Speakers
Proudly supported by industry leaders and innovators.
2026 Event Speakers
Lasting legacy in an evolving world
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Marjorie Kivuva
Tarra Agility Africa
Partner, Private Wealth & Head of Legal
Email Address:
Biography
Marjorie Kivuva is a seasoned legal expert with over a decade of experience in real estate, finance law, and complex commercial transactions across East Africa. She advises high net worth families, family offices, and institutional trustees on the intersection of private wealth, cross-border real estate, and acquisition finance.
She is the Co-Founder and Partner at Tarra Agility Africa, where she leads on private wealth real estate structuring, public-private partnerships, acquisition finance, and fintech law. She is also the Founder and Managing Partner at Kivuva & Company Advocates, a boutique firm recognised for excellence in banking and finance, corporate governance, and regulatory compliance.
Marjorie gained her foundational experience at two globally ranked law firms in Nairobi: Muthaura Mugambi Ayugi & Njonjo Advocates and Anjarwalla & Khanna Advocates (East Africa’s largest firm). She is also a Corporate Governance consultant and a member of the Centre for Corporate Governance and the Institute of Directors (Kenya).
Marjorie is a devoted Formula 1 fan—not as a spectator sport, but as a philosophy of execution.
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Beatrice Njeri
Tarra Agility Africa
Co-Founder/Partner – Tax & Accounting
Email Address:
Biography
Beatrice Njeri is a multidisciplinary finance and tax professional with over 14 years of progressive experience in tax advisory, accounting, and corporate financial structuring across both public and private sectors in Africa.
She currently serves as Co-founder and Partner at Tarra Agility Africa, a boutique international advisory firm providing bespoke legal, tax, and accounting solutions to enable ambitious indigenous and foreign investments across the continent. In this role, she leads strategic engagements focused on transaction structuring, cross-border tax optimization, and regulatory compliance for high-growth enterprises and institutional investors.
Beatrice is also the Head of Tax and Accounting at ushuru.co.ke, where she oversees end-to-end tax compliance, strategic advisory, and financial reporting for SMEs, corporates, and high-net-worth individuals. Under her leadership, the firm has developed agile, client-centered solutions that enhance financial governance and ensure alignment with dynamic fiscal policies in Kenya and across the region.
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Birju Sanghrajka
Chief Executive Officer and Head of Coverage, Corporate and Investment Banking, Kenya
Standard Chartered
Biography
Birju Sanghrajka is a seasoned banking and financial services executive with extensive experience in corporate and investment banking, wealth management, trade finance, and cross-border financing solutions across Africa and international markets. He currently serves in a leadership role at Standard Chartered, where he has played a key role in driving strategic growth, investment partnerships, and sustainable financing initiatives.
With a strong background in debt capital markets, project finance, and syndications, Birju has contributed to major financing and infrastructure conversations across the region, helping connect global investors with opportunities in Africa. He is passionate about innovation in banking, sustainable development, and creating long-term value for clients through strategic financial solutions.
Birju is also recognized for his leadership in supporting business growth, strengthening client relationships, and championing initiatives focused on wealth preservation, succession planning, and economic transformation.
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Edith Chumba
Head of Wealth and Retail Banking
Standard Charted
Biography
Edith has over 21 years of retail banking experience, having started her career at Absa Bank Kenya Plc before joining Standard Chartered Bank Kenya in 2015. Edith was appointed as Head, Wealth and Retail Banking from 2019. Prior to her current role, Edith was the Head of Distribution Channels. She has been instrumental in leading the transformation of the WRB business and in overseeing the delivery of turnaround strategies for the business in Kenya.
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Dalu Ajene
Chief Executive Officer and Head of Coverage for Africa
Standard Chartered
Biography
Seasoned financial services executive with over two decades of international banking experience across Africa, the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East. He brings a dynamic blend of global insight, deep local expertise,
and a strong track record in corporate and investment banking, and wealth and retail banking. Dalu has held senior roles at Credit Suisse, BNP Paribas, Bank of America and Bear Stearns, and was instrumental in launching Rand Merchant Bank in Nigeria, where he worked for over ten years in various local and group functions, ultimately serving as its CEO.
His leadership blends global perspective with deep local insight, driving innovation and cross-border growth.
