Meet the Team
Hon. Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah
Kobby as he is popularly addressed has lived all his life in the city of Takoradi.
Educated from Services Primary Takoradi to MFANTSIPIM School in Cape Coast to the Kwame Nkrumah
University of Science & Technology (KNUST) and the University of Cape Coast (UCC)
He holds a Bachelor of Science (Hon) Degree in Biochemistry, a Masters Arts Degree in Law &
Development and a Diploma in Information Communication Technology from South Africa. Kobby is an
avid businessman and an advocate of Private.
Ana Manduley
Business Development Specialist (Spanish F/18 A/C/SH-2 Helicopters/HARM Missiles program, Japanese
Naval Program, Brazilian & Mexican & Peruvian Naval Programs), proposal management & wins
(Mexican Navy Usumasinta Tank Landing Ship, Chilean Air Force A/C Sales, Nucletron oncology units for
Brazil.)
Mr. Steven Blessing Ackah
Steven Blessing Ackah, is a Ghanaian based, award-winning young professional and award-winning
Africa Achievers Merit Award 2016. Steven was called by the leading Regional Peace-Building
Organization, (WANEP) and the Ghana National Peace Council, Kofi Annan Peacekeeping and Training
Centre and Legon.
Centre for Diplomacy as the youth representative to assist the Election Situation Room as an Electoral
Analyst and on the committee of youth and women during 2016 election held in Ghana a USAID
Coordinated Project.
Mr. Selim Fendi
Mr. Selim Fendi, a serial entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience on the American, European, Emirati, and African markets in the precious metal industry.
Mr. Fendi’s entrepreneurial career started in 1992 by working in a commercial real estate M&A in Canada covering the Caribbean market. Following the sale of his real estate interests he launched a new career in NYC by founding Alterama, a trading platform of precious metals and Forex, qualified for management of Derivatives, Futures and hedging products.
In 2010, he came back to Europe to oversee the setup of Forex, Oil & Gas and Precious Metals Desk at Market Securities in Geneva .
In 2013 he founded Noble Precious Metal in Dubai, regulated by the DMCC (Dubai Multi Commodities).
He established in Monaco in 2016 , the first gold refinery in Monaco Aurum
He is now a managing partner at Ghana Gold Expo, an initiative by the Ghana Western Regional Coordinating Council as a policy advocacy body focused mainly on Promoting Zero Mercury (Responsible Gold Production) in local mining, and providing a platform to advance against the application of the deadly chemical in mining in accordance with the Minamata Convention on Mercury and Gold trade traceability. They are strategically positioned to provide insights into central bank gold reserves optimization, and policies that help the bank of Ghana to purchase gold as liquid asset for its foreign reserve management.
And, CEO of Aurum Global Partners , AGP who provides clients with a full-service precious metals trading capability, standards, and a responsible sourcing programme to meet global access to the related financial markets through offices in London and in Monaco and different branches in Africa and Latin America.
AGP specialize in serving bullion wholesalers and traders, refiners and smelters, government agencies, banks, and financial institutions, jewellery manufacturers, and other industrial users of precious metals.
He is Treasurer of the Watch-Making and Jewellery Chamber of Monaco and member of the Taskforce of the Responsible Jewelry Council in London. Mr. Fendi regularly speaks at international precious metals industry conference
Nawal Ait-Hocine
An experienced and accomplished senior sustainability, legal & compliance professional with a reputation for delivering effective solutions in complex international environments.
A strategic minded, resourceful, commercially astute executive, with strong analytical, negotiation and influencing skills.
Able to operate at the most senior levels both within an international organisation and with third parties, and to create successful relations based on trust and a partnership approach.
Stéhane Brabant
Stéphane Brabant is the Senior Partner of Trinity International AARPI (Trinity Paris). Prior to joining Trinity Paris in 2021, Stéphane was a partner at Herbert Smith Freehills and held global key roles, including co-Chair of the Africa practice, Chair of Global Mining, Co-head of Business and Human Rights group and Head of the Crisis Management group for Africa.
Stéphane has over 30 years of experience as a projects and transactional lawyer, primarily in the mining and energy sectors in Africa, with a particular focus on the structuring of complex investments between multinationals and States, crisis prevention and management and dispute resolution (including arbitration).
Mrs Isabelle Strauss Kahn
FORMER LEAD FINANCIAL OFFICER, WORLD BANK
FORMER MARKETS OPERATIONS DIRECTOR, BANQUE DE FRANCE
Isabelle Strauss-Kahn is a consultant, expert in financial issues, particularly governance, policies and asset management. She also is the Treasurer of the Paris Advanced Studies Institute. She worked at the World Bank Treasury
(Lead Financial Officer: 2008-2018), the Banque de France (Market Operations Director: 2003-08; Deputy: 1999-2003; Head of Risk Management: 1995-99) and the Bank for International Settlements (Head of Middle Office: 1990-95). She received her MBA in France and graduated in Economics at the University of Chicago. She is a Board member of non-profit organizations.
Mr. Jeffrey Rhodes
After a career in the global precious metals industry spanning four decades working across four continents for major bullion banks and financial institutions.
Jeffrey founded Rhodes Precious Metals Consultancy DMCC in 2013 offering specialist advisory and management services to the global precious metals industry. RPMC’s wide range of clients has included Banks, Regulated Exchanges, Government Entities, Refineries, and Wholesale Bullion Traders.
Luiz Costa
Luiz Fernando Costa Macambira is a Brazilian-born entrepreneur, former commodity trader, investor, advisor, executive editor and publisher.
He is the CEO, Publisher and Executive Editor of the Monaco and Netherlands’ editions of the iconic FORBES magazine, a part of Forbes Media, a global media company with tradition of authoritative business journalism, focusing on news and information about business, investing, technology, entrepreneurial capitalism, leadership and affluent lifestyles .
He leads and oversees all aspects of FORBES operations in Monaco and the Netherlands including its business development, events, financial affairs, editorial and partnerships. Luiz has been involved in all phases of the development and establishment of the magazine since its inception.
He began his career in Miami, Florida as a commodity trader , later becoming one of the co-Founders of a commodity trading firm, which achieved a dominant position in several coffee markets.
Luiz has also founded in 2003 and currently co-manages “Jorgensen” (www.jorgensenfoods.com) , a Monaco based commodity trading firm, where he is responsible for overall strategy . He also leads the Jorgensen solutions business, which leverages the firm’s unique risk analytics capabilities and international commerce markets insights to develop brands such as “ Roger Moore” and “ Christian Audigier” .
He is a member of a number of Advisory Boards and he is fluent in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish and conversational level of Russian and Italian.
Specialties: Media & Publishing, Commodity Trading ,Emerging Markets Distribution and Penetration.
Agriculture commodities and Natural Resources investor.
Real Estate Developer and investor
Private Equity Advisory and Consulting
