MSMEStandards May 06 Webinar on Leadership, Legal, Financing & Digital Response for MSMEs – Meet the Discussants

From 11:30am tomorrow, the Convention on Business Integrity in partnership with Proshare and DealHQ will be hosting the #MSMEStandards #MSMEConversations “Crisis Response for MSMEs” Webinar.

Key focus areas to be discussed are:

This session is expected to provide an open uncharted guide on the skills, disposition and strategic approach that every business leader needs to take to tide through the pandemic in the face of business shut down, hemorrhaging revenues, financial distress and liquidity drain, rising debt profile, mental and emotional stress, inflexible wage bills, and planning with uncertainty.

There is unprecedented record of contractual breaches on account of the Pandemic and MSMEs could be on either side of the divide – How should SMEs respond to contract performance and enforcement especially when there may not be any sophisticated contracting approach for MSMEs that may have envisaged force majeure scenarios and how parties are to respond. Key questions that will be addressed include:

1. Force majeure or frustration?
2. How can a force majeure clause in a contract be enforced?
3. What will be the fate of contracts that do not have a force majeure clause?
4. What is the effect of invoking a force majeure clause in a contract where one party has fully performed?
5. What protection is there for the counterparty in a contract where force majeure is invoked by one party?
6. How does the doctrine of frustration protect contracting Parties where a force majeure clause does not exist?

Majority of small and medium scale business do not have sophisticated business continuity or disaster recovery strategy. Many struggle with defining appropriate responses to the lock down, yet the business world is agog with the noise of digital transformation

• Is affordability an impediment to digital transformation?
• Is the approach industry specific?
• Free tools. Are there any?
• How do we develop a digital strategy?
• How do we upskill our workforce remotely?
• Are all businesses capable of operating remotely?

Does Government owe a social obligation to provide interventions to MSMEs?

• How will MSMEs impact the recovery curve?
• How do we achieve data driven intervention?
• What kinds of interventions will achieve the most impact on the economy?
• Are lenders open to lowering interest rates or granting moratorium in the middle of a loan term?
• What are the chances of refinancing at lower rates?
• At risk security, will commercial banks enforce?

The MSMEStandards Webinar discussant’s profiles is as shown below:

Soji Apampa, Co-Founder & CEO

Soji Apampa co-founded The Convention on Business Integrity in 1997. He is an Executive Director for the Convention on Business Integrity and also serves as a Consultant on CBi projects. Mr. Apampa has served as a Senior Advisor to the UN Global Compact on the 10th Principle (anti-corruption) and consultant to the Inter-Agency Task Team of the Federal Republic of Nigeria tasked with the responsibility of developing a National Strategy to Combat Corruption. In his role as a consultant, Mr. Apampa has carried out numerous assignments for international organizations including the World Bank, DFID, UNDP, UN Global Compact, Heinrich Boell Foundation and many others.

Mr. Apampa has also worked in various roles in engineering, business and computing between 1987 and 2007. He was Managing Director of SAP Nigeria Ltd, and Regional Manager (West Africa), for SAP where he worked for 8 years since early 1999 championing ICT-supported governance reforms. Mr. Apampa graduated with a B.Eng. (Hons) in Civil & Structural Engineering from the University of Sheffield in 1987 and holds an MSc. in Governance & Finance from Liverpool John Moores University (2008) where he was member of faculty on the Corporate Governance Masters Programme at the European Center for Corporate Governance for one year. His research interests are in the area of Corporate Compliance and Political Economy Analyses in which he has led numerous, successful research projects.

Tosin Ajose, Lead Advisor, DealHQ

Tosin Ajose is a business lawyer with over a decade experience. She is well known for her commercial savvy, excellent analytical skills, vast transactional experience and her relentless desire to add value to her clients through innovative solutions, forward thinking and attention to details.

An astute public speaker and an IFLR ranked lawyer, with over 100 transactions to her credit across, corporate commercial, mergers & acquisition, private equity, capital markets, real estate, finance(project/corporate) and infrastructure practice areas.  Tosin, is a Partner and the Lead Advisor at DealHQ Partners, a transaction advisory firm in Lagos, Nigeria. She was recognized at the Nigerian Legal Awards as one of 40 under 40 lawyers in Nigeria in 2018 and in 2019 she was named “the Africa Woman in Real Estate” by API, South Africa.

