Panel will explore agribusiness and agricultural development in Africa. Governments across Africa are recognizing that agriculture is a crucial conduit for future economic growth on the continent, and policies are rapidly accommodating for greater investment. Discussion will first take an in-depth look at the base of the value chain, and isolate key drivers that can embolden the linkage between small African farmers and developed markets. To unlock the potential of small African farmers, overcoming challenges ranging from access to capital to technical expertise will be covered. Additionally, panel will review the continent’s ability to successfully brand African products and create greater stature in the turbulent global food trade. The agriculture/agribusiness panel will also address the interests of investors, ranging from entrepreneurs to private equity funds. With a long term view, an investor could attempt to capture investments both “in” and “for” agribusiness/agriculture in Africa and join the rising wave of interest in Africa’s Green Revolution.

Professor James Thompson, Co-Founder, Wharton Societal Wealth Program [Moderator]

James Thompson is co-founder and director of the Wharton Societal Wealth Program (WSWP). The basic thesis of the WSWP is that many societal problems, if viewed through an entrepreneurial lens, create opportunity for someone to launch a business that simultaneously attends to the social need and makes a profit. Current projects fall within healthcare, education, technology commercialization, agriculture, animal nutrition, and consumer goods manufacturing.

He teaches innovation, corporate growth and dynamic strategy in Wharton Executive Education programs. Prior to joining the academic world he was divisional Director of a public South African company. James holds a BCom from the University of South Africa and an MBA from the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business. He concluded a research fellowship in the commercialization of technology at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and is a PhD candidate in the management of technology at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland working on field research in the application of WSWP programs.

Senior Investment Officer Agribusiness Department International Finance Corporation

Samuel Dzotefe is a Senior Investment Officer with the International Finance Corporation based in Washington, DC.  Sam's work in IFC involves business development, transaction processing and portfolio management. His recent transactions involved IFC's investments in Oil Palm Plantation and Cocoa Procurement Projects in Ghana and a Rubber Plantation Project in Liberia.

Sam joined IFC from Ecobank Ghana Limited, where he was the Head of the Commercial Banking Department. His principal responsibility was to help develop and grow the bank's SME Portfolio which included several agribusiness companies.

Prior to his career in Banking and Finance, Sam worked with Lever Brothers Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of Unilever as an Engineer in the Soap Making and Personal Products department. He holds a B.Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana and an MBA in Finance from the University of Ghana.

Tim McCollum, Founder, Madecasse

Tim McCollum received a BA from Denison University, in Ohio. He served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Madagascar, from 1999-2001, where he taught English and executed other social development projects. After his Peace Corps service, Tim worked for the American Express Company for six years in sales and global marketing, before co-founding Madécasse in 2007. Madécasse is one of the only fine chocolates made in all of Africa. The chocolate had been critically acclaimed by the New York Times and and their unique social business model has won widespread recognition in the development community.

Jim Thaller, Managing Director, Talier Trading Group, Inc

Jim Thaller is the Managing Director of Talier Trading Group; a specialty food development company based in West New York, NJ (USA). For more than fifteen years, Mr. Thaller has been developing products and market linkages for international food companies, with a special focus on Africa. At Talier Trading Group, Mr. Thaller has been responsible for spearheading a variety of programs in emerging markets, and is well-known for designing and implementing the African specialty foods program in the United States and Europe. He is a much sought-after speaker on African development, and as a consultant for implementing agribusiness development initiatives. Mr. Thaller holds a bachelor’s degree and sits on the boards of several food companies and international organizations.

Eric Stambler, Senior Vice President, PRI Project Development

Eric Stambler is Senior Vice President of PRI Project Development. Eric has led the work of international expert teams on PRI's projects in West Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe. In this capacity, he has participated in the development of project structures and led negotiations with potential investors and lenders. He currently heads PRI's regional office in Lagos, Nigeria.

Prior to joining PRI, Mr. Stambler held positions at a number of institutions, including the Federation of American Scientists and the Berlin Information-center for Transatlantic Security. He assessed the role of Private Equity Funds in direct investment, and enterprise restructuring in developing economies.

Mr. Stambler received his B.A. from Dartmouth College and a Masters degree in Public Policy and International Finance from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.