World leaders to attend BUILD Africa Forum

Vicente Fox, former president of Mexico, is a visionary leader with a deep understanding of the economic and social challenges facing emerging economies. Fox is one of the world's most important voices on the contemporary geo-political landscape and the role of business in the developing world and will share his experience in developing Mexico's economy and industry and offer insights into the challenges and opportunities facing emerging economies.

Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, was appointed governor of the Nigerian Central Bank on 3 June 2009. Less than two months after his appointment, Sanusi led Central Bank's rescue of Afribank, Intercontinental Bank, Union Bank, Oceanic Bank and Finbank. He has been recognised as Central Bank Governor of the Year for Africa and in 2011, TIME Magazine recognised Sanusi as one of the 100 most influential people of year. Sanusi will offer insight into the possibility of an infrastructure bubble in Africa, considering whether it poses a real threat to the continent or is simply a groundless concern.

Advisor of IMF

Professor Xavier Sala-i-Martin, professor of Economics at Columbia University, New York, and chief economic advisor of the Centre for Global Competitiveness and Performance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, has spent his career teaching, researching world economics, and consulting with governments and international financial institutions. Besides his normal activities, he regularly advises the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. He will share his views on Africa's economic environment, and investment climate, and offer decision makers wishing to do business in Africa insights on competitiveness and innovation.

Approximately 500 leading policy-makers, investors, developers, and infrastructure operators will gather in Brazzaville and will include global players like Robert Gumede, founder and owner of Guma Group (South Africa); Otavio Azvedo, president of Andrade Gutierrez (Brazil); Mario Pezzini, director of the OECD Development Centre (France); Tas Anvaripour, director of AfDB's Africa50 Fund (Tunisia); Tewolde Gebremariam, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines (Ethiopia); and Cesare Trevisani, CEO of the Trevi Group (Italy).