Development finance, advisory and research leaders join Power Africa Today at AEW 2026. 13th August 2026 Font size: - + The institutional architecture around African power investment has grown considerably more sophisticated in recent years, with multilateral lenders, specialized blended finance vehicles, global law firms and energy research houses all playing active roles in how projects are structured, financed and brought to market. Speakers confirmed for the Power Africa Today conference during African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 in Cape Town, October 12-16, represent the complete investment ecosystem at work across the continent. The World Bank's role in shaping Africa's power investment landscape is well established, and Infrastructure Program Leader Mirlan Aldayarov joins Power Africa Today as the institution expands its energy sector engagement. Aldayarov, a senior energy specialist who leads investment operations within the Bank's Energy and Extractives Global Practice, was closely involved in the $1.5 billion development policy loan approved for South Africa in July 2026 to support electricity sector reforms and grid governance. His participation at the conference connects the multilateral financing agenda to the national-level reforms being discussed across the program. The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), where Carol Koech serves as Vice President for Africa, has emerged as one of the more active mobilizers of blended finance for electrification and renewables on the continent. GEAPP and its partners have raised $100 million in funding directed toward Mission 300, the World Bank-led effort to connect 300 million people across Africa to electricity by the end of the decade. Koech, who joined GEAPP in August 2025 after leading Schneider Electric's East Africa business, brings two decades of experience in energy access and private-sector transformation to the Power Africa Today lineup. Closer to the project level, Mphokolo Makara, CEO of the SA-H2 Fund managed by Climate Fund Managers and Invest International, represents the next generation of blended finance vehicles targeting African energy infrastructure. The fund, which targets $1 billion in green hydrogen investment in South Africa, recently backed the development of the country's first wastewater-to-green-methanol facility and previously committed $20 million to the Hive Hydrogen Coega green ammonia project. Makara's presence at Power Africa Today brings the green hydrogen financing discussion into a broader conversation about how blended finance can unlock capital for emerging energy technologies. South Africa's Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) adds a domestic DFI perspective. Nina Yose, Acting Divisional Executive for Mining, Metals, Infrastructure and Energy, joins the conference as the IDC continues to finance energy and infrastructure projects across the country, including through the Junior Mining Exploration Fund that she oversees. The IDC's role in channeling public capital into projects that are not yet fully commercially bankable complements the multilateral and private capital represented elsewhere on the lineup. Rounding out the group from the advisory and research side, John Ngunjiri, an Associate in Norton Rose Fulbright's energy and infrastructure M&A practice and a member of the African Energy Chamber's Advisory Board, brings legal and transactional expertise. Norton Rose Fulbright, ranked in Band 1 for Africa-wide projects and energy by Chambers Global in 2026, advises on the deal structures and project finance arrangements that underpin large-scale African energy investments. Silvia Macri, Associate Director for Power and Renewables Research at S&P Global Energy, also joins the lineup with more than 12 years of coverage across African and Middle Eastern energy markets. Says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber, "The speakers at Power Africa Today reflect the full chain of expertise needed to get African power projects built - from the DFIs structuring the risk to the lawyers closing the deals to the analysts pricing the market." Power Africa Today brings together policymakers, utilities, investors and developers to address the regulatory, financial and infrastructural challenges of building interconnected electricity markets across the continent. Edited by Creamer Media Reporter Article Enquiry Email Article Save Article To advertise email [email protected] or click here Research Reports

Norton Rose Fulbright expands global insurance practice with addition of leading New York coverage disputes partner. Ned Kirk's arrival enhances the firm's global insurance team and builds on its complex coverage offering, including financial lines, directors and officers liability and representations-and-warranties insurance Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright today announced that litigation and disputes partner Ned Kirk has joined its New York office, further advancing the firm's global insurance offering and strategic focus on the industry. Ned represents domestic and international insurers and reinsurers in complex commercial disputes with a focus on matters involving representations-and-warranties insurance (R&W), specialty, bad faith, directors and officers liability (D&O) and financial institutions coverage. His addition broadens the firm's insurance disputes capabilities and complements its leading transactional and regulatory practices, enabling the firm to support clients across the full lifecycle of a matter-from underwriting and transactions through claims and disputes. "The insurance sector is a significant area of strategic investment for our firm, and the addition of Ned builds on the growth of both our transactional and disputes teams," said Jeff Cody, Norton Rose Fulbright's Global and US Managing Partner. "His experience strengthens our ability to provide sophisticated, integrated counsel as insurers face increasingly complex matters in the US and around