Rt. Hon. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga is the 1st Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Affairs of the Republic of Uganda. She plays a central role in coordinating Uganda’s engagement within the East African Community (EAC), advancing regional integration, and promoting cross-border trade and investment.

A seasoned lawyer, legislator, and advocate for inclusive economic growth, she served as Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda from 2011 to 2021, the first woman to hold this position. Over her three decades in public service, Rt. Hon. Kadaga has championed legislative reforms to improve governance, expand access to education and healthcare, and strengthen women’s participation in leadership.

In her current role, she focuses on accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) within the EAC, fostering regional infrastructure development, and promoting sustainable investments in priority sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, and renewable energy. She also represents Uganda in high-level diplomatic and trade forums, engaging with international partners to position East Africa as a competitive and collaborative economic bloc.

Rt. Hon. Kadaga holds a Master’s degree in Women’s Law from the University of Zimbabwe, a Bachelor of Laws from Makerere University, and a Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre, Kampala. She is recognised for her leadership in advancing gender equality, economic empowerment, and regional stability across Africa.

Hon. Fred Byamukama serves as the Minister of Works and Transport of the Republic of Uganda. His leadership is central to the development and delivery of Uganda’s transport infrastructure and road systems, logistics networks and strategic connectivity projects, and trade-enabling corridors.

His portfolio is directly linked to Uganda’s industrialisation and export-led growth agenda. Improving transport infrastructure and logistics efficiency is critical to reducing the cost of doing business, improving market access, and supporting investment across key sectors, including mining and manufacturing, energy and agriculture, as well as regional and international trade.

At UKAIS 2026, Hon. Byamukama will be a featured speaker in Session 2: The Critical Minerals and Infrastructure Deal Room Focus Area: Power-to-Mine, Downstream Refining, and Logistical Bankability, examining how regional transport corridors can unlock commercially viable mining, manufacturing, and energy projects.

Mr Nick Oliver is Managing Director of Globespan Infrastructure Ltd, a UK-based infrastructure company established to structure and deliver national infrastructure projects across Africa. The company was founded as an export-focused business and is currently involved in structuring and delivering significant infrastructure programmes on the continent.

Nick has more than 25 years’ experience in business development across Africa and the Far East. He recently retired as Joint Chair of the Department for Business and Trade’s Africa Infrastructure Board, having served in the role for many years, giving him a strong understanding of UK export capability, government-to-government engagement, and infrastructure finance.

Before his infrastructure career, Nick spent 20 years as a serving and reserve officer in the British Army with The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, passing out from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst where he won the Sword of Honour.

Hon. Hajjat Amina Mukalazi is Uganda’s Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development, responsible for Privatisation and Investment. Her portfolio places her at the centre of Uganda’s investment facilitation agenda, with responsibility linked to attracting quality investment, strengthening investor confidence, supporting private sector growth and advancing commercially viable opportunities.

Before assuming this ministerial role, Hon. Mukalazi was associated with Uganda’s local content and investment environment work, focusing on ensuring that Ugandan enterprises, workers and suppliers benefit from foreign direct investment, particularly in strategic sectors such as minerals, petroleum, industrial development and value addition.

At UKAIS 2026, Hon. Mukalazi will contribute to the flagship session, Financing the Trilateral Corridor: De-Risking JVs, Capital Deployment, and Market Access, bringing a government perspective on how Uganda can strengthen its investment climate and convert investor interest into confirmed capital.

Hon. Sanjay Tanna is Uganda’s Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives. He brings to Cabinet a strong private-sector background, political experience and a practical understanding of commerce, enterprise development and regional trade.

A respected businessman and former Member of Parliament for Tororo Municipality, Hon. Tanna leads one of Uganda’s most strategically important economic portfolios at a time when the country is focused on industrialisation, export growth, manufacturing competitiveness, value addition and private-sector-led transformation.

At UKAIS 2026, Hon. Tanna’s participation will add strategic weight to discussions on trade corridors, industrial platforms, mineral beneficiation, agro-processing, manufacturing, cooperatives and export-led growth, helping frame how Uganda can move from resource access to production and market expansion.

Youngsik Ahn is Director and Head of Sub-Saharan Africa, Export and Agency Finance at Citibank N.A., London Branch, based at Citigroup Centre, Canary Wharf, London. His work sits at the centre of export credit, agency-backed finance and structured lending for infrastructure and development-linked projects across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Through his role, Youngsik brings direct experience in the financing structures required to support large-scale infrastructure, industrial development, power, transport, processing, logistics and other strategic projects in African markets.

At UKAIS 2026, Youngsik Ahn will contribute to the session on Financing African Infrastructure: Export Credit, Agency Support and Bankable Project Structures, focusing on how agency-backed finance, multilateral partnerships, and risk mitigation support infrastructure development.

Mr Tim Hyde is Owner of B.E.S (Europe) Ltd, part of the BES Group, a UK-based engineering services company specialising in power generation, transmission, distribution and electrical infrastructure delivery across Africa and other emerging markets.

Tim joined BES Group in 2001 and brings extensive experience gained from 25 years of living and working in Africa. He has played a central role in initiating and expanding BES Group’s markets across Western, Eastern, Central and Southern Africa, building long-standing relationships with governments, utilities and commercial partners. In May 2024, Tim completed a management buy-out and became the sole shareholder of the business.

At UKAIS 2026, Mr Hyde will speak in the infrastructure session, contributing practical insight into power infrastructure, electrification, grid expansion, utility procurement and project delivery across African markets.

Loknath (Lok) Mishra is Chief Executive Officer of UBA UK. He is an accomplished international banking executive with extensive leadership experience across retail, corporate, transaction and investment banking in developed and emerging markets, having previously served as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ICICI Bank UK.

Throughout his career, Lok has held senior leadership positions including Group Head of Wholesale Banking and Global Head of Transaction Banking at ICICI Bank Limited in India. He has also led major digital banking initiatives across trade finance, cash management and retail banking.

In recognition of his contribution to financial services, Lok was conferred with the Freedom of the City of London. At UKAIS 2026, his perspective will bring practical insight into how banks can support UK–Africa trade flows, transaction banking, and structured financial corridors.