Our Team

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 George, a Founding Member of Somana Partners, drives the co-development of smart partnerships for clients across APAC and EMEA. He additionally manages Somana’s institutional relationships with global banks, family offices, and specialised investment funds. 

Background

George is a Chartered Accountant and has over 25 years of experience in international taxation, private investment, and cross-border structuring. 

He has advised on complex investment vehicles for institutional and ultra-high-net-worth clients, as well as on major cross-border commodity transactions.

He began his career at PwC in Australia before relocating to Ireland, where he advised global financial institutions at Andersen/KPMG. 

 In London, he founded a successful boutique investment advisory firm specialising in private equity and leveraged currency strategies. More recently, he played a key role in establishing a Single Family Office managing over $200 million in assets for a prominent Middle Eastern family, where he advised on direct investments and implemented strategies to hedge commodity exposure. 

 As a Founding Member of Somana Partners, Craig has overall responsibility for global client engagement across Somana’s advisory and procurement activities. He also co-develops strategic partnerships across APAC and EMEA and oversees Somana's key relationships with certified producers in Malaysia. 

Background

Craig has over 20 years of experience in financial services, specialising in cross-border structuringand the execution of complex, multi-jurisdictional mandates across emerging markets.

Originally from Wales, he began his career in the UK before relocating to the United Arab Emirates, where he held senior advisory roles at leading financial institutions, including Barclays. He later joined a prominent single-family office before moving to Royal Bank of Canada in London, advising ultra-high-net-worth clients across MENA and APAC.

Craig subsequently co-founded investment and strategic advisory firms in Southeast Asia, working with commercial and private clients on cross-border investment, partnership development, and market entry initiatives.

He later consulted one of the region’s leading integrated palm oil producers, introducing strategic partners across South Asia, Africa, and Central America to support plantation leasing and the development of upstream assets, including palm oil mills.

 At Somana Partners, Kazi has responsibility for strategic business development across the GCC and South Asia, spanning both the firm’s advisory mandates and procurement activities. He works at the intersection of Islamic and conventional finance, engaging institutional and commercial counterparties to support cross-border partnerships, capital alignment, and long-term growth initiatives. 

Background  

With over 20 years of experience in finance, Kazi specialises in Islamic finance, structured trade, and cross-border capital solutions. He has led and advised on more than $5 billion in sukuk, syndicated loans, and private placements across the GCC, Europe, and emerging markets.

His career includes senior roles at HSBC Amanah, Europe Arab Bank, the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (IsDB Group), and Sama Capital. He has worked with sovereigns, corporates, and financial institutions on Sharia-compliant financing structures and strategic investment mandates.

Kazi has particular expertise in structured commodity transactions and bespoke trade solutions, often bridging institutional capital with real economy sectors such as energy and agri-commodities.

He holds an MSc in Development Economics from SOAS, University of London.

 Christian oversees our work in Africa, developing advisory opportunities with SMEs and large enterprises pursuing expansion. He also identifies credible commercial partners for Somana’s clients and supports the structuring of joint venture partnerships across the region. 

Background

He is the founder of one of Africa’s fastest-growing agri-tech, logistics, and trading companies. With over a decade of experience in agri-commodity trading, logistics, and farm management, Christian has built strong relationships across regional value chains, connecting producers, importers, and industrial manufacturers throughout Africa.

His expertise spans various soft commodities originated from Africa, including edible oils, underpinned by a deep understanding of the commercial and logistical realities of African inland markets. 

A Finance graduate with more than ten years in the financial sector, Christian combines technical insight with leadership. He is an Executive alumnus of Renew Capital (USA), G.A.P. Certified, and an ANAU AgriTech alumnus (Armenia).

 Kemp serves as Special Advisor to Somana Partners, working with the leadership team to drive strategic commercial alliances and growth initiatives. He brings deep regional insight and experience in introducing institutional financing for government infrastructure development projects, commodity trade and high-impact partnerships that deliver sustainable long-term value. 

Background

 Kemp is a Malaysian business leader with over 30 years of experience across ICT, energy, aviation, healthcare, and finance.

He began his career with PETRONAS before going on to establish several successful ventures and partnerships, including partnering with Ohga Pharmacies of Japan to distribute Japan-standard medical and pharmaceutical products across Malaysia and Indonesia. He also collaborated with Textron Aviation Inc. to provide world-class chartered aircraft services.

 Today, he chairs and directs several companies in Malaysia and abroad, with interests spanning technology, trade, and infrastructure. His current work focuses on developing integrated ICT solutions for healthcare networks, including public and private hospitals, fostering collaboration between universities and industry, and advancing innovation-driven learning and business exchange. 

Kemp also serves as Advisor and Liaison to the Government of Aceh, Indonesia, supporting initiatives in trade, investment, and infrastructure development.