In this Issue:
- Reframing Africa’s Investment Outlook
- Africa at Milken Institute Global Conference 2026
- Global Financial Scholars Graduation: 10 Years of Impact
- Publications and ALC Thought Leadership
- Looking Back at Spring 2026
- Upcoming Engagements
Reframing Africa’s Investment Outlook
On June 16 in London, in partnership with Bank of America and ImpactA Global, Milken Institute held an intimate session at the Royal Overseas Club for our Africa Leadership Council and Europe Business Council members, focused on reframing Africa's investment outlook. This conversation was one of many touchpoints held throughout the year with our members, building on the productive discussions initiated at our Global Conference in Beverly Hills a month prior.
The event unpacked key macro trends on the continent and investigated the compelling investment opportunity presented by Africa, even in a time of geopolitical fragmentation. Milken Institute’s Simon Radford moderated a dynamic conversation with British Robinson, Charlie Robertson of Equity Bank; Victoria Miles of ImpactA Global, and Yvonne Ike and Tatonga Rusike of Bank of America.
Africa at Milken Institute Global Conference 2026
At the 2026 Global Conference, Milken Institute Africa brought together investors, fund managers, and industry leaders for a series of high-impact conversations on capital mobilization, flagship initiatives, and the future of long-term investment across the continent.
We kicked off the week with What Matters Now, featuring a fireside conversation between Samaila Zubairu, president and CEO of the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), and Robinson, chair of Milken Institute Africa, to demystify the African investment opportunity for the Milken Institute network of global investors.
Our Africa Stakeholders Dinner set the tone for the days ahead, bringing together members of our Africa Leadership Council and other high-level stakeholders, including Amb. John Giordano, the current US ambassador to Namibia, for a candid dinner conversation in Beverly Hills.
On Tuesday, the “Investing in the Next Generation of African Fund Managers” session brought together a curated group of African fund managers currently in raise alongside interested investors and strategic partners, to discuss how to scale investment in Africa's top fund managers and deepen understanding of performance and opportunities across different asset classes.
Later that afternoon, “Global Investor's View: Africa” convened leading private investors to share their perspectives on Africa's rapidly evolving investment landscape. The session provided an opportunity to examine opportunities and challenges across trade and value chains, infrastructure, regulatory environments, demographics, and technology, while exploring how global and local factors shape investment decision-making on the continent.
We ended the day with “Why Africa, Why Now: Investing in the World's Next Growth Engine”—one of the week's most energizing conversations. Panelists made a compelling case for Africa as a core destination for long-term capital, moving beyond outdated risk perceptions to highlight high-yield opportunities in infrastructure, energy, and critical minerals while examining how African institutions are reshaping capital markets from within.
On Wednesday, innovation took center stage during the “Capital Market Game Changers: Future of Finance Pitch Competition,” where our recently graduated Global Financial Scholars pitched implementation-ready financial reforms and structures to a panel of global business leaders.
We wrapped our sessions with “Culture Is Capital: Investing in Africa’s Booming Creative Economy,” which explored the commercial scale of Africa’s creative economy. From music to film production, panelists discussed how to best mobilize capital for this rapidly growing sector, which offers compelling financial returns and significant potential for job creation and economic growth.
Global Financial Scholars Graduations: 10 Years of Impact
June 15, 2026
The fourth cohort of World Bank-Milken Institute Public Financial Asset Management Scholars graduated at The Ned in London, on June 15. This year's cohort brought together rising leaders from central banks, pension funds, and sovereign wealth funds across 13 countries. The graduation began with a welcoming keynote by British Robinson, followed by a panel discussion with three graduating scholars. We appreciate the involvement of the 15 partners who kindly hosted scholars as interns this Spring: Banca d’Italia, Albourne Partners, Allianz Global Investors, Lane Clark & Peacock, BNP Paribas, Fitch Ratings, GoldenTree Asset Management, ImpactA Global, World Gold Council, Bloomberg, Coller Capital, Coller Pensions Institute, Development Guarantee Group, Lion’s Head Global Partners, and Liquidity & Sustainability Facility.
April 28–29, 2026
The 13th cohort of International Finance Corporation (IFC)–Milken Institute Capital Markets Scholars presented their capstone projects on April 28 at Georgetown University and formally graduated from the program on April 29 at IFC headquarters in Washington, DC. The cohort included 25 rising financial policymakers from 21 countries, representing central banks, financial regulators, ministries of finance, and stock exchanges.
This graduation featured remarks from Robinson and Jorge Familiar, vice president and treasurer of the World Bank Group, and Lael Brainard, former vice chair of the Federal Reserve, as the commencement speaker, and celebrated the scholars’ accomplishments alongside partners and internship hosts. We are grateful to the 19 firms that hosted our US Scholars as interns during spring 2026, including five partners new to the program: Artisan Partners, KGI Asset Management, Valor Capital, and Africa Leadership Council members Cisco and Liberty Bank & Trust Company.
