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Tuesday, April 23, 2013 - 1 p.m. EST
With tentative growth in developed markets and decelerating growth in emerging markets, frontier markets are increasingly commanding the interest of yield-hungry investors and growth-pursuing corporations alike. These markets are aptly compared to the emerging markets of 20 years ago and the macro-economic arguments for dealmakers are very strong. A large, youthful and increasingly wealthy consumer base, high economic growth rates and attractive valuations of local businesses all combine to fuel the interest of developed market investors and corporations.
When formulating and evaluating a frontier markets strategy, what criteria should dealmakers consider? These markets are not homogeneous - each presents its own unique set of challenges and opportunities. Business risks shift and expand from market to market. Building an enviable footprint in some markets can be extremely challenging. So, which geographies offer which sectors the most opportunity? What considerations should acquirers take into account at each stage of the deal process, from planning to post-close? What thresholds are critical to achieve when weighing the risks of frontier market investment with the promised financial rewards?
On April 23rd, with the help of leading private equity investors, strategic acquirers and advisors, we'll aim to answer these and other critical questions facing dealmakers as they fine-tune their strategies for 2013. After just 60 minutes, listeners will have a refreshed perspective on the opportunities offered by these markets, the strategic imperatives that need to be addressed and the risks that need to be mitigated.
Moderator:
Matt Miller
Editor-at-Large
The Deal
As editor-at-large at The Deal, Matt Miller has written feature
stories investigating the successes and struggles of major metropolitan
areas like Cleveland, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, San Diego and Boston, and
covered the bankruptcies of Catholic dioceses around the country
resulting from incidents of sexual abuse by priests.
Miller has
spent more than 25 years in business journalism, with much of that time
based in Asia for The Wall Street Journal Asia. He opened The Wall
Street Journal Asia's New Delhi bureau, was bureau chief in Manila and
an investigative reporter based in Hong Kong, where he broke stories on a
number of major financial scandals. He also was the Pacific Rim
correspondent for The San Diego Union-Tribune and has contributed to the
BBC, NPR, Institutional Investor, the Far Eastern Economic Review and
the Los Angeles Times.
Sarah Alexander
Managing Director
Abraaj Capital
Sarah Alexander drives the Group's engagement with North American stakeholders, drawing on her extensive knowledge of private equity investing in growth economies to represent the market opportunity with institutional investors, educational institutions, not-for profit groups and the media.
Prior to joining The Abraaj Group, Ms. Alexander was instrumental in creating the Emerging Markets Private Equity Association (EMPEA), the leading provider of authoritative information and insight into the opportunities in the private equity industry in emerging and growth economies. As Founding President and CEO, she grew the organization to more than 300 member firms representing 60 countries and more than US$1 trillion in assets under management, while developing the industry's leading research products and programs.
Previously, she was a private equity investor in Asia, and worked with the World Bank Group, the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. House of Representatives. She received an MBA from Harvard Business School, a Masters of Public Administration from Princeton University, and a BA, summa cum laude, from Emory University. She is a member of the Bretton Woods Committee, and a Trustee of Meridian International Center in Washington, DC.
Adam Choppin
President
Fronteira Global
Adam Choppin (pr: 'Shōw-păn'), is the owner and President of Fronteira Global, a boutique investment advisory firm focused on opportunities in selected emerging and frontier markets in South America, Africa, and the Middle East. Fronteira Global provides portfolio strategies, customized business development, political risk analysis, and capital markets advising for investors worldwide. Fronteira Global believes that thoughtful emerging and frontier markets investing can deliver higher returns with lower risk than the generally accepted market wisdom.
Prior to founding Fronteira Global, Mr. Choppin previously worked for several U.S. Government agencies including as a trade and economic affairs liaison in Iraq, Afghanistan, Cape Verde, Sierra Leone, Ghana, and Mozambique.
Mr. Choppin earned his B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California (USC); his M.A. in International Economics and Business from Yale University; and a post-graduate Diploma in Finance from the London School of Economics.
M. Caglar Somek
Partner and Global Portfolio Manager
Caravel Management LLC
Mr. Caglar Somek is responsible for overseeing Caravel's portfolio adding his insight and expertise to the analysis of stocks across the 30+ beyond BRIC emerging and frontier markets in the Caravel universe. In addition, Caglar helps manage a team of six analysts who have regional coverage responsibilities. Prior to joining Caravel, Caglar was a Vice President, Senior Investment Analyst at Goldman Sachs Asset Management International focusing on the Asia Pacific ex-Japan region with broad research responsibilities.
