Theme: A Continent Comes of Age: Defining a New Era in African Business.

Dates:   February 19th – 20th, 2010.

Venue: Harvard Business School in Boston 

The largest African student-run conference will bring together preeminent keynote speakers, expert panellists, and over 900 students and professionals from across the globe to Harvard Business School’s campus in Boston to discuss and debate this important phase in Africa’s development.  The conference also includes prospective students’ events, a career fair, fashion show, concert and networking receptions. 

To secure your place and take advantage of limited discounted tickets, register now!  The early bird rates end on January 25th but tickets may sell out before then.  For more details, visit the conference website which will be updated frequently so please check it regularly.  Feel free to circulate this to colleagues and friends who may be interested in attending.  

Conference Theme Details 

Over the last decade, Africa has gained tremendous ground in terms of economic growth and political stability, but there still remain many challenges to address.  Since the last conference, a fiber optic cable connected an ever-growing number of African countries with the rest of the world, the UK and DRC announced a partnership to rebuild the country’s road and rail systems, and the introduction of new agricultural technologies significantly increased the continent’s food production.  In 2010, over 15 African countries celebrate their 50th anniversaries of independence and the World Cup comes to South Africa.  At the same time, several of Africa’s most persistent challenges continue to attract international attention.  Violence in Zimbabwe and Uganda raised questions about the political stability of African countries, high profile Somali pirate attacks drew new attention to existing concerns about the safety of doing business on the continent, and international media coverage of refugee and health crises foster the perception that Africa is not a viable business location.  This juxtaposition presents an opportunity to think about what is next for African business and how we can actively shape its future.   

With this in mind, discussion at the 2010 Harvard Business School Africa Business Conference will focus on answering questions such as: 

•In what sectors and geographies will businesses find growth opportunities in the next decade?

•What are the biggest challenges facing African businesses and how can they be successfully addressed?

•What specific policies and actions should governments pursue to support African business and development? 

Throughout the conference, our distinguished keynote speakers and panelists will offer their perspectives on these questions, and we hope that you will take the opportunity to engage them and your fellow conference participants in meaningful discussions about defining a new era in African business. 

Don’t miss this unique opportunity for learning and networking with like-minded individuals who are passionate about making a difference in Africa! 

For further information about the Africa Business Conference, and to register for the 2010 Conference, please visit http://www.hbsafricaconference.com/