AIIB: Working with the private sector

The UK was one of the first major Western countries to join the AIIB as a founding member, and in doing so, paved the way for other Western powers to follow suit.

The AIIB gives high priority to working with the private sector and to mobilising private capital in order to leverage and supplement its own resources. There is potential for private capital to finance the critically needed infrastructure in Asia, and in return receive stable cash flows from these investments. As part of the AIIB, the UK will play a vital role in directing the flows of investment in infrastructure projects around Asia, working to foster sustainable economic development and enhance infrastructure connectivity in the continent.

This conference falls under the New Global Trade Order series, and will bring together experts to discuss British business opportunities with the AIIB and how London, as a global financial centre, can aid in mobilising private capital to meet infrastructure demands.

Sir Danny Alexander, Vice-President and Corporate Secretary of the AIIB, will give a keynote speech followed by a panel discussion.

Agenda

Keynote Speaker:

Sir Danny Alexander, Vice-President and Corporate Secretary, AIIB
Sir Danny was appointed to his role in the AIIB in February this year. Before his appointment, he was the Chief Secretary to the Treasury and the MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey. He joined the Liberal Democrats’ shadow Work and Pensions team in 2005 and in July 2007 he was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, holding the post until June 2008.

Panel speakers:

Matt Cavanagh, Director of Group Government Relations, Prudential

Matt Cavanagh joined Prudential in March 2013 and took up the position of Director of Group Government Relations in October 2013. Prior to joining Prudential he was Head of Public Affairs at the John Lewis Partnership. From 2003-2007 he worked as a special adviser in the Treasury, Home Office, and Ministry of Defence, and then from 2007-2010 in Downing Street. Previously he spent several years at the Boston Consulting Group, and as a Lecturer in Philosophy at St Catherine’s College Oxford. He holds an MA, BPhil and DPhil from the University of Oxford. 

Daniel Hanna, Global Head of Public Sector and Development Organisations, Standard Chartered Bank

Daniel is the Global Head of Public Sector and Development Organisations for Standard Chartered Bank. He has over 17 years of banking experience in emerging markets and providing advice to governments, state owned enterprises, development finance institutions on their credit ratings, raising equity and debt, restructuring their business activities and investing in emerging markets. Daniel and his team are currently mandated as the credit rating and investor engagement advisor to 13 governments across Asia and Africa. Daniel has also led a number of innovative financing transactions, particularly in the area of blended finance. This included the creation of the USD 50m Post Ebola Reconstruction Facility for Sierra Leone with CDC, the UK’s Development Finance Institution.

Gregory Hodkinson, Chairman, Arup

Gregory Hodkinson is Chairman of the Arup Group. He joined Arup in 1972, having been inspired by the firm’s work on the Sydney Opera House. Since then, he has worked on major urban development and transport projects around the globe. He worked in Australia and the UK before leading the firm’s expansion in the USA in 1988 as a Founding Principal of the New York office. He took over as Chairman of the Americas Region in 2004 and subsequently moved to Milan in 2011 to lead the firm’s European business. He was appointed Chairman of the Global Group in 2014.

David Sayer, Chairman High Growth Markets, KPMG UK LLP

David has had 26 years of experience as an adviser and practitioner. A key element of his role is to have regular discussions with major Banks around the world which give a perspective on the different strategies being adopted in a very challenging environment. After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant he joined Lloyds Bank on a Senior Executive Development program. This took him through branch management to roles including Marketing, Strategy, Director of Money Transmission and Chief Manager Scotland. He was a Commercial Banking manager, led the Banks strategy team for commercial banking and led the response on many major tenders for Money transmission. For the last 18 years he has been a partner leading teams advising Banks on major transformation programmes. He is member of the KPMG Board in the UK.

To register for this event please contact Tiara Azarine, tiara.azarine@asiahouse.co.uk.