the world." Ned arrives from Clyde & Co, where he worked with partners James Cooper and Mandip Singh Sagoo, who joined Norton Rose Fulbright's London office this year to add depth in complex coverage and representations-and-warranties insurance. Together, these incoming partners reinforce the firm's ability to support insurers on sophisticated cross-border disputes and claims worldwide. Ned's practice has a strong cross-border component, as he regularly advises insurers across the US, Europe and Asia on claims investigations, coverage litigation and arbitrations. He will help the firm's global insurance team give coordinated, multijurisdictional guidance to clients across a broad range of matters. "Ned's arrival continues the growth of our global insurance offering and reinforces our commitment to this important practice," said James Bateson, Norton Rose Fulbright's Global Head of Financial Institutions. "He will add further depth to our existing team in the US and globally as we seek to expand the support we provide insurers facing claims, disputes and investigations across major markets." Ned joins at a moment of heightened activity in the insurance sector, with R&W and coverage disputes an increasingly prominent area as deal flow and claims volumes rise. Those trends come as companies continue to face a rapidly evolving disputes landscape, a theme highlighted in Norton Rose Fulbright's recently released 2026 Annual Litigation Trends Survey: A midyear industry pulse. "The way Norton Rose Fulbright brings together insurance transactions and disputes creates a compelling platform for clients navigating complex risks," Ned commented. "That breadth is particularly valuable in the R&W space, where transactions, claims and coverage issues are often closely intertwined." Licensed in New York and Connecticut, Ned earned his law degree from the Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America and his bachelor's degree from Columbia University. Chambers USA recognized Ned for his insurance dispute resolution work on behalf of insurers in each of the last three years. Comprised of more than 350 lawyers, Norton Rose Fulbright's global insurance team advises on significant corporate, regulatory and transactional matters as well as complex claims, class actions, disputes and investigations. These lawyers combine acclaimed legal experience with deep industry knowledge to provide solutions to clients' most challenging issues. Practice areas:

Norton Rose Fulbright appoints Asia Pacific corporate partner Kate Jefferson in Sydney. Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright welcomes Asia Pacific-focused partner Kate Jefferson, who joins the firm's corporate team in Sydney. Kate is a senior transactional law partner with more than 20 years' experience advising clients on high-profile, cross-border M&A and capital markets transactions in Australia and Asia Pacific. Her experience includes private and public M&A, joint ventures, carve-outs, reorganisations, equity capital raisings and Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) governance requirements, with a particular focus on supporting clients in the life sciences and healthcare, technology and consumer markets industries. Kate joins from global law firm Baker McKenzie where she was co-head of the Australian healthcare and life sciences group and a member of the firm's Asia Pacific healthcare and life sciences steering committee. Her appointment follows the addition of new Norton Rose Fulbright partner Daniel Lin in May this year, working across Sydney and Tokyo and bringing a long history of advising clients on energy and infrastructure projects in Asia Pacific and a strong knowledge of Japan outbound M&A and financing matters. Norton Rose Fulbright Global Managing Partner; Managing Partner, Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific Peter Scott commented: "Kate's history of advising clients on complex corporate and M&A transactions across Asia Pacific will strengthen our cross-border corporate offering and our broader Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific (EMEAPAC) business. Her particular focus on the life sciences and healthcare industries dovetails with our strong global presence in these areas, as does her support of clients in technology and consumer markets." Norton Rose Fulbright Australia Country Head Marshall Bromwich commented: "I am delighted to welcome Kate to our firm. Kate's extensive experience as a highly respected M&A and capital markets partner, and vast knowledge of many of our key industries, will greatly assist our clients in Australia and regionally. Together with our recent appointment of Daniel Lin, Kate further strengthens our Asia Pacific corporate team." Kate commented: "The combination of Norton Rose Fulbright's strong global platform, well-established Australian corporate practice and ambition to grow in Asia-Pacific was a major drawcard for me. I look forward to the opportunity to continue my support of clients across the life sciences and healthcare, technology and consumer markets industries, working alongside the firm's corporate, regulatory and intellectual property partners." This announcement follows the appointment in Australia of partner Daniel Lin (energy and infrastructure, Sydney and Tokyo) in May; and Brad Robinson (banking and finance, Melbourne) in January 2026; and the 2025 appointments of partners Michael Gajic and Ashley Rose (public M&A and equity capital markets, Sydney) in June; and Kristina Mihalic (government, Canberra) in February. On 1 January 2026, Adele Gray (banking and finance, Melbourne), Fridoun Chee (corporate, M&A and securities, Sydney), Jiadi Liang and Veronica Seeto (government, Canberra), Daniel Posker (intellectual property, Sydney), and Jeremy Moller (risk advisory, Sydney) were promoted to partner in Australia. For further information please contact: Alex Boxsell, Head of Digital, Communications & Experience, Norton Rose Fulbright in Australia Practice areas: Industries: