Global AI Summit on Africa

Fiona Muthoni Naringwa

Fiona is a CNBC Africa presenter and producer focusing on finance, technology, and business. She is well-known for her narrative abilities, having produced numerous high-quality reports and conducted insightful interviews. Fiona has worked as a presenter and producer for CNBC Africa in Johannesburg, Gauteng, Republic of South Africa, since May 2018. 

Prior to this position, she worked as a Communications Specialist at Arthur Nation Ltd in Kigali, Rwanda. Muthoni leads as the anchor for the mid-morning show while also producing and presenting two additional programs. Beyond her professional endeavours, Fiona's passion for writing has led to the publication of some of her articles on Taaarifa Online newspaper.

Fred Swaniker

Fred Swaniker is the Founder and CEO of Sand Technologies, a global technology company that builds enterprise-grade artificial intelligence applications for companies and governments worldwide. Fred has been recognized as one of the top 15 emerging social entrepreneurs in the world by Echoing Green, as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, as a TED Fellow, and as an Aspen Institute Fellow. He was recognized in 2019 as one of the ‘100 Most Influential People in the World’ by Time Magazine and again in 2023 with a “Time 100 Impact Award” for his work. Before launching Sand, Fred launched the African Leadership Group, an ecosystem of organizations that selects, develops, and connects Africa’s next generation of leaders.

Chinasa T. Okolo

A fellow in the Center for Technology Innovation in the Governance Studies program at Brookings and a recent computer science Ph.D. graduate from Cornell University. Her research examines how African governments can facilitate effective AI and data governance, investigates the socioeconomic impact of data work in the Majority World, and analyzes datafication and algorithmic marginalization in Africa. 

Okolo has been recognized as one of the world’s most influential people in AI by TIME, honoured in the inaugural Forbes “30 Under 30” AI list, and named one of 100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics™. She also contributes to a number of global efforts on AI governance. Okolo serves as a consulting expert with the African Union, contributing to the development of the AU-AI Continental Strategy for Africa.

Wambui Kinya

Is based in Kenya, is currently a General Manager at Google Search Africa. Wambui Kinya brings experience from previous roles at Elephant Ventures, Llc., Andela, Mozilla and Building Markets. Wambui Kinya holds a Principia College. With a robust skill set that includes Business Development, Payment Solutions, Services, Solutions, C++ and more.

Lavender Birike

Lavender Birike is a distinguished innovator and entrepreneur, renowned for her significant contributions to the insurtech and Agtech sectors in Africa. As the Co-founder & CEO of Klima360, she leads a company committed to transforming agriculture through innovation and resilience. Klima360's mission focuses on building resilient food systems capable of withstanding challenges such as climate change, resource scarcity, and market fluctuations. By leveraging cutting-edge technology and data-driven solutions, the company empowers farmers, communities, and stakeholders to ensure food security and sustainable growth. 

Hon. Claudette Irere

Hon. Claudette Irere is the current Minister of State for Education of Rwanda. Prior to her appointment, Minister Irere has been the Minister of State in charge of ICT and TVET since February 2020, following her service as the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of ICT and Innovation from 2018. Hon. Irere, who co-founded FabLab Rwanda and served as its general manager, previously also served as project manager at PSF-ICT Chamber, general manager at kLab and CR Manager at RwandaOnline (Current Irembo Ltd).

Daneil Hailu

Daniel brings strong leadership, stakeholder relationships, and a global executive presence based on his broad array of experiences, ranging from his time as a Commissioned Officer in the U.S. Air Force to having a successful international career with the GE Company. He spent the first eight years of his career with GE based in Houston, Texas in progressively senior commercial roles before relocating to Nairobi, Kenya in 2011 where he was the first ever East Africa Regional Manager for GE’s Oil & Gas business unit. While in Nairobi, Daniel was promoted to the role of Director, Localization and Sustainability/Organizational Transformation where he played a pivotal role in building out the business’s operational footprint across the Sub-Sahara region. In 2016, Daniel moved back ‘home’ to serve as Chief Executive Officer for GE in Ethiopia, responsible for leading operations across four GE business units active in the country.

Learn more about Daniel Hailu here.