KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
MacDonald Chimandas Vasnani
Founder & Chief Executive Officer CONSHIP Group
Ivy Apea Owusu stands as a formidable force in the energy sector, currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer of Cirrus Oil Services LTD. With over 20 years of experience, Ivy has been pivotal in driving the successful implementation of downstream sector deregulation policies in Ghana. Her expertise in Energy Structured Finance, honed during her tenure with GE Capital in the US and UK, spans Debt and Equity financing across Oil & Gas, Power Generation, Renewable and Ancillary Energy sectors.
As the founder & CEO of CONSHIP GROUP which comprises of Consolidated Shipping Agencies Ltd., EcoAlpha Services Limited, EcoAlpha Solutions Limited, and Conship Logistics Limited, VAS as he is affectionately known has been at the helm of an organization that operates across various sectors, including logistics, freight, transportation, and projects in areas like oil and gas and mining, Project Logistics as well as warehousing services. His leadership has been instrumental in steering the company's growth and success.
Beyond her corporate achievements, Ivy is a dedicated business leader, championing community health and education initiatives. Her influence extends to various boards, including the Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors (CBOD) where she currently serves as the Board Chair, Petroleum Hub Development Corporation (PHDC), Woodfields Energy Resources LTD, Legacy Bonds LTD and the Commercial and Allied Services (CAS) Cluster of Jospong Group. As a member of the Private Enterprise Federation (PEF), the Management Committee of School of Arts - University of Ghana, Executive Women’s Network (EWN), the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and a Corporate Executive in Residence for University of Ghana Business School (UGBS) Department of Accounting, she actively promotes the advancement of youth and women in leadership.
Ivy’s thought leadership is widely recognized, with speaking engagements at prestigious events such as the 2024 PETROSOL Women in leadership conference, the 2024 Ghana Female CEO Summit, the 2023 Ghana Mining and Energy Summit, 2022 USAID Power Energy Africa Conference, the 2022 University of Ghana School of Humanities Graduation Ceremony, ABSA Bank Ghana International Women’s Day, and African Refiners Association South Africa. Her academic credentials are equally impressive, holding leadership certificates from Harvard and Stanford Business Schools, an MBA from Vanderbilt University, and a BA in Accounting and Economics from the University of Ghana.
Her accolades include HR Oriented CEO Award, Exceptional Woman in Oil & Gas Award, Oil and Gas personality of the year and recognition as one of the top 20 Matriarchs in Corporate Ghana by Instinct Business Magazine. Celebrated as a pioneer in the downstream oil and gas industry and longest-serving Board member at CBOD, Ivy's contributions continue to inspire many, making her a true matriarch of the African energy landscape. Ivy is married with two children.
Dr Chibuzo Opara is the co-founder and CEO of DrugStoc, a Pharmatech platform that provides access to verified quality pharmaceutical and healthcare products for healthcare facilities and pharmacies. DrugStoc is focused on eliminating counterfeit and substandard drugs, expanding access to pharmaceutical products for healthcare providers, and improving transparency in pricing for the healthcare product supply chain at the last mile.
Chibuzo is a health economist with a clinical background and over 20 years of experience in the health sector. He has worked with the World Health Organisation, the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation, the European Development Fund, and the Sovereign Wealth Fund among other institutions in the fields of healthcare finance and supply chain management. His work experience spans across different aspects of the healthcare system and several countries including the Netherlands, Nigeria, Belgium, Switzerland, Cameroun, Liberia, Kenya, and Vietnam.
During this time, he built up extensive experience in systems management for primary healthcare, including supply chain logistics and data management, healthcare financing, human resource planning, task shifting, health tech, and health facility management within the private and public sectors.
In the last few years, he has focused his energy, time, and passion on expanding access to good quality pharmaceutical and healthcare products leveraging the DrugStoc platform, which he co founded, to leapfrog infrastructure challenges within the healthcare system. He holds degrees in medicine & surgery and economics, policy, and management from the University of Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Kwesi Korboe has over the past 34 years managed and provided support to agribusiness enterprises as well as designed, managed and implemented agricultural projects for the Government of Ghana and related agencies, USAID and other international development organizations.
He is currently executive director/CEO of Ghana Incentive-based Risk-sharing System for Agricultural Lending (GIRSAL). He previously was a USAID embedded advisor to the Ministry of Food & Agriculture.
Hajia Maria Adamu-Zibo has been the Managing Director of Federated Commodities Ltd. (FEDCO) since 2017, a leading Licensed Cocoa Buying Company (LBC) in Ghana. With over two decades of experience, primarily in the private sector, she brings a wealth of resourcefulness to her role.
