Witan Group (formerly Asia Gateway China) is a strategic advisory firm founded and directed by David Stern. It served as the primary corporate vehicle for the "shadow bridge" between Chinese capital and African infrastructure.
Corporate Evolution
- Asia Gateway Limited: Founded in 2002 as a China-focused advisory firm.
- Asia Gateway China: Renamed in 2006.
- Witan Group: Renamed in February 2011 (Proposal) and formally executed on May 4, 2011 per email EFTA02538141. David Stern provided a detailed historical definition of the name to Epstein (Feb 2011 Email), characterizing it as the "council of the Anglo-Saxon kings" whose "essential duty was to advise the king." This rebranding was deemed "safe" because the true meaning—a shadow cabinet for sovereign-level influence—was not widely understood by external parties like Prince Andrew.
- Witan Trust & Holdings (Feb 2011): Following the name approval, Stern proposed the creation of Witan Trust and Witan Holdings (EFTA00705381), establishing a multi-layered fiduciary structure for the "Invisible Pipeline."
- JP Morgan Integration (March 2011): The Witan Group was structured with JP Morgan personnel on its board, and David Stern was positioned as "CEO Special Situations" for JPM per email EFTA02687707.
The Witan Governance Model
David Stern explicitly chose the name "Witan" (Witenagemot) to define the organizational structure of his and Epstein's operation. In his February 2011 pitch, he provided the following definition to characterize their role:
"Witan, also called Witenagemot, 7th - 11th Century, the council of the Anglo-Saxon kings in and of England; its essential duty was to advise the king on all matters on which he chose to ask its opinion. It attested his grants of land to churches or laymen, consented to his issue of new laws or new statements of ancient custom, and helped him deal with rebels and persons suspected of disaffection. Its composition and time of meeting were determined by the king's pleasure.
Usually attended by the greater nobles and bishops, the witan was in no sense a popular assembly. In its composition and duties it closely resembled its successor, the commune concilium of the Anglo-Norman kings, the fundamental difference being that, in the latter body, baronial councillors were bound to the king by feudal ties."
Strategic Implications
- Shadow Advisory: The group functioned as a private, high-level council advising sovereign "kings" on matters of state, infrastructure, and "dealing with rebels."
- Secrecy & Obfuscation: The name provided a layer of historical "safety" that allowed the use of British Royal "aura" (Prince Andrew) without requiring the Royals to understand the true nature of the "Invisible Pipeline."
- Institutional Scale: By moving from "Asia Gateway" to "Witan," Stern and Epstein signaled a shift from being mere "brokers" to acting as an unofficial, shadow institution with quasi-governmental influence.
Mapping the "Kings" (Sovereign Counterparties)
Based on the "Witan" definition of advising kings on land grants, laws, and rebels, the specific "Kings" in the Epstein-Stern orbit included:
- Ismail Omar Guelleh (The Resident King): Advised on the "grants of land" (Port of Djibouti concessions) and "dealing with rebels" (Abdourahman Boreh).
- Sultan Bin Sulayem (The Logistics King): Advised on regional port strategy and managing sovereign-level legal disputes (Dubai v. Djibouti).
- The Chinese Sovereigns (The Dragon): Represented via China Merchants Group and Hui Ka Yan. Pitching the "African Investment Vehicle" to "attest his grants of land" (the infrastructure pivot).
- The Russian Sovereigns (The Northern King): Represented via RDIF. Pitching "Russian Farmland" and strategic brokerage.
- Prince Andrew (The Aura Provider): Not a "King" to be advised, but the source of the "aura and access" that validated the Witan's status as a "council of the kings."
Role in the Djibouti Strategy
- The Bridge: The firm was the designated intermediary for the "African investment vehicle" (Nov 2011) intended to facilitate Chinese expansion into Africa "with no direct Chinese involvement" visible to competitors.
- Strategic Pivot: The Witan strategy directly facilitated the 2013 entry of China Merchants Group (CMG) into the Port of Djibouti, providing the private management layer required for a sovereign-level transition of control.
Mapping the Connections (Key Associates)
The Sovereign Layer
The Brokerage & Advisory Layer
The Financial & Corporate Layer
The Operative Layer
Primary Evidence (Jmail Threads)