CEO Novation city

Hichem TURKI

Ingénieur diplômé de l’ENPC Paris. Ex-CEO de SOMATRAL, actuel CEO de Novation City. Président d’ATT et du Cluster Mécatronique Tunisie. Membre des conseils scientifiques de plusieurs institutions et associations internationales.

Director General CDC

Nejia Gharb

Minister of Communication Technologies

Sofiene HEMISSI

Special Envoy on Technology, for H.E the President of the Republic of Kenya - Kenya

Philip Thigo

H.E. Ambassador Philip Thigo, MBS, is a renowned technology and public policy expert. He is the Special Envoy for Technology for H.E the President of the Republic of Kenya.

In 2018, Apolitical named him one of the World’s 100 most influential people in digital government. In 2023, Africa Com listed him among Africa’s Top 100 Most Influential Leaders in Technology and Telecommunications. In 2023, the United Nations Secretary-General appointed him to his High-Level Advisory Board on Artificial Intelligence (HLAB) for one year. In 2024, he was once again recognized by Apolitical as one of The Government AI 100 in 2025.

In August 2024, Amb. Thigo was globally recognized by Mozilla under their RISE25 Award as one of five advocates leading the development of artificial intelligence ethically, inclusively, and transparently. On December 12, 2023, during Kenya’s 60th Independence Day Anniversary, he was awarded the Presidential Commendation, Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (M.B.S), for his distinguished service to the country.

Amb. Thigo has been curating with the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the African Union, the Women Economic Empowerment and Financial Inclusion (WEE-FI) for Africa. He Serves in multiple boards and roles – he is a founding steering committee member of the Coalition for Digital Environmental Sustainability (CODES), leads the Power of Data Initiative by Global Partnership on Sustainable Development Data, Technical Advisory Board of Digital Earth Africa, Sub-Regional Ambassador for the Global Blockchain Business Council (GBBC), Board member of NASA’s Earth Observations for SDGs (EO4SDGs), and the Chair of the Board of Mama Organization and Mtoto News.

Amb. Thigo has co-authored insight reports at the World Economic Forum Global Councils on Food Systems Innovation and the Global Councils on the 4th Industrial Revolution for Global Public Goods, published with Social Watch, Global Voices, Foundation El Taller, Fetzer—Woodrow Wilson Institute of International Development, EISA, and Limerick University, amongst others.

Amb. Thigo has previously held executive positions in International Organizations, Non-Profit Organizations, and social ventures in Africa, MENA & Latin America, where he has co-created initiatives such as Elections- Uchaguzi, Budget Tracking Tool for citizen engagement.

Co-founder and Managing Director ekona AG - Switzerland

Sam Khalil

Sam Khalil is a healthcare leader and digital innovator with over 15 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, now co-founder and Managing Director of ekona, a Swiss AI engineering boutique launched in 2025. Drawing on a career spanning technology, clinical development, and business strategy, Sam helps organizations harness AI and data to solve complex challenges and accelerate innovation. Before co-founding ekona, Sam served as Vice President and Head of the FounData AI platform at Novo Nordisk, where he led the development of advanced AI-powered systems to transform clinical data into actionable insights. Prior to that, at Novartis, he spearheaded the creation of data42, one of the industry’s first platforms providing enterprise-wide access to curated data from over 2,900 clinical trials. His earlier roles involved launching blockbuster drugs, leading global medical affairs teams and managing large-scale preclinical and clinical research programs. Sam is also a strong advocate for responsible AI, with deep experience designing ethical, transparent, and scalable AI systems for healthcare.

Founder and CEO Qhala - Kenya

Shikoh Gitau

As those two words beamed on the CRT screen I knew I was sold to building software. Now! As software eats the world, I help organizations decide on whether they are going to be the starter, main dish or dessert!

Growing up, I always wanted to be a Doctor, a Medical Doctor! Something about relieving people from pain and misery was a superpower my young brain wanted, it felt right. At the same time, I loved (and still love) Math, and at some point, in my teen years, I thought I would be a Mathematics teacher. As fate would have it, I did not make the grade to pursue medicine, and I ended up pursuing Computer Science. It is in the existential crisis of my early 20’s, that I discovered I could use my Computer Science background, to realize my childhood dream of changing the world, and I ended up being a Doctor of another kind.

