African Projects Global Bridge
Market entry and investment advisory for Lusophone Africa. APGB advises businesses, investors and institutions operating between the UK, Europe and Portuguese-speaking Africa, Angola, Mozambique, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau and São Tomé and Príncipe. We are a strategic consultancy. Our value comes from market knowledge, due diligence, institutional understanding and execution. Clients engage us for judgement they can act on and for the discretion to act on it quietly.
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Why Connect UK and African Portuguese-Speaking Businesses?
Market Growth Opportunities
With professionals who have a deep understanding of the African Portuguese-speaking markets, we leverage this expertise to help clients maximize opportunities and navigate risks. Expand your customer base and increase revenue by accessing thriving markets.
Cultural Exchange
Foster cultural understanding and strengthen international ties through collaboration, promoting diversity and enriching business practices.
Knowledge Exchange
Share expertise and innovative ideas, benefiting from the different perspectives and approaches of both the UK and African Portuguese business communities.
Our Impact in Action
At APGB, we connect opportunities, investors, and markets across the Lusophone world and beyond. While discretion is at the heart of what we do, here are examples of the types of projects we’ve guided and the impact created.
Fintech Innovation – Investor Readiness
Challenge: A fast-growing Lusophone fintech sought guidance to attract international investment.
Our Role: Facilitated strategic introductions to relevant investors.
Impact: Strengthened investor confidence and positioned the company for scalable global growth.
Fashion & Textile – Market Expansion
Challenge: An emerging Lusophone brand needed mentorship and strategy to break into the UK retail market.
Our Role: Delivered advisory support on market entry, branding, and business development.
Impact: Enabled a smoother expansion and positioned the brand for sustainable international growth.
Infrastructure & Development – $100M Construction Project
Challenge: A leading construction group aimed to establish a presence in the Mozambican market.
Our Role: Facilitated strategic connections with key local and international stakeholders.
Impact: Accelerated project visibility and unlocked pathways to capital and long-term partnerships.
Real Estate Investment – Lusophone to UK Market
Challenge: A Lusophone property developer sought to attract UK-based investors.
Our Role: Guided market entry strategy, compliance, and strategic positioning.
Impact: Enhanced investor engagement and opened cross-border investment opportunities.
Our approach
At African Projects Global Bridge (APGB) Boutique Consultancy, we see opportunity where others see risk. While many view African SMEs as fragmented and uncertain, we recognise them as dynamic growth engines needing only structured investor readiness. We bridge this gap by aligning local agility with the expectations of global capital.
In our focus markets the UK and the African Portuguese-speaking countries we work with a handpicked network of top-tier professionals, blending deep local expertise with global best practices. Through collaborative partnerships, innovation, sustainability, and a customer-first mindset, we deliver exceptional value with the utmost discretion.
Our Services
Market Research and Intelligence
Detailed market, competitor and regulatory analysis across Portuguese-speaking Africa. We identify where the opportunity genuinely is, what it will cost to reach, and what could go wrong.
Partner Identification and Due Diligence
We identify, screen and assess prospective local partners: commercial standing, ownership, regulatory record and strategic fit. Clients receive an assessed shortlist with our reasoning, not a list of names.
Regulatory and Cultural Navigation
Practical guidance on regulatory requirements, institutional expectations and business culture, so that negotiations and approvals proceed on informed footing.
Market Entry Strategy
A tailored entry plan covering structure, sequencing, regulatory requirements, distribution and local business practice — with the risks named rather than glossed over.
Business Development
We identify, screen and assess prospective local partners: commercial standing, ownership, regulatory record and strategic fit. Clients receive an assessed shortlist with our reasoning, not a list of names.
Training and Workshops
Customised programmes on UK and Lusophone business practice for teams working across both markets.
Meet the Team
APGB is powered by a team of seasoned professionals with deep expertise in corporate strategy, security, and regulatory frameworks. With a strong presence in the Lusophone market, we provide strategic guidance and tailored solutions that drive sustainable growth. Our team’s commitment to excellence, integrity, and local insight ensures that businesses confidently navigate complex challenges and seize new opportunities."
CEO - Founder
Alice Santos
Alice is a dynamic and dedicated professional with a strong background in military service as a paratrooper and spent over 13 years in the private sector in the UK. Leveraging her extensive experience and meticulous approach, she now leads APGB Boutique Consultancy, focusing on facilitating UK-based companies’ entry into the Portuguese-speaking African market. She is the Founder & CEO, APGB Boutique Consultancy since August 2023
Business Consultant - Partner
Bridget Buckman
Bridget is a seasoned Business Analyst Consultant and Strategy Innovator with over a decade of experience driving transformation across industries such as Healthcare, Utilities, Hospitality, Charity, Government, and Pharmaceuticals. She specialises in empowering businesses to unlock efficiencies, simplify complexity, and achieve digital excellence through actionable strategies. Known for her collaborative approach and focus
on measurable outcomes, Bridget leads strategic initiatives that translate high-level goals into impactful roadmaps. Her passion lies in fostering innovation, enhancing adaptability, and delivering tangible value, embodying her mission of bringing strategy to life for businesses ready to thrive in the digital era.
Strategic Financial Advisor - Partner
Liliya Dorozhovets
Liliya is an accomplished finance and investment professional, Chartered Financial Analyst - CFA accredited who began her career at PwC, gaining experience in Germany and Ukraine, before transitioning into strategy consulting at ING Group in the Netherlands. Since 2007, she has been based in London, where she built a distinguished career in Asset Management with leading institutions including Lehman Brothers, JP Morgan, AIG, and CapitaLand (one of Asia’s largest REIT managers) as well as at the opportunistic real estate investment fund Kildare Partners, specialising in NPLs and direct property deals.
Throughout her career, Liliya has advised investors across a broad spectrum of strategic and operational areas, including asset and financial management, acquisitions and disposals, negotiations, value-add and development projects, joint venture structuring, and service provider oversight. She has also led complex financial modelling, restructuring, budgeting, tax planning, loan and refinancing processes, as well as NPL work-outs, insolvency cases, and enforcement proceedings.
Liliya is fluent in English, German, Polish, and Ukrainian, and conversant in French and Dutch. She holds an MBA in Finance from Oxford Brookes University and is a Chartered Financial Advisor.
Strategic Legal Advisor - Partner
Rasin Yang
Rasin is an a dual-qualified legal professional with extensive experience in cross-border M&A, private equity, and corporate finance, particularly within the oil and gas sector which she possess strong industry knowledge. Her background spans both private practice and in-house counsel roles, which enables her to approach transactions with a blend of legal perspective and commercial awareness. She managed full transaction cycles of M&A projects from due diligence and negotiations to post-completion. Also worked on high-value corporate financing deals, including asset financings totalling over USD 400 million. In addition, she have hands-on experience in corporate governance, overseeing compliance for offshore subsidiaries across jurisdictions including the BVI, Jersey, UAE, and Bahrain. Her work often involves multi-jurisdictions, cross - cultural coordination, and collaboration with external counsel and internal stakeholders, including finance and business development teams. She is known for her clear communication, cultural fluency, and ability to align legal strategies with business objectives.
