Connect with us
Anglostratits

Business

Filippo Bof, Head of Business Development at Shell Trading and Shipping to Speak at African Energy Week (AEW)

Published

on

Filippo Bof

Bof will provide valuable insights into Shell’s business development in Africa and he will share expertise on various aspects, including commercial support, financing, working capital, terminalling, and logistics

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, June 21, 2023/APO Group/ — 

Filippo Bof, Head of Business Development at Shell Trading and Shipping will play a pivotal role in highlighting Africa as a thriving energy frontier during the African Energy Week. His contributions will focus on the company’s collaborative initiatives with refiners to accelerate investments in the sector.

Shell, a prominent British multinational oil and gas company with a significant presence in Africa, is intensifying its efforts in exploration and production (E&P), refining, trading, marketing, and distribution activities on the continent. Recognizing Shell’s commitment, the African Energy Chamber (AEC) is delighted to announce the participation of Filippo Bof, Head of Business Development at Shell Trading and Shipping Company, a subsidiary of Shell, as a speaker at the esteemed African Energy Week (AEW). As Africa’s premier energy event, scheduled for October 16-20, 2023, in Cape Town, AEW will serve as a platform for influential African leaders and global influencers to shape the future of Africa’s energy landscape.

Bof, with his extensive experience at Shell and Shell Trading and Shipping and a deep understanding of the African energy sector, emerges as a key contributor to the growth of the industry in Africa. His tenure at Shell began as a Commercial Interface and Trading Manager, where he played a vital role in shaping commercial strategies and managing trading activities. His contributions led to his promotion as a Business Development Manager and then Head of Business Development at Shell Trading and Shipping, where he further honed his skills in identifying growth opportunities and driving business expansion.

Prior to his time at Shell, Bof has had a decade’s worth of experience at Eni, another major player in the energy sector. As an Oil Export and Shipping Manager at Eni Nigeria, he demonstrated his expertise in managing export operations and coordinating shipping activities. Bof’s proficiency in the field earned him the role of Upstream Commercial Area Coordinator, where he oversaw commercial activities and played a pivotal role in maximizing value from upstream operations.

Shell’s presence in Africa demonstrates the significant opportunities the continent offers in terms of energy resources and trading activities

With this experience, he has forged strong partnerships with producers and refiners across the region. Bof’s expertise spans various areas, including providing commercial support, financing, working capital, terminalling, and logistics solutions. This experience is particularly important in Africa’s energy sector as Shell has a presence in many African countries, including Egypt, Mauritania, South Africa, Nigeria and Namibia to name a few. As Africa’s energy sector is projected to grow, having expertise and effective management is vital for capitalizing on this growth and achieving successful outcomes regarding exploring, producing, refining, and trading oil and gas products.

Strengthening its presence in the MSGBC region, Shell signed an E&P contract with the Ministry of Petroleum, Mines and Energy in February to conduct exploration activities in Block C2 offshore Mauritania. As part of the agreement, Shell now holds a 75% stake in the block, while the Mauritanian government retains a 25% share. Block C2 is positioned to the south of Block C10, where Shell is currently conducting exploration activities, and to the east of Block C8, which has witnessed substantial discoveries. Shell Trading and Shipping’s involvement in this would include leveraging its expertise in trading and optimization of energy commodities in support of the exploration activities in the region.

Another noteworthy achievement by Shell is the discovery of light oil in Namibia’s Orange Basin, in the Graff – 1X Well, located block 2913A. By partnering with Qatar Energy and the national petroleum corporation of Namibia on this discovery, the company is demonstrating its commitment to partnerships and collaborations to drive the sector forward. Meanwhile its presence and range of services in South Africa spans over more than a century, primarily involved in the downstream sector of the energy industry. This includes activities such as refining, distribution and marketing of petroleum products. Shell operates the Sapref refinery, jointly owned by Shell and bp, one of the largest refineries in South Africa, which processes crude oil into various refined products like gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and lubricants. With the advancements in these countries, Shell Trading and Shipping harnesses their expertise in trading, shipping, and logistics to play a vital role in the facilitation of the distribution of these petroleum products.

Stepping into this picture, at AEW Bof will provide valuable insights into Shell’s business development in Africa and he will share expertise on various aspects, including commercial support, financing, working capital, terminalling, and logistics.

“The Chamber is delighted with the attendance of Bof and the presence of Shell at the AEW. It highlights the importance of collaboration between local and international entities in unlocking Africa’s energy potential. Shell’s presence in Africa demonstrates the significant opportunities the continent offers in terms of energy resources and trading activities. The company also understands the vital role that hydrocarbons will continue to play in Africa’s energy sector in order to meet its fuel and electricity needs,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC, adding that “The participation by Shell – represented by Bof, underscores the commitment to drive sustainable development, maximize value, and foster mutually beneficial partnerships within the African energy sector.”

