Breakout 1
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Saturday
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9:00 am
Aldrich 112

Weaving the Future: Creating Africa’s Fashion Blueprint from Within

Despite flashes of global attention, African fashion brands often struggle to achieve lasting prominence. Too often, Africa’s fashion industry is measured against Western frameworks - fashion houses, fashion weeks, and global runways - that fail to align with the continent’s unique resources, market dynamics, and strengths like sustainability and local artisanship. This panel will challenge these conventions, exploring how African brands can forge a resilient and distinctly African fashion ecosystem by harnessing the talent, traditions, and opportunities already present within the continent, to create a model that thrives locally and competes globally.

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Weaving the Future: Creating Africa’s Fashion Blueprint from Within

Despite flashes of global attention, African fashion brands often struggle to achieve lasting prominence. Too often, Africa’s fashion industry is measured against Western frameworks - fashion houses, fashion weeks, and global runways - that fail to align with the continent’s unique resources, market dynamics, and strengths like sustainability and local artisanship. This panel will challenge these conventions, exploring how African brands can forge a resilient and distinctly African fashion ecosystem by harnessing the talent, traditions, and opportunities already present within the continent, to create a model that thrives locally and competes globally.

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America/New_York
Feb 15, 2025 9:00 AM
Aldrich 112

Other Sessions

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Breakout 2
|
Saturday
|
1:30 pm
Spangler Auditorium
Tech
Owning the AI Transition: Compute, Talent, and Market Formation in Africa
How Africa can lead in AI through compute infrastructure, talent development, and market creation.
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Owning the AI Transition: Compute, Talent, and Market Formation in Africa

As the global AI race intensifies, Africa has a unique opportunity to own its AI transition rather than be a passive recipient of technology built elsewhere. This panel brings together leaders in AI infrastructure, talent development, and market formation to explore how the continent can build the compute capacity, cultivate the technical talent, and create the market conditions needed to compete and lead in the AI era.

America/New_York
Mar 28, 2026 1:30 PM
Spangler Auditorium
More Info
Breakout 2
|
Saturday
|
1:30 pm
Aldrich 108
Geopolitics
Africa's Critical Minerals: The Long Game Toward Structural Change
Africa's strategic position in the global race for critical minerals.
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Africa's Critical Minerals: The Long Game Toward Structural Change

Africa holds a disproportionate share of the world's critical minerals essential for the global energy transition, from cobalt and lithium to rare earth elements. This panel examines how African nations can leverage their mineral wealth strategically — ensuring equitable partnerships, local value addition, and sovereign control over resources that will shape the global economy for decades to come.

America/New_York
Mar 28, 2026 1:30 PM
Aldrich 108
More Info
Keynotes
|
Saturday
|
10:15 am
Klarman Auditorium
Finance
Keynote | Capital, Control, and Africa's Economic Agency
Join Moulay Mhamed Elalamy and Tope Lawani for a keynote exploring capital, control, and Africa's economic agency.
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Keynote | Capital, Control, and Africa's Economic Agency

Join Moulay Mhamed Elalamy, CEO of Saham Group, Tope Lawani, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Helios Investment Partners, and Yvonne Ike, Managing Director, Head of Sub Saharan Africa, Bank of America for a keynote exploring the dynamics of capital, control, and economic agency across the African continent.

America/New_York
Mar 28, 2026 10:15 AM
Klarman Auditorium
More Info
Breakout 3
|
Saturday
|
2:30 pm
Aldrich 112
Culture
Architects of Culture: Building the Next Generation of African Creatives and Thriving Creative Communities
How African creatives are building thriving communities and shaping global culture.
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Architects of Culture: Building the Next Generation of African Creatives and Thriving Creative Communities

Africa's creative economy is surging, driven by a new generation of artists, designers, and cultural entrepreneurs who are building communities and platforms that amplify African creativity on the global stage. This panel brings together leading creatives to discuss how they are building sustainable careers, fostering creative communities, and ensuring that African voices shape the future of global culture.

America/New_York
Mar 28, 2026 2:30 PM
Aldrich 112
Strong bonds

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