Jersey Finance: Africa Community of Interest Group July 2022

Born in Liverpool, Allan has more than 25 years’ financial service experience in Jersey and the UK.

As Global Head of Business Development, Allan is responsible for overseeing the promotion of Jersey as a leading international finance centre across key strategic overseas markets including Africa, the Gulf region, Asia, the US and the UK.

Allan joined Jersey Finance in 2015 as Business Development Director, before being promoted to Regional Head – West, where he was responsible for overseeing the Africa, US and UK markets.

Prior to Jersey Finance, Allan spent five years with Barclays in Jersey, where he was Vice President and leader of the Jersey International business within Barclays Wealth & Investment Management division. Before this, he spent 20 years with Royal Bank of Scotland.

A keen runner in his spare time, Allan successfully completed the London Marathon in 2014 and 2016, while he is also Chairman of The Grace Crocker Family Support Foundation, a Director of Jersey 2 Africa 4 Football Foundation, and an advisor to the Cherie Blair Foundation’s 100,000 Women Campaign Board.

Faizal is a UK qualified lawyer and for many years has worked and advised, and is a trusted advisor to institutions, corporates and families across the Middle East, Africa and India. Faizal specialises in banking and finance and has advised corporates, family offices and families including on their international investment and holding structures.

Faizal is responsible for developing the strategy for Jersey Finance’s engagement in Africa, the Middle East and India. He is focussed on his key markets, regularly travelling to all these countries, liaising and working with key stakeholders, including public and private institutions, corporates and families, building long-term mutually beneficial relationships.

Based in Johannesburg, Dr Rufaro Nyakatawa’s primary focus is developing the strategy for Jersey Finance’s engagement in the South African market. She also plays a vital role in supporting the organisation’s wider activity across the continent.

Dr Nyakatawa is a multifaceted business consultant with more than 20 years’ experience working in financial services, specifically wealth management in large financial services companies in South Africa and across Africa. She joined Jersey Finance in 2021 and is responsible for business development in Africa, currently with a primary focus on South Africa.

An international speaker and thought leader, Dr Nyakatawa has been interviewed on various platforms including the BBC, CNBC, ENCA and various publications. She champions women’s issues as an Advisory Board Member of Women in Tech (SA Chapter) and an International Campaign Advisor for the Cherie Blair Foundation’s 100,000 Women Campaign Board, among others. She was recently elected by members to the Board of Directors of the Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa(FPI), she is a Non-Executive Director at Masthead and is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), CFA member and SAVCA member. She holds an MBA and PhD from the University of Cape Town.

Dr. Uche Igwe is a political economy analyst, legislative scholar and communications expert with twenty years of practical experience working with the parliament, government agencies, local and international non-governmental organisations, the media, research think tanks and the private sector. He holds a PhD degree in politics from the University of Sussex and a Master of Arts degree in Governance and Development from the prestigious Institute of Development Studies (IDS) also in Sussex. His thesis on the ethical landscape in the Nigerian parliament provided insight into how contextual politics and ethical heterogeneity can shape perceptions of corruption and anti-corruption, especially in countries with colonial footprints. He has consulted for the World Bank and many donor-funded projects in Nigeria. A former Africa Policy Scholar at Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars, Washington DC, Dr. Igwe currently serves on the Executive Consultative Group of the Blue Dot Network.