African Energy Week (AEW) is the African Energy Chamber’s (AEC) interactive exhibition and networking event, established in 2021, that seeks to unite African energy stakeholders, drive industry growth and development, and promote Africa as the destination for African-focused events. For further information on the African Energy Week 2023 conference, click the link below:

https://apo-opa.info/3XfAhWB

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

Business

Learning curves: Addressing the skills shortage in African mining

Published

on

mining

The discussion will unpack key factors contributing to the skills shortage and examine how stronger collaboration between mining companies, universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions can help bridge the gap

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, March 23, 2026/APO Group/ –The African mining industry is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by technological advancements, increasing sustainability demands, and rising global demand for critical minerals. However, a widening skills gap continues to pose a significant challenge to the sector’s growth and long-term competitiveness.

 

To address this pressing issue, an upcoming webinar hosted by Vuka group’s Mining Review Africa will bring together industry experts to explore practical solutions for building a skilled and future-ready mining workforce across the continent.

The discussion will unpack key factors contributing to the skills shortage and examine how stronger collaboration between mining companies, universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions can help bridge the gap. It will also consider how digitalisation and automation are reshaping workforce requirements, and what this means for the next generation of mining professionals.

Participants can expect insights on:

  • Key causes of the mining skills shortage across Africa
  • Strengthening collaboration between industry, universities, and TVET institutions
  • The impact of digitalisation and automation on workforce requirements
  • Strategies for developing the next generation of mining professionals
  • Practical solutions for upskilling and workforce development
  • How regional collaboration can develop a skilled workforce
  • Preventing the brain drain in African mining as skilled workers seek greener pastures

 

Event details:
Date: 7 May 2026
Time: 14:00 (SAST)

To register for the webinar, visit: https://apo-opa.co/4brnadB

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.

Continue Reading

Business

Mining Review Africa Introduces French and Portuguese Website Translation

Published

on

vukagroup

By enabling multilingual access, Mining Review Africa aims to better serve its diverse readership, including industry professionals, policymakers and investors who rely on timely mining news and insights

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, March 20, 2026/APO Group/ –VUKA Group’s (https://WeAreVUKA.com/Mining Review Africa has introduced French and Portuguese translations on its website, responding to growing demand from readers across the continent.

 

This allows users to access content in multiple languages, improving accessibility for audiences in regions where English is not widely used.

We recognise that language should not be a barrier to information, especially in a sector that plays such a critical role in the continent’s economic growth

The move follows insights gathered by VUKA Group during its flagship mining events held across Africa, including DRC Mining Week, Angola International Mining Conference and Nigeria Mining Week The organisers noted a clear need for more inclusive communication, particularly in countries where French and Portuguese are dominant languages in business and industry engagement.

By enabling multilingual access, Mining Review Africa aims to better serve its diverse readership, including industry professionals, policymakers and investors who rely on timely mining news and insights.

“This development is part of our ongoing commitment to making mining content more accessible across Africa,” Mining Review Africa’s Editor-In-Chief, Gerard Peter said. “We recognise that language should not be a barrier to information, especially in a sector that plays such a critical role in the continent’s economic growth.”

The translation feature is now live and available to all users on the Mining Review Africa website.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.

Continue Reading

Business

Qianhai Launches OPC Mavericks Program to Empower Global AI Solopreneurs

Published

on

QianHai

SHENZHEN, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 20 March 2026 – On March 18, Qianhai, a flagship hub for institutional opening-up, high-end services and technological innovation in southern China, officially opened the application portal for the Qianhai OPC (One-Person Company) International Community and launched its global OPC Mavericks Program. Adhering to the philosophy of “All Innovation, Zero Distraction”, the initiative aims to build the world’s leading ecosystem for AI-driven one-person companies.

Widely recognized as a pioneering zone for China’s institutional opening-up and a key innovation node in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Qianhai leads the country in piloting cross-border cooperation, regulatory innovation and business-friendly reforms. It has grown into a highland for advanced services, tech research and development, and entrepreneurial ecosystems, connecting global talents, capital and technologies with the massive market of the Greater Bay Area.

The OPC Mavericks Program targets six elite groups: academic pioneers, tech veterans, global AI competition winners, elite prodigies, influential open-source contributors, and outstanding graduates in AI and computer science. Eligible projects should leverage generative AI, large language models, AI agents and automation to build sustainable closed-loop businesses.

As the world’s first vertical accelerator dedicated to OPCs, the community provides a tailor-made AI launchpad with the SENSE ecosystem and the “Eight Zeros” guarantee to remove startup barriers: supported office space up to 200㎡ for two years, talent housing up to 50㎡ per person, annual free computing power up to 50P, free LLM trials, Greater Bay Area market access, collateral-free loans, high-risk-tolerance seed funding, annual talent rewards up to 600,000 RMB, and one-stop services for visas, finance, IP, taxation and global internet access.

To help global innovators experience opportunities in the region, Qianhai offers the Shenzhen-Hong Kong 72-Hour Experience Pass, which was officially launched in 2025. This pass provides streamlined entry arrangements, guided visits to tech platforms, enterprises and research institutions in both cities, and on-site insights into the OPC entrepreneurship environment. It serves as a key channel for global talents to fully explore cooperation and development prospects in the Greater Bay Area.

The program supports AI solopreneurs to turn ideas into scalable businesses. Qualified applicants can submit core founder resumes and project pitch decks to inqianhai@qhidg.com to join the program and embrace new opportunities in the Greater Bay Area.

Continue Reading

Trending