Nisan Abdulkader
Summary
Strategic leader with a strong track record in government relations, multilateral partnerships, and investment mobilization across Africa. Nearly a decade of experience in economic development, business strategy, and stakeholder engagement. Successfully led high-impact initiatives in health, economic opportunities, agricultural development, and digital public infrastructure. Director of External Affairs and Communication at Shelter Afrique Development Bank, managing all communication channels during the Bank's transformation while driving engagement with governments, private sector partners, and multilateral institutions. Extensive work with multilateral development banks, sovereign wealth funds in the GCC region, and international funds, playing a key role in securing investments for Africa's housing and urban development sector. Instrumental in the launch of the Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions (AAMFI), strengthening collaboration among the continent's development finance institutions. Experience includes Afreximbank, IFC (World Bank Group), AfDB, Trademark East Africa, DFID-UK, CGIAR, FAO, and UNEP. Excels in forging high-level partnerships, mobilizing resources, and advancing impactful initiatives for economic growth and sustainable development.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work History
Director, External Affairs & Communications
Shelter Afrique Development Bank
01.2024 - Current
- Led government relations, policy advocacy, and stakeholder engagement across Africa, securing partnerships with multilateral development banks, sovereign wealth funds (GCC), and global investors
- Served as the primary liaison to the African Union, driving collaboration on housing and urban development initiatives and positioning the Bank within the AU's development agenda
- Managed all communications strategies during the Bank's transformation, positioning it as a leader in urban development finance
- Organised the launch of the Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions (AAMFI) under the auspices of the AU Heads of State Summit to strengthen collaboration among African DFIs
- Represented the Bank as a speaker at global forums, including COP28, the World Urban Forum, the AU Summit, and the African Union for Housing Finance Conference, advocating for housing finance and sustainable urban development
- Mobilized funding through bilateral donors, private sector partnerships, and philanthropic foundations, expanding resources for affordable housing
Vice President, Africa & Middle East
Financial Times Limited
03.2023 - 01.2024
- Senior FDI Government liaison, lead advisor & Head of business development for MEA for fDI Intelligence division
- Regional advisor on strategic planning & market response to Managing Director at FT division
- Lead bid writer supporting technical response to global RFPs with focus on EMEA market
- Key Account manager & partnership liaison with over senior government official in 30 + countries in Africa
- Exceeded acquisition target by 220% in Year 1
Vice President, Africa
Wavteq Limited
01.2019 - 03.2023
- Senior FDI Government liaison, lead advisor & Head of business development in Africa for Wavteq suite of technology products and services
- Lead bid writer supporting technical response to global RFPs with focus on EMEA market
- Established key partnerships with COMESA, ECOWAS community, African Development Bank Group, IFC, TradeMark East Africa, DFID-UK, USAID overseas technical assistance programs
- Provide ongoing research and technical advice to overseas development projects being implemented by Wavteq to support investment climate & economic development projects in emerging markets
- Key Account manager & partnership liaison with over senior government official in 30 + countries in Africa
- Successfully exceeded targets by 600% in new business
Project Director
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
01.2020 - 08.2022
- Overall Project Director & Manager of key Wavteq projects for Governments of Tunisia, Niger, Ethiopia and South Africa
- Led & supervised overall program operations and government relations for the development of Investor Retention, Attraction, and Capacity building programs in respective countries
- Implemented National Economic Investment Promotion & Aftercare Strategies in Niger & Ethiopia
- Deployed Organizational tools & technical Customer Management systems (CRMs) to monitor investment pipeline
- Facilitated and achieved over $30 Million in capital investment projects from investors creating over 15,000 jobs across key countries
Economic Development Analyst / Project Manager
Research on Investment (ROI)
11.2019 - 06.2018
- Managing strategic accounts globally to provide clients with customized FDI marketing solutions, program advisory and rigorous project management
- Identified numerous foreign direct investment leads resulting in job creation
- Researched & developed industry snapshot reports & data bench-marking studies for government organizations
- In-market government representative attending conferences on behalf of government organizations
Partnership & Outreach Coordinator
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
02.2016 - 12.2016
- Key support liaison for UNEP technical missions to Ethiopia for various international and regional programs
- Deployed marketing & communication strategies for UNEP
- Lead communication efforts between African Union, UNCT, Ethiopian Government, and youth groups
- Took part in the planning, fundraising, staging and reporting of UNEP events in Ethiopia
- Spearheaded the creation of a joint committee (youth groups, Ministry of Environment & Agriculture) charged with