In this tenth anniversary year of the Milken Institute’s Global Financial Scholars Programs, it was a privilege to mark both of these milestone graduations together—and to celebrate a remarkable cohort of scholars who are now returning to their countries to actively shape the future of their nations' financial institutions.
Three graduating scholars spoke at the event, sharing their reflections on their time in the program and how it will help them contribute to building strong economies upon their return home. Robinson, along with leadership from the World Bank and Bayes Business School, also delivered remarks.
Congratulations to both of this year’s graduating cohorts!
Publications and ALC Thought Leadership
At our 2026 Global Conference in Beverly Hills, CA, we were thrilled to feature three compelling essays by our conference speakers and Africa Leadership Council members, as part of the Institute’s annual Power of Ideas publication:
- Building the Future Now: Africa’s Leadership in a Fragmented World by Samaila Zubairu, president and CEO, Africa Finance Corporation
- When Capital Moves Together by Courtney Powell, CEO and managing partner, 500 Global
- Good Leaders Should Ask Themselves: Am I Creating Problems or Solving Them? by Matthias Berninger, executive vice president, Public Affairs and Sustainability, Bayer
In addition, Milken Institute Africa published short Insights pieces on philanthropic capital, trade, and agricultural investment opportunities across the continent:
- From Unilateral Trade Preferences to Supply Chain Partnership: Reimagining AGOA
- Putting Philanthropic Dollars to Work: Future-Building for African Prosperity
- Billion-Dollar Opportunities to Close Africa’s Agriculture Financing Gap
- Putting Billions Back to Work on Africa’s Balance Sheet
Looking Back at Spring 2026
NASP Annual Financial Services Conference
From June 8–9, 2026, Robinson attended the 37th National Association of Securities Professionals (NASP) Annual Financial Services Conference in Detroit, MI.
As NASP’s flagship event and a premier forum where meaningful connections drive real business outcomes, the conference featured Robinson as a panelist in the session "US-Africa Outlook: Geopolitics, Capital Flows, and Opportunity" dialogue. She joined Kendra Gaither, president of the US-Africa Business Center at the US Chamber of Commerce, and Ndumiso Kubheka, head of the economic desk at the Association of Black Securities and Investment Professionals. The discussion was moderated by Orim Graves, investment member of the Detroit Police and Fire Retirement System.
The session focused on understanding macro-political drivers, identifying structural shifts in capital flows, and translating geopolitical trends into actionable portfolio considerations. During her remarks, Robinson challenged common misperceptions by emphasizing that Africa is a diverse continent of 54 countries and approximately 1.5 billion people. She also highlighted the US government's shift toward a more commercially focused investment strategy. Robinson urged investment professionals to set aside preconceived ideas, examine the strong, decade-plus track records of established African fund managers, and provide institutional investors with the tools and platforms needed to allocate capital more effectively.
Africa CEO Forum
From May 14–15 2026, Robinson joined global leaders at the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, alongside María José Ochoa, director of Government Affairs at the Milken Institute. Throughout the forum, Robinson emphasized that bridging the gap between African ambition and global capital is essential to the continent’s economic transformation. From moderating panels to engaging in strategic bilateral meetings, the week was defined by a commitment to public-private partnerships and systemic growth.
On Thursday, May 14, Robinson moderated a conversation with Sewit Ahderom, CEO of the Mastercard Foundation, on the evolution of finance and policy to support entrepreneurs addressing climate and employment challenges.
Following this discussion, Robinson moderated a session with Serge Ekué, president of the West African Development Bank, addressing the challenge of housing 950 million new urban residents by 2050 through local-currency finance and domestic value chains. The day concluded with Robinson moderating the panel “The $1 Trillion Housing Bridge: Financing Africa’s Real Estate Solutions,” which reframed Africa's 50-million-unit housing deficit as a premier investment opportunity.
The core takeaway from the Africa CEO Forum was clear: Africa’s future depends on turning innovative breakthroughs into scalable systems. This is ensured by continuing to foster strategic public-private partnerships and mobilizing international and African capital; thus, the continent can move beyond niche solutions to achieve lasting, sovereign growth.
Skoll World Forum USGLC Panel
On April 22, 2026, Robinson joined the Skoll World Forum at Oxford as a featured speaker on the US Global Leadership Coalition’s (USGLC) panel, “Navigating the New Frontiers in International Assistance.” Alongside moderator Liz Schrayer, president and CEO of USGLC, the conversation examined the evolving landscape of official development assistance and the critical intersection of diplomacy, economic growth, and global stability. The discussion explored how governments are modernizing their strategies to meet contemporary challenges by leveraging public-private partnerships, private philanthropy, and diverse capital streams.
“The goal of public-private partnerships was always to help bring additional capital and knowledge to accelerate development. We all know that individually we don't have the capital alone to drive transformation on the continent; partnerships with international and African capital will remain key to achieving scaled impact.” —British A. Robinson
Africa Roundtables During World Bank–IMF Spring Meetings
The Africa team hosted four substantive workshops on the sidelines of the World Bank–International Monetary Fund Spring Meetings in Washington, DC, in April.
