Veronica Smith
CEO Critical Minerals Africa Group
Veronica holds a solid background of 20 years of Africa-focused trade and investment experience. She brings extensive knowledge of African trade relations and has advised African heads of state on their foreign direct investment approach to create and broaden opportunities for investment in Africa. Veronica has advised and led Africa investment strategies for several FTSE 100 companies, including De Beers, Anglo-American and Vodafone, among others.
She is currently consulting for several corporate clients as well as African governments seeking to create robust beneficiation strategies. Veronica recently supported the Government of Ghana in attracting industrial investors into key sectors of growth, including the Automotive, Pharmaceutical and Textile and Garments industries.
Veronica’s passion is to foster growth through trade and investment in Sub-Saharan African nations and sees no better opportunity for Africa’s economic advancement than the development of strong and sustainable critical minerals value chains. Veronica was recently recognised by the United Nations as a Top 100 Most Influential Person of African Descent in Business. Veronica is an advisory board member of Akojo Market, an Ambassador for the Halo Trust, a Non-Executive Director of ThirdwayCapital and CEO of The Critical Minerals Africa Group.
2025 Agenda Sessions
From mines to markets – positioning Africa as the world’s mineral partner of choice
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Africa as the energy partner of choice rather than necessity – how can an egalitarian approach help galvanize increased collaboration throughout the supply chain?
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What financing instruments can foreign partners provide to supply greater sums of concessional financing and to de-risk private sector investments?
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What else needs to be done to ensure the continent becomes the global mineral leader, and future-proof its industry?
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As foreign actors seek alternatives to minimize overreliance, does the continent risk losing its moment?
Monday 03 February 15:00 - 15:45 CTICC2
Intergovernmental Summit
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Africa as the energy partner of choice rather than necessity – how can an egalitarian approach help galvanize increased collaboration throughout the supply chain?
-
What financing instruments can foreign partners provide to supply greater sums of concessional financing and to de-risk private sector investments?
-
What else needs to be done to ensure the continent becomes the global mineral leader, and future-proof its industry?
-
As foreign actors seek alternatives to minimize overreliance, does the continent risk losing its moment?
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