A new African bourse was unveiled amid the ski slopes and macroeconomic chatter at Davos last month. The East Africa Exchange is one of several trading ventures that are being brought to market by local and international entrepreneurs with an ambition to develop the region’s capital markets.

The brainchild of multi-billionaire Nicolas Berggruen of investment fund Berggruen Holdings and former US assistant secretary of state for African affairs Jendayi Frazer, the EAX forms part of a longer-term project to create a pan-African commodities platform.