Ahmed Heikal Named One of Africa’s Most Influential People in 2012
Pan-African current affairs magazine, New African, has named Ahmed Heikal one of the 100 Most Influential Africans of 2012, citing his “distinctly pan-African vision,” concrete achievements at portfolio company Rift Valley Railways, and his successful efforts to bring important Egyptian and African issues to the international stage.
Citadel Capital (CCAP.CA), the leading investment company in Africa, announced today that Founder and Chairman Ahmed Heikal has been named one of the 100 Most Influential Africans of 2012 in New African’s annual poll.
In its profile of Heikal, the magazine makes note of his “distinctly pan-African vision,” concrete achievements at portfolio company Rift Valley Railways, and his efforts to bring important Egyptian and African issues to the international stage.
“It is an honor to be included on the list of most influential Africans. I have always been conscious of the possibilities inherent in Africa, and to that end, Citadel Capital has striven to broaden investor interest in African opportunities particularly those that move away from pure commodities plays and towards infrastructure, manufacturing and other value-added projects that benefit every African while bringing excellent returns to the investment community,” said Heikal.
“I believe that there is no better time to invest in Africa, which stands today as a 1 billion-person-strong consumer market and will be home to the world’s largest working-age population by 2040. East Africa in particular offers some very attractive opportunities with its large population, abundance of natural resources and a better-developed infrastructure base,” adds Heikal.
The New African selected notable personalities in diverse sectors such as business, politics sports, media, science and civil society with an eye on those whose “actions and words can move markets and sway decisions.”
The list of dignitaries includes former UN Secretary General Kofi Anan, Reverend Desmond Tutu, Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, President Ali Bondo Ondimba of Gabon and Jim Ovia, Founder of Nigeria’s Zenith Bank.
Citadel Capital’s most notable African investments include Rift Valley Railways (RVR), the national railway of Kenya and Uganda, and Wafra, a platform for investment in the Sudanese agriculture industry with more than 500,000 feddans of farmland.
Citadel Capital is leading the turnaround of RVR, the Kenya- Uganda Railway, with a US$ 300 million five-year capital expenditure program to rehabilitate infrastructure and rolling stock in addition to acquiring new locomotives and wagons. The turnaround of the railway will help to dismantle barriers to cross-border trade and investment and open up the region.
