ADG Advisory was established to provide focused commercial and strategic advice to investors and institutions from around the world on their emerging market investments in Africa and Central Asia.
We work with a deliberately small and experienced team. Rather than building large teams around assignments, we bring together the people and expertise each mandate requires.
Our advisers have backgrounds spanning investment, government, international trade, law, infrastructure and economic development, with relationships across the United States, the Gulf, Europe, China, Africa and Central Asia.
ADG Advisory originated from ADG Legal, and both firms form part of the ADG Group. Where an advisory mandate develops into questions of structuring, documentation, regulation or disputes, clients have access to complementary legal capability.
Advisory and legal remain distinct businesses, with each mandate handled through the appropriate framework.
Peter Gray is a highly regarded strategist and adviser. A Cambridge graduate, he co-founded ADG Legal, now one of the UAE’s largest independent law firms. Peter has worked on matters in the Middle East and Africa since 2000, and has been located in the region since 2010. He works with clients to create solutions for their set-up and expansion in the region as well as to solve complex business and commercial problems across numerous sectors.
Tristan Hawkey has been working as a market entry expert since 2020, helping international businesses within the technology, healthcare, and trading sectors to navigate, enter and succeed. Tristan has worked closely with numerous international trade bodies such as the U.K. Department for Business & Trade, Invest Northern Ireland, Welsh Business and Trade, Enterprise Estonia, New Zealand Trade & Enterprise and Colorado Economic Development. Tristan is the Former Associate Director for the State of Missouri in the UAE.
Paul Bugingo has spent more than 25 years advising on energy, infrastructure and natural-resource deals across Africa, working with governments, utilities, regulators, development finance institutions and private investors.
He has worked on transactions and projects in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, Somaliland, Djibouti, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini — spanning oil and gas, power, mining, ports, airports, water and hospitality. His deal work covers project development, privatisations, restructurings, joint ventures, acquisitions and disposals.
Before ADG, Paul was a partner at three international law firms, helping to lead their Africa practices. He sits on the board of the Africa Prosperity Network and is a partner at ADG Legal.
Vimbai Hungwe is a Chartered Accountant and strategic leader with extensive experience in finance and operations. As Careem’s first Head of Finance Operations, Vimbai played a key role in scaling the company to a $1 billion valuation. With expertise in financial strategy, efficiency optimization, and technology-driven business models, she now focuses on transforming the intra-African supply chain through innovation and technological advancements.
Mulenga Muleba is a seasoned Zambian executive and governance leader with over 25 years of experience across government, private and development sectors. He has built a strong track record in strategic partnerships, resource mobilisation, stakeholder engagement and organisational leadership through senior roles including Country Manager for Crown Agents Zambia, Technical Adviser for Strategic Alliances at Medical Stores Limited, and Director of Business Development and Fundraising at the Africa Resource Centre.
A respected governance professional, Mulenga serves on multiple advisory and corporate boards and has led major resource mobilisation initiatives in the health and development sectors. Since August 2024, he has been Chairperson of the Board of Habitat for Humanity Zambia.
Dr. Oleg Firer is an expert in international government liaison, business consultancy, and emerging technologies. A former Chairman & CEO of a NASDAQ-listed fintech company, Oleg has also held diplomatic positions, including serving as the Ambassador of Grenada. He sits on multiple boards, advises governments, and holds doctorates in business and international management. In addition, he is also active in philanthropy.
Dr. Johnny Hon is a global entrepreneur, investor, and senior Chinese political advisor with a focus on bridging governments and business across China, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. Johnny is a member of the Heilongjiang CPPCC, advisor to Jilin Province, and founder of Global Group. A trusted figure in diplomatic and financial circles, he connects capital and strategy across public and private sectors through policy, innovation, and philanthropy.
Saleh Abdullah Mutabbakani is a Saudi strategic consultant and entrepreneur with 40+ years of experience across technology, transport, healthcare, and defense. Known for high-level advisory to governments and HNWIs, he has led major infrastructure projects and global consortia. A published author and cultural diplomat, Saleh also chairs several international organizations and continues to bridge commercial goals with humanitarian and intercultural impact across the Middle East, Europe, and beyond.
Dr. Nasser Al-Adba – Founder, Managing Director, and Head of Arbitration Department at Omani & Partners and Former Ciarb Qatar Branch Chair.
Nasser is an achieved and well respected legal professional, arbitrator, and academic with extensive expertise in international investment law, commercial arbitration, and dispute resolution.
He is a full-time professor of International Investment Law at Qatar University and has been appointed as a panellist for the World Trade Organization (WTO), playing a key role in international trade and investment disputes. His legal expertise spans drafting and negotiating major infrastructure and construction contracts, structuring public-private partnerships (PPP), and advising on bilateral and multilateral trade agreements.
Ahmed Omar Helmy is an accomplished legal professional with 15+ years of experience in international law firms and Head of Legal in both private practice and in-house roles. Ahmed has experience in M&A, Banking & Finance, and FMCG industries, with a proven track record of structuring and closing high-stakes transactions exceeding $20 billion. He has demonstrated a strong ability to align legal strategies with business objectives, ensure compliance with complex regulatory frameworks, and mitigate risks in global markets.
Andrew Gray has extensive experience advising on investment, strategy and delivery across the UK, Africa and the Middle East. Andrew has led projects spanning infrastructure and real-asset investment, market entry and feasibility studies, project turnaround, and the matching of capital partners with opportunities in developing markets. Alongside this, he brings deep expertise in technology and AI-enabled decision-making, including leading the development of an AI analytics platform for a FTSE-listed company that delivered an 8% increase in operational yield.
Edwin Tabaro has been an Advocate of the High Court of Uganda since 2008 and has rights of audience in the superior courts across the East African Community. He advises on regional intellectual property and on banking and project finance, particularly cross-border lending, helping clients navigate the Community’s web of laws and regulations.
Edwin led the first image rights case before Uganda’s Commercial Court and handles trademark and patent work across the region. He has also advised financial institutions on complex banking disputes and debt structuring, and advised Pearl Meat Industries, a consortium of Italian, UAE and local investors, on establishing a beef export business, where he now serves as a director.
Ahmed Warah brings more than 40 years of experience in operations, finance, sales and management, including raising structured capital alongside multinational corporations. Over 31 years in leadership roles, he has driven corporate business development, consulting and operations both domestically and internationally, with a practical, cost-conscious approach to delivering projects on budget without compromising quality.
Born in Djibouti, Ahmed grew up and lived across Djibouti, Somalia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United States. He speaks several languages, including Arabic and Somali, and brings deep knowledge of East Africa and the Middle East.