Alpesh Patel Keynote Speaker

Born in the Ugandan jungle while his parents were there on safari, Mi-Fone’s CEO and Founder – Alpesh Patel – is the true meaning of “Indian Blood…African Heart”. This original African-Indian entrepreneur made a name for himself selling large volumes of mobile devices to the Chinese back in the 90s.

Mi-Fone is a mobile device company that caters to the mass market in emerging territories. Alpesh founded the company in 2008, after leaving Motorola where he was their Director of Sales in Africa and he successfully placed more than 5 million devices into the continent. Whilst there, he realised that the big brands were missing the point and that ultimately Africa was best served by Africans themselves.

In 2012, Alpesh restructured the company and formed Mi-Group International Ltd as the parent holding company which now co-owns Mi-Fone (BVI) Ltd – The Device and Mobile Services business and Mi-Card Ltd (Independent PrePaid card). Mi-Group was established to spearhead the growing ambitions for expanding the Mi brand into complimentary Mobile associated Lifestyle services.

Alpesh calls himself his own angel investor, as Mi-Fone was launched from his own life savings and without any backing from financial institutions. Despite challenging conditions, Mi-Fone is one of Africa’s fastest growing device brands, reaching twelve countries and connecting over one million Africans in a very short time.