience across investment management, product development, and risk strategy. She has led multifunctional teams in North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia, combining deep technical expertise with a proven track record in financial modeling, macroeconomic analysis, and innovation-driven growth. As a trusted advisor to SMEs, nonprofits, and mission-driven enterprises, Jen helps organizations unlock clarity, scale impact, and navigate complexity. Her approach bridges strategy and execution—refining business models, strengthening governance, and guiding investment decisions with financial rigor and operational pragmatism. She has partnered with leadership teams through restructuring, capital raises, and market expansion, always with a focus on sustainable value creation. Jen also advises founders and early-stage teams on building resilient businesses from the ground up—aligning innovation with long-term growth, refining business models, and preparing for capital raises. She holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Chartered Investment Manager (CIM), and Canadian Risk Management (CRM) designations. Jen earned her bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Toronto and her MBA in finance from the University of Birmingham. Currently advising across Canada and the U.S., she brings board-level perspective and a collaborative mindset to every engagement. Beyond her professional work, Jen serves on several nonprofit boards and is deeply committed to advancing equity for women in finance.

Ayla Francis Foster

Director, Policy & Government Relations, Humanity United

Ayla Francis Foster

Director, Policy & Government Relations, Humanity United

Ayla Francis Foster is the Director for Policy & Government Relations at Humanity United (HU), which is responsible for pursuing policy change and regulatory actions that cultivate the conditions for enduring peace and freedom through advocacy, grantmaking, and convening. In this role, Ayla leads HU’s policy team and provides strategic coherence for HU’s engagement with the U.S. government and select multilateral institutions. Prior to joining HU, Ayla worked at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in a variety of roles. Most recently, she served on the inaugural USAID- U.S. International Development Finance Corporation partnership team. Prior to this, she managed USAID’s bilateral relationships with donor governments in Europe and Australia in the Bureau for Policy, Planning & Learning after starting her USAID career in the Bureau for Management. Previously, Ayla worked in corporate citizenship and communications in the private sector, and on Capitol Hill. Ayla is an alumna of The Fletcher School at Tufts University and Baylor University. She serves as a board member at-large for the International Career Advancement Program Fellows Association and is a 2025 Center for New American Security National Security Leadership Fellow.

Amadou Daffe

CEO / Co-Founder, Gebeya Inc.

Amadou Daffe

CEO / Co-Founder, Gebeya Inc.

Amadou Daffe is the CEO and Co-founder of Gebeya, a Pan-African AI company building the operational backbone for Africa’s service and creative economy. He leads Gebeya to give African entrepreneurs a reliable, always-on AI Agent that embeds directly into everyday business operations. Under his leadership, Gebeya designs intelligent systems that automate customer engagement, support better decision-making, and help businesses work smarter, reduce costs, and scale sustainably. Amadou’s vision is for Africa to build its own AI future—one AI Agent at a time, by Africans, for Africans.

Darius Teter

Executive Director, Stanford Seed

Collen Masimirembwa

Founder, President and Chief Scientific Officer, African Institute of Biomedical Science & Technology (AiBST)

Kedest Tesfagiorgis

Deputy Director, Global Partnerships & Grand Challenges, Gates Foundation

Dr. Yaw Bediako

CEO and Co-Founder at Yemaachi Biotech

Ifyeyinwa Aneibo

African Center of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Disease

Fredros Okumu

Science Advisor, ASCE at ADN

Dr. Menghis Bairu

Bio Usawa

Anita Ghansah

Associate Professor, Noguchi Memorial at Univ. of Ghana

Almaz Negash

CEO and Founder of ADN

Rossina Naidoo

Manager, The Bridgespan Group

Todd McDonald

President, Liberty Bank and Trust Co

Todd McDonald

President, Liberty Bank and Trust Co

Todd O. McDonald is President of Liberty Bank and Trust, a historic Black-owned Minority Depository Institution and Community Development Financial Institution headquartered in New Orleans. Since succeeding his father in 2022, he has continued to build Liberty Bank’s legacy as the first Black-owned bank to surpass $1 billion in assets and the nation’s leading mission-driven community bank. Under his leadership, Liberty has expanded to 19 branches across 11 states, launched technology-driven banking solutions, and introduced innovative products that advance financial inclusion for individuals and small businesses. A Morehouse College graduate with an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, McDonald also serves as Chairman of the National Bankers Association and was named to Forbes’ inaugural BLK50 list for his impact on economic equity and community development.

Susan Winks

Chief Operations Officer, H3D Foundation

Susan Winks

Chief Operations Officer, H3D Foundation

Dr Susan Winks (PhD, MBA) is the Head of Research Operations and Business Development at the Holistic Drug Discovery and Development Centre (H3D) at the University of Cape Town. She leads strategic operations, partnerships, fundraising, and governance to enable interdisciplinary drug discovery in Africa. Dr Winks is also co founder of the H3D Foundation, where she drives ecosystem building initiatives to strengthen Africa’s drug discovery capabilities. Her work includes leading the Grand Challenges African Drug Discovery Accelerator—spanning eight countries—and piloting a process chemistry skills development hub in South Africa focused on cost competitive, greener API manufacturing using flow reactor technology. Her career is dedicated to building sustainable scientific capacity, strengthening R&D ecosystems across the continent, and advancing Africa led innovation for global health impact.

Jay Veal, M.Ed.

Founder and CEO, INC Education and BrightMatch.ai

Jay Veal, M.Ed.

Founder and CEO, INC Education and BrightMatch.ai

Jay Veal is the CEO of INC Education, the #1 AA owned private tutoring and education company in the US. The company is a $2.5M brand in the private tutoring space. Jay is now Founder of a new EdTech firm called, BRIGHTMatch.ai which is a platform that assesses student’s learning styles and assigns them a tutor that matches them the best through AI powered learning assessments and tutor/student matching algorithms. He is also Founder/CEO of The Jay Veal Brand which is a Dallas-based premier consulting brand that deploys education, business, and credit consulting. He has been a Black Enterprise contributor for education and credit and is a 19 time award-winning educator and edupreneur. He is graduate of the esteemed Founder Institute out of Silicon Valley for his current edtech startup. In addition, Jay is a Fall 2025 Masters of Scale Summit Alumni and in the Silicon Valley Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Program Fall 2025 Cohort. He is a Forbes Next 1000 Listmaker and has been featured in major media outlets including Black Enterprise, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Rolling Out, Business Insider, NBC, Good Morning Texas, Dallas Morning News, TEDx, SXSW EDU, and more. He served on the board of Rae’s Hope and Big Thought.

Emmanuel Onakoya

Senior Associate - Growth Equity, Avenue Growth Partners

Emmanuel Onakoya

Senior Associate - Growth Equity, Avenue Growth Partners

Emmanuel Onakoya is a Nigerian-American investor with the last decade spent in financial investing and M&A, including the past five years focused on software and technology investing. He has worked across leading growth and private equity firms including Vista Equity Partners, Updata Partners, and currently Avenue Growth Partners, where he invests in capital-efficient vertical SaaS businesses. Emmanuel brings a strong financial foundation as a CPA, with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Marist College and a Master’s in Accounting from Liberty University. His experience spans transaction execution, growth strategy, and partnering with founders to scale durable software platforms.