Emilio Cattaneo promotes EAIF model at global legal firm’s London infrastructure finance conference
Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund Executive Director, Emilio Cattaneo, was one of four panel speakers at a conference held by the worldwide legal practice, DLA Piper, jointly with risk advisory specialists FTI Consulting, in London on 29th November.
Part of the legal firm’s “Africa Week,” the event looked at project bankability in infrastructure projects in Africa, focussing on the energy sector. The other panellists were Dimitri Papaefstratiou, a Partner at DLA Piper, Pamela Wadi, Director Global Risk and Investigations Practice, FTI Consulting and Elenos Karaindros, General Manager Strategy & M&A at Mytilineos, a Greek industrial conglomerate active in the solar and thermal energy sectors, as a builder and co-investor and co-financier.
Conference attendees came mainly from the international investment banking, insurance and project finance sectors, infrastructure developers, specialist business advisory firms and from London’s diplomatic and the international development community.
Topics discussed ranged from risk measurement and risk-sharing approaches, project viability prerequisites and government relations, to selecting the right finance and project partners.
“We had a very high-quality audience at this event. I outlined the key structural, strategic and operational benefits of the EAIF model, particularly when developing infrastructure in fragile states. This was an invitation-only event, and so an ideal forum for communicating EAIF’s strengths and networking with high-level decision-makers and influencers. Many valuable insights came from my fellow panellists and audience members.”