Thilasoni Chikwanda

I worked for the International Finance Corporation as Sector Leader, Sub Sahara Africa, for Oil, Gas & Mining (OGM) Corporate Advice and later Sustainability Advisory – promoting investments, project risk mitigation, economic development, sustainability and good governance in OGM IFC projects. This exposed me to Project Finance and I participated in Business Development for large and mega projects / investment (country changing) transactions relating to mineral resource, infrastructure and energy. I developed a specialization in local content (integrating SMEs in local supply chains for MNC) and local supply chain development for OGM projects. I worked in different and complex business environments including in Angola, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Tanzania, Nigeria, Mozambique, Zambia, South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea and Ghana. My clients included BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Vale, ExxonMobil, Statoil, Sasol, First Quantum, Glencore, Lonmin, Newmont, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporations, Ghana Chamber of Mines, Mineral Commission of Ghana, Mozambique Investment Promotions Agency, SAB Miller/Cervejas de Moçambique and Coca-Cola Sabco. The projects under my portfolio and management have received recognition from various leading standard bearers like World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), Nedbank Green Award, the Chartered Institute of Purchasing, the Royal Institute of International Affairs, and Supply and Dow Jones Sustainability Index. I have provided advice and advisory to industry leaders and executives on numerous projects and transactions.