Speaker: Mr. Abdullah Verachia

Abdullah Hassen Verachia is an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa and holds qualifications from some of South Africa’s leading academic institutions.

Having presented in over 60 cities globally Abdullah Verachia has been recognised as a leading dealmaker, strategist and thought leader on Frontier and Emerging Markets. His speeches, public presentations and lectures have been described as ‘incredibly powerful, eye opening and mindblowing’ . He has been asked to present at some of the world’s leading institutions including the School of Public and International Affairs at Colombia University in New York, the Said Business School at Oxford University, the OECD in Paris and Casa Asia in Madrid amongst others.

Abdullah serves as a co-founder and partner at Frontier Advisory and also currently heads up the Asia Frontier Advisory Division within the company. Frontier Advisory is South Africa’s leading capital advisory, strategy, consulting and research firm assisting firms to understand and operate in frontier and emerging markets. In 2007 Frontier Advisory was ranked the # 1 analyst firm for Africa and other Emerging Markets research and analysis by the Financial Mail

In this position he has provided business strategy solutions on behalf of listed and multinational clients in Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America. Abdullah has also initiated and advised on some of the largest Asian investments into Africa. He has also advised numerous South African companies on their internationalisation strategies with various Emerging Market economies and has an incredible understanding of the globalisation of listed firms. 

In June 2010 Abdullah was asked by South African business to draft the strategy document that was presented to President Jacob Zuma in his discussions with Prime Minister Manmohann Singh. Abdullah is also a regular media commentator for a number of publications including CNBC Africa, BBC, CNN, SABC, Moneyweb, Business Day, SAFM, 702, Al Jazeera, Financial Times, Reuters and the Sunday Times. Abdullah has also served as an advisor to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) Development Centre on the 2011 edition of the African Economic Outlook, focusing on Africa and its Emerging Partners.

Abdullah serves as adjunct faculty member at the Gordon Institute of Business Science. Abdullah also serves as the founding director of the FirstRand India Africa Business Network at GIBS. Abdullah also lectures at the University of Stellenbosch Business School where he is a visiting faculty member as well as the Da Vinci Institute for Technology Management. In this position   Abdullah designed, conceptualised and introduced South Africa’s first ever Masters (MSC) Programme in Managing in Frontier and Emerging Markets.  
Abdullah has been recognised as a visionary young leader who has played an active role in South African society for a number of years. In 2003 former President Thabo Mbeki recognised Abdullah as one of the ‘foremost young leaders in South Africa.’’ Abdullah is a member of the Brightest Young Minds as well as the President of the Model United Nations of South Africa. Abdullah has also been selected as the Mpumalanga youth leader of the year and a finalist for the South African youth leader of the year