The Inaugural PAFMA Conference

The moment

The Pan Africa Fund Managers Alliance conference brought fund managers, institutional investors, regulators, policymakers and development partners from across Africa to Nairobi under the theme “Unlocking Africa’s Wealth: The Power of Local Capital Mobilisation”, with a focus on strengthening domestic capital markets to finance development.

The inaugural edition launched the Africa Pensions and Asset Management Data Hub and ran sector-focused non-deal roadshows on regional investment opportunities. Planning time was short and the audience senior, so the event needed institutional credibility, operational precision and alignment with ESG principles. We worked with FSD Africa from concept refinement to delivery on site.

Delivering through partnership

We worked as an extension of the client team from venue search and venue mapping through to the run sheet, staying flexible through last-minute programme changes and solving venue constraints before they became problems. Registration, stage management, speaker transitions and audience engagement were all managed closely, with smooth handovers between the plenary, the Data Hub launch and the roadshow sessions, for a composed, credible conference that matched FSD Africa’s standing.

Sustainability at the core

The event followed FSD Africa’s ESG policies and the three Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle. Stage backdrops were printed on fabric rather than rigid board, name badges were biodegradable, and signage was designed to be used again, with PVC banners turned into bags afterwards. Delegate gifts were practical: cotton totes, kikois and reusable bottles.

Social sustainability mattered too. Alumni of The Events Academy joined the staffing team, gaining paid work and experience, Burundi drummers performed for delegates, and the venue and branding and production partners were all chosen for their sustainability credentials.

Delivered on a compressed timeline

Over two days, 270 senior delegates took part in a conference that showed high-level financial gatherings can combine institutional rigour with environmental responsibility, delivered within a compressed timeline.