Ed Harkins is managing director of specialist export finance advisory firm GKB Ventures.

 

Harkins was previously head of export credit financing at Fieldstone, an independent investment bank and financial services provider in energy and infrastructure in Africa. He had been there for three years.

 

GKB Ventures currently has in excess of US$1bn under mandate across a number of sectors, with a particular specialisation in the African markets.

 

Harkins has 18 years of experience of working in structured export finance. He started his career as a solicitor at Simmons & Simmons, specialising in cross-border transactions. He then moved to Barclays Capital, where he was head of emerging markets on the capex financing solutions team, focusing on Africa. After leaving Barclays, and before joining Fieldstone, he advised UKEF on their direct lending programme. He is also chair of the financial services committee for the Business Council for Africa.