Over the past decade, I have applied digital technology in various sectors, Public, Private and Non-profit, as well as various domains Health, Education, Energy, Employment, Payments, Commerce and Agriculture. Understanding and learning traditional sectors and business domains, methodologies, and frameworks, and then rethinking them for the digital world is my Modus Operandi.

However, my true superpower lies not just in my ability to be empathetic, but most importantly to help other people build empathy as well. I have been able to work on “new to the world”, “new to the sector” and “new to the organization” products and innovations with innumerable support from various stakeholders, ranging from board members supporting a strategic direction, to support staff selling an offering.

I have hired and motivated world-class teams and coached them into owning the vision of “changing the world” using technology and then working with them to bring this vision to life.

I have convinced investors to put money in crazy ideas because while they could fail, they hold the potential of impacting millions of lives.

I am easily excitable when it comes to new ideas and concepts. On any given day, you will find me reading a book, a paper, an article, or listening to a podcast on how our world is changing. In the same way that I love consuming new knowledge, I love sharing, because … “sharing is caring”. I speak and write on topics around digital transformation, digital payments, Women in Technology, Africa, Mental Health in the workplace and Spirituality.

Managing Partner, African Renaissance Ventures - USA

Magdi Amin

With a focus on seed-stage tech ventures in East Africa, our team at African Renaissance Ventures is dedicated to empowering founders who leverage technology to overcome significant challenges. Our investments target sectors critical for development—climate, financial inclusion, agriculture, healthcare, and logistics—where innovation can spur sustainable growth and prosperity while rewarding investors.

As an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins SAIS, I impart real-world insights into the ethical deployment of technology, including AI, shaping the next wave of responsible digital development. My role on the Investment Committee of Co-Develop further extends my commitment to the global advancement of Digital Public Infrastructure, demonstrating my belief in technology as a cornerstone for equitable progress.

I believe in harnessing the power of markets, technology, and investment to sustainably make people’s lives better, and that the best opportunities for returns and impact can be found in places other investors overlook. Entrepreneurs with ground-breaking ideas can be constrained by a lack of capital and advice. My partners and I started African Renaissance Partners to back the best of those entrepreneurs. By solving big problems, these innovators create big markets.

I have honed my ability to identify winners and manage risks through decades of experience in emerging markets as an investor, economist, strategist, and turnaround management. I lead with a strong sense of fairness, ethics, innovation, technical integrity, and commitment to a shared vision with clients and partners.

CEO, Elevate Africa - Nigeria

Daniel Ikuenobe

Daniel Ikuenobe is a transformative leader committed to an empowered Africa that is a global force for innovation and sustainable growth. As CEO of Elevate Africa, Daniel leads an ambitious agenda to amplify Africa’s strengths—leadership, trade, and cultural heritage—into a cohesive and dignified narrative on the world stage.

Under his leadership, Elevate Africa collaborates with African leaders and global partners through strategic convenings that foster policy alignment and partnerships, empowers African innovators through fellowships that champion homegrown solutions, and generates policy-shaping insights through a dedicated think tank. Aligned with Agendas 2030 and 2063, Daniel’s work advances Africa-centered solutions, economic integration, and social resilience, positioning Africa as a vital, collaborative leader in global progress.

Daniel’s experience spans Southern and Western Africa. He served as Malawi Country Director for the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI), where he established the Malawi country project and built strong partnerships that drove measurable impact. Later, as Regional Director for Southern Africa, he supported governments in creating robust delivery systems for priority initiatives across agriculture, food systems, digital transformation, private sector growth, energy access, and energy transition.

In Nigeria, Daniel played a foundational role in governance reform as part of the team that established the Presidential Delivery Unit (PDU) in the Office of the Vice President. He facilitated pivotal meetings between Nigeria’s Vice President and Google’s African Leadership, leading to the launch of the Google Digital Skills Programme. He was instrumental in implementing Nigeria’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).

As Transformation Director for the Edo State Transformation and Enhancement Programme (EDO STEP), Daniel led cultural and digital transformation of the Edo State Civil Service, driving efficiency and performance improvements. He also served as Special Adviser on Economic Matters to the Governor, chairing the Economic Management Team and advancing data-driven policies for sustainable growth.

His role as Senior Special Assistant to Nigeria’s President on the ERGP included designing the implementation framework for the ERGP as well as coordinating the ERGP Power and Gas Labs, where he led important strategic initiatives in the power and gas sectors.

At Elevate Africa, Daniel continues to champion a future where Africa leads with pride, purpose, and resilience on the global stage.