Tosin, has done extensive policy work in the Financial Services space, first as a Legal Enabler under the Central Bank of Nigeria’s FSS 2020 initiative, subsequently as a professional member of the National Housing Finance Programme set up by the Federal Ministry of Finance with a mandate to overhaul the Nigerian mortgage finance sector, she is currently a volunteer with the Presidential Delivery Unit, office of the President Federal Republic of Nigeria and a member of the Mining thematic group of the National Economic Summit Group.  Tosin is a thought leader in the Real Estate, Construction and Capital Markets space, she holds to her credit several speaking engagements annually both within and outside the legal industry. Tosin is a regular resource person and trainer at the Pan African University (Lagos Business School) and a member of the Adjunct Faculty of the Centre for Housing Studies, University of Lagos, Nigeria.

Tosin is a member of the Institute of Directors, Nigeria and sits on the Board of 2 indigenous Nigerian companies and a not for profit board where her contributions to strategic thinking and governance are greatly acknowledged.

Esiri Agbeyi, Partner, PwC Nigeria

Esiri is a Partner with PwC Nigeria. She currently leads the International Tax Services team in Nigeria on structuring deals and transactions with several years of experience providing international tax services to multinational companies in various industry sectors including the oil and gas, private equity, telecommunications, retail and consumer sector. She worked with the International Tax Services team of PwC New York focused on Africa.

She also heads the People and Organisation operating unit in the Tax line of service in Nigeria and the Private Wealth Client Services team which provides specialised services to high net worth families, next generation family members and entrepreneurs. The team ensures they are well structured for current day realities and succession. Esiri mentors, writes articles and speaks regularly at conferences.

She holds a BSc (Hons) in Microbiology, University of Ibadan. She is a Fellow member of the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA), Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and the Chartered Institute of Taxation Nigeria (CITN). She has also gained professional education from London Business School and New York University.

Nkemdilim Begho, MD, Future Software

Nkemdilim Uwaje Begho is a seasoned Information Technology professional with over 15years of industry experience in Africa’s largest emerging economy. At home in technology from childhood, Nkemdilim is walking in her fathers’ footsteps as a second-generation Nigerian Information Technology expert. Her love for technology is ignited by a deep purpose – bridging the digital divide and transforming Nigeria and Africa by harnessing the benefits of digital.

She serves as the CEO of Future Software Resources Ltd. (Futuresoft), a full service digital & technology solutions company, providing a broad range of business solutions for the scaling African enterprise, to consistently attract and retain its target audience. Futuresoft has over 10 years of experience in designing and managing digital properties and online activities of businesses across various industries.

Futuresoft has serviced over 150 clients across 20 industries and has trained over 750

CEOs and executives in Digital Marketing & Social Media Marketing through a series of trainings, as Nkemdilim believes that Digital is the key to unlocking Africa’s potential. Under her leadership the company has been positioned as one of Nigeria’s leading IT & Dig i t a l Solu t ion Providers.

As a change catalyst with emerging economies perspective, passionate about driving innovation thinking, Nkemdilim believes that technology will be the key driver of African economic development over the next 10 years. As Committee Chair, Funding Framework for the Nigerian Technology Sector, NESG IT group; member of The Nigerian National IT Software Committee and; the Nigerian Electronic Voting Think Tank she actively contributes to the advancement of digitalization and shaping policy to support its inclusive delivery.

She has also been involved in various public sector initiatives and projects like the Wazobia Linux initiative, the E-Government Interoperability Framework Project and The NITDA Open Standards Framework Project and is currently championing a Funding Framework for the Nigerian Technology Sector.

Nkemdilim has spoken at over 100 expert conferences worldwide in the last 10 years, including the Annual African Development Bank Meetings, the European Commission, The Nigerian Economic Summit, The Harvard Africa Business Conference, The World Summit Awards, Social Media Week Lagos, Digital Africa Conference and YouthConnekt UN Conference to name a few. Whether as a panelist, moderator, or keynote speaker. Her areas of expertise are the 4th Industrial Revolution, Digitalisation, The use of Emerging Technologies in Africa, Technology as a key economic driver in Africa, Smart Infrastructure, Entrepreneurship and Technology, Education in the 21st century.

Nkemdilim also has 2 TEDx talks focused on using Social Media for Change as well as the Future of Education.

Beyond using technology as a transformation tool she is passionate about empowering

the next generation of Africans, which is why she is involved in mentorship programs and actively supports hundreds of young people every year through career & business advisory and mentoring programs such as W.TEC, Mara Mentor, Bryne Mentors, Spark Mentor, The Educate the State Initiative and many mor e.