The week opened with a session on women’s health in Africa, held in collaboration with Milken Institute Health and the Women’s Foreign Policy Group, and focused on advancing access, equity, and innovation. Moderated by Robinson, the discussion featured opening remarks by Jill Biden, former first lady of the United States and chair of the Milken Institute’s Women’s Health Network, alongside global leaders in health and development, including Esther Krofah, executive vice president of Milken Institute Health.
Over the following days, the Milken Institute Africa team convened three additional roundtables in partnership with members of the Africa Leadership Council, including the AFC, Bayer AG, and Nuveen Natural Capital, as well as the Emerging Markets and Developing Economies (EMDE) Public Markets Coalition, to explore key drivers of growth and investment across Africa.
These discussions included strategies and opportunities for scaling investment in innovative agricultural technologies across Africa, featuring senior representatives from Bayer AG, Nuveen Natural Capital, Hello Tractor, the Shell Foundation, and the World Bank Group.
Participants also explored ways to mobilize institutional capital to advance African infrastructure as both a local and global asset class. The discussion included participation from the AFC, cochair of the Africa Leadership Council Infrastructure Taskforce, as well as African Leadership Council members, including Africa50, Bank of America, CrossBoundary Group, Glencore, Liberty Bank & Trust Company, Lion’s Head Global Partners, SkyKapital, and Tofino Capital. Representatives from sovereign wealth funds in Morocco and Nigeria also participated, along with Zambia’s Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance Mulele Mulele.
Another discussion, organized in partnership with the EMDE Public Markets Coalition and moderated by Cameron Khosrowshahi, chairman of the EMDE Public Markets Coalition, examined how public capital markets can be strengthened as a tool for scaling development finance across Africa. It featured insights from Leslie Maasdorp, CEO, British International Investment; Tom Ceusters, chief investment officer, World Bank Group; and representatives from Africa50, the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Private Infrastructure Development Group, and IDB Invest, among others.
March 25–27, 2026 | African Diaspora Investment Symposium in Santa Clara, CA
Robinson attended the African Diaspora Investment Symposium in Santa Clara, CA, as a keynote speaker. She was also recognized and honored as a recipient of the African Diaspora Luminaire Award. This award recognizes individuals who have made a significant difference through leadership in their field, their commitment to ADN, and/or through their leadership and advancements.
March 19, 2026 | Welcoming President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf at the Milken Institute
Robinson met with former Liberian president and Nobel Peace Laureate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa's first elected female head of state. President Sirleaf participated in a private discussion with Robinson on shared priorities for governance and economic growth in Africa. She also toured the Milken Center with Robinson, Esther Krofah, and Maria Jose Ochoa.
March 12, 2026 | Africa Leadership Council Virtual Meeting
Members of the Africa Leadership Council (representing 14 companies at C-suite level) gathered for a private quarterly meeting, where members discussed key elements of Milken Institute’s Africa strategy and how they could contribute to the ALC platform. Members also discussed key upcoming initiatives and programming, including at the Global Conference, and shared their enthusiasm for coordinating projects across member organizations, on research, policy development, and investment opportunities.
March 2, 2026 | US Strategic Competitiveness: DFC Reauthorization
Alongside Milken Institute Finance and Government Affairs leadership, Robinson contributed to Milken Institute Africa’s strategic perspectives during a policy dinner dialogue on US strategic competitiveness and the reauthorization of the US International Development Finance Corporation.
February 27, 2026 | Milken Institute Africa featured in Bloomberg Next Africa
Robinson was featured in Bloomberg Next Africa’s episode, “Critical Minerals: Africa's Strategic Moment,” alongside a distinguished lineup that included Robert Friedland, founder of Ivanhoe Mines; Bogolo Kenewendo, Botswana's minister of minerals and energy; Samaila Zubairu, CEO of the Africa Finance Corporation; and others.
February 25, 2026 | Norwegian-African Business Outlook 2026
Robinson spoke on a panel at the Norwegian-African Business Outlook 2026 conference, addressing key trade and security questions shaping Africa’s future. Topics included how intensified trade policies and geopolitical competition are affecting the continent's value chains and foreign investment flows across critical minerals, digital infrastructure, and other strategic sectors.
On the sidelines of the conference, Robinson met with leaders from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss the importance of public-private collaboration in strengthening Norway-Africa economic ties.
Upcoming Engagements
August 31, 2026 | Washington, DC: 15th cohort of IFC-Milken Institute Capital Market Scholars begin coursework at Georgetown University
September 14, 2026 | London, UK: 5th cohort of World Bank–Milken Institute Public Financial Asset Management Scholars begin coursework at Bayes Business School
September 24, 2026 | New York, NY: World Bank–Milken Institute Global Financial Scholars Program 10-Year Anniversary Gala Dinner
November 2026 | IFC-Milken Institute Capital Markets Program: “Kenya Country Chapter Policy Dialogue on Infrastructure Financing”