Since joining Standard Chartered in 2024, Dalu has led the bank’s vision to connect Nigerian clients to global
opportunities – solving their most complex challenges, while intermediating capital and optimizing value for
such clients. He has been a champion for global subsidiaries, financial institutions and wealth and retail clients to deliver sustainable impact and economic transformation.
He holds an M.B.A. in Finance and Strategy from Harvard Business School and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Dartmouth College. He is an active member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO), the Metropolitan Club and other non-profit endeavours.
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Brian Otieno
Senior Tax Associate
Tarra Agility Africa
Biography
Brian has expertise in providing tax disputes and tax advisory services to clients in various sectors on various transactions including
(a) financial services such as banks and insurance companies,
(b) corporate restructuring,
(c) mergers and acquisitions
(d) property sale or purchase,
(e) carbon markets,
(f) digital services and
(g) setting up entities in special regimes such as special economic zones and export processing zones.
His expertise in tax dispute resolution services include mediation and litigation.
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Rene Michau
Global Head of Digital Assets,
Standard Chartered
Biography
René Michau is a visionary leader in digital finance, serving as the Global Head of Digital Assets at Standard Chartered Bank, where he spearheads the bank’s innovation and delivery of secure digital asset solutions for institutional clients. Based in Singapore, René plays a key role in shaping the future of finance by integrating cryptocurrencies, tokenization, and stablecoins into the bank’s ecosystem.
Since joining Standard Chartered in 2016, René has held several influential positions, including Head of Fintech Client Advisory where he established the Fintech Banking business within CIB. His expertise in fintech, crypto and digital payments is backed by an extensive career across major banks, including HSBC, ANZ, and National Australia Bank, where he led groundbreaking projects such as the launch of a cloud-based merchant platform and the development of a carbon trading capability.
René’s leadership extends beyond banking, as he is deeply embedded in the global fintech and crypto communities. He co-chairs the Global Digital Finance (GDF) Financial Institutions Crypto Working Group and
the Institute of International Finance (IIF) Digital Assets Forum, driving industry-wide conversations on the future of digital assets. He is also an active member of the Digital Asset Markets sub-committee within the U.S.
Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) Global Markets Advisory Committee, influencing regulatory discussions at the highest level.
A former officer in the Australian Army, René brings a disciplined and strategic approach to leadership. His passion for fintech goes beyond innovation—he is a strong advocate for empowering women in crypto and fintech, actively championing diversity and inclusion in the industry. René is not only shaping Standard Chartered’s digital asset strategy—he is helping define the future of digital finance globally.
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Manpreet Gill
Chief Investment Officer EMEA
Standard Chartered
Biography
Manpreet Gill is Chief Investment Officer for the Africa, Middle-East and Europe (AMEE) region and heads a team specialising in the Fixed Income, Currencies and Commodities (FICC) asset classes. He is a key member of the Bank’s Group Investment Committee and an advisor to the Discretionary Portfolio Management division.
Manpreet has close to two decades of financial markets experience across asset classes. His previous roles have included Asia Strategist at Barclays Wealth in Singapore and G10 FX Strategist at ICICI
Bank in India.
He holds degrees from INSEAD, the Delhi School of Economics and St. Stephen’s College. Manpreet’s views are widely sought by both clients and the media. He frequently appears on international media, such as CNBC and Bloomberg, regularly writes for regional newspapers and social media and speaks at key industry forums. While Manpreet is now based in Dubai, he has previously lived in Singapore as well as several other countries across Asia, Middle- East, Africa and Europe. He is an ardent motorsport fan.
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Vishal Agrawal
Chairman & CEO
Full Circle
Biography
Chairman and CEO overseeing a diverse portfolio of companies, including venture-backed pan African companies. Vishal started Full Circle in 2017, a proprietary investment firm. The firm’s focus has been on venture capital investments targeting pre-seed and early -stage companies and advise on business start-up
solutions. The venture portfolio has had significant organic growth with number of exits.
Based in Nairobi with an emerging market focus, he is an Investment Banker with 3 decades of experience. An infrastructure specialist with experience in Public- Private Partnerships and Project Financing. He is also a bestselling author of the leadership book, ‘Give to Get’ which has been featured in Forbes, CNBC and other media channels. Vishal started in Eastern Europe doing mass privatisation deals after the fall of the Soviet Union in mid 90’s.