In the last 5years she has stretched her wings beyond core technology and cofounded 3 thriving tech driven start ups – Anne Li Unique Ideas (www.alwaysme.ng – Manufacturing & Fashion), Compare Insurance Nigeria (www.compareinsurance.com.ng – Insurance) and Fucaire Lifestyle Ltd, – a Luxury marketing Consultancy and publisher of ASPIRE Luxury Magazine (www.aspireluxurymag.com).

In 2010 she co-founded The Bake for Change Development Foundation focused on empowering the less privileged through access to knowledge and education. The Foundation has given out 10 full educational scholarships and has set up 13 young entrepreneurs in their businesses through training and materials and hosts an annual spelling Bee & Reading Competition.

She is recognized a 2019 Obama African Leader, Forbes’s Top Ten Female Tech Founders to watch in Africa, Global Digital Women top 10 Most Inspiring Women in Africa, Lionesses of Africa top 100 Women, YTech Top 100 most Innovative in the Nigerian Tech space, ventures Africa 42 most Innovative Africans and has been named one of 8 Lord’s Achiever s in 2019, as well as one of the top 100 Most Influential People of African D es cent.

Ayo Bankole, Strategy Expert & Convener, Lagos SME Bootcamp

Ayo-Bankole is a Strategy & Transformation professional with 10years’ experience that cuts across various industries. He has a Certificate in Disruptive Strategy from the Harvard Business School, a Bachelor’s degree in Counseling and Political Science from the University of Ibadan, a Masters’ degree in Political science from the University of Lagos; and a Diploma in Software marketing from SAP/Zuili University in Spain. He is a Certified Management Consultant (CMC), a global certification awarded by the International Institute of Certified Management Consultants and a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants of Nigeria. He is a recipient of the Ooni of Ife Royal African Young Leadership Award, in recognition of his outstanding achievements in his career and contributions to SME growth in Nigeria.

Ayo currently works as the Head of Business Planning at Aiteo Group, a foremost integrated energy company, with interests in Oil & Gas exploration, production and marketing, mining, power, and infrastructure. Prior to joining Aiteo, he was the Group Head of Strategy at Consolidated Hallmark (CHI), one of Nigeria’s leading non-banking financial institutions; where his transformation initiatives led to a 24% annual growth in revenue, having flat-lined for five years, and the highest since the history of the company.

Prior to that, Ayo was the Head of Strategy at FMDQ Securities Exchange, one of Nigeria’s foremost capital market institutions, where he helped craft the diversification strategies that built the company into a fully integrated Exchange at the forefront of financial market innovation in Nigeria with almost 500% growth in revenues. Before his foray into financial services, Ayo led many strategy projects in consulting across various countries in Africa, working for KPMG, PwC, Phillips Consulting, and C2G Consulting (SAP Partner Company). He is also the founder of Caladium Consulting, a firm focused on supporting SMEs to achieve strategic growth. He has consulted for some of the world’s largest organisations on Strategy & Execution, Enterprise Transformation, Change Management, Process Improvement, Business Planning, Due Diligence, Merger & Acquisition, etc. His consulting experience cuts across Financial Services, ICT, Manufacturing, Energy, Education, Public Sector/Non-Profit, Entertainment & Media, DFIs, Gaming, etc. He has advised governments and multilateral organisations on how best to achieve strategic impact through project efficiency and effective public administration.

Ayo is the Convener of The Lagos SME Bootcamp, a free capacity building series targeted at helping SMEs develop requisite skills needed to position their businesses for strategic growth, reduce their risks of failure and contribute to Sustainable Development Goal 8. It brings together thought leaders to train & mentor SME Founders on skills such as Business Planning, Capital Raising, Tax, Technology, etc. Over 300 SMEs have been trained at the events and has received several accolades. He is also the Publisher of The Hedge Report, a publication that documents the #Top20opinionLeaders on Twitter, with the objective of increasing productive use of social media amongst Nigerian youths (read more on www.lagos-sme.com)

He is a frequent speaker, coach, and thought leader on topical issues, especially Strategy, Corporate & Public Governance, Career Management and Citizenship. His thoughts are regularly featured on both local and international media, including Aljazeera, BBC, South African Business Radio, Channels TV, AIT, Cool FM, ThisDay Newspapers, Guardian Newspapers, Nairametrics, The Cable, YNaija, Pulse, Nairaland, The International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), Punch Newspapers, Linda Ikeji and numerous others. He is passionate about eradicating corruption, driving change and good governance in Africa.

To participate, kindly register HERE msmeconversations.eventbrite.com. Do also send in your questions ahead to this email info@msmestandards.com

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