Previously, she held positions in mainstream banking, advancing to the position of Vice President. Currently, she sits on numerous boards, including Federated Commodities LTD, Federated Logistics LTD, FCL Processing LTD, Federated Foods LTD, and the World Cocoa Foundation.
Additionally, she serves as a Practitioner in Residence (PIR) at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).
Hajia Maria's notable achievements include significantly increasing FEDCO's market share from 6% to 9% in a short period, establishing it as a prominent player in the LBC sub-sector, and securing FEDCO's position as a member of the Ghana Club 100 Companies League. She holds an MSc. in Banking Practice and Management from IFS University College in the UK (now The London Institute of Banking & Finance), qualifying her as a Chartered Fellow of IFS University College.
Andre Kreie (PhD) is Managing Director at LEARN Logistics by Kühne-Foundation based in Hamburg, Germany. He is a Business Economist and holds a PhD and Masters in Logistics and Supply Chain Management from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK. Dr Kreie completed a professional multi-year traineeship with a logistics company to understand and apply all operational procedures required in sea-, air-, and land-transportation.
Prior to joining the Kühne Foundation, Dr Kreie gained further work experience in the supply chain business with a globally operating logistics service provider and worked as project manager for logistics design and operations with a leading European DIY-retailer. Dr Kreie has been teaching intensively in business programs at different universities and further education institutions globally.
Mrs Patricia Poku Diaby, is a Ghanaian national with over 29 years’ experience as an entrepreneur, innovator and business leader
Mrs Poku Diaby, is founder and CEO of Plot Enterprise (Gh) Ltd, a modern state of the art cocoa processing Facility based in Takoradi. The Company was born out of her desire to add value to the raw material, thus making a significant contribution to national development.
Plot Enterprise gained international recognition within a relatively short period and is ranked amongst the highest in the application of Food Safety Management Systems.
Mrs Poku Diaby’s current business portfolio includes another cocoa grinding Facility in Côte d’Ivoire and two cocoa sourcing companies located in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire of which she is Founder and Chair of the Board of Directors.
Mrs Poku Diaby is to date, the only woman in Africa to establish a large sized cocoa processing Facility.
Meet Macdonald Chimandas Vasnani, a distinguished figure in the logistics and transportation industry, with vast extensive expertise in international trade, supply chains, and logistics to the forefront.
As the founder & CEO of CONSHIP GROUP which comprises of Consolidated Shipping Agencies Ltd., EcoAlpha Services Limited, EcoAlpha Solutions Limited, and Conship Logistics Limited, VAS as he is affectionately known has been at the helm of an organization that operates across various sectors, including logistics, freight, transportation, and projects in areas like oil and gas and mining, Project Logistics as well as warehousing services. His leadership has been instrumental in steering the company's growth and success.
Macdonald's journey in this dynamic industry began with the founding of his company in 1996. He started as a customs house agent and has since transformed The Conship Group Ltd. into the multifaceted logistics and transportation powerhouse it is today
His educational background is marked by significant qualifications, including a PhD and a degree from the prestigious Chicago School of Business (Booth). VAS is also a distinguished Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (C.I.L.T.). A Member of the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (G.I.F.F.) C.E.O. of the year Upstream Industry- 2017,2018 and 2020. A Hall of Fame, Ghana Entrepreneurs Foundation amongst others. These qualifications have provided him with a robust foundation for navigating the intricacies of the industry.
Throughout his career, VAS has played pivotal roles in key projects and initiatives that have significantly contributed to his success. These include involvement in projects like the West Africa Gas Pipeline Project, onshore logistics bases in Takoradi, and major ventures with industry giants like Tullow Oil, Modec Ghana, and Newmont Ghana just to name a few.
One of his proudest professional accomplishments includes successfully overseeing the transit of two F.P.S.O. (Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading) vessels from Singapore to Ghana, a testament to his exceptional leadership and logistical prowess.
VAS has attended and participated in several local and international conferences and seminars include the Global Anti-Bribery Conference as a panellist.
He is particularly excited about the prospect of automation revolutionizing logistics for faster and more efficient operations.
He is on several boards as well as a Board Chairman for a Micro Finance company. (Further references available on request)
To those embarking on a career in the industry, VAS offers valuable advice: embrace competition rather than shying away from it, as it fosters growth and innovation.
In the face of setbacks and challenges, VAS believes in resetting and amending processes and procedures to adapt to changing circumstances.
Beyond his professional life, VAS is a Formula 1 racing enthusiast, a keen traveller, aviation enthusiast, movie buff, and loves golf, showcasing a well-rounded personality with diverse interests.
He is married with children, resides in Accra, Ghana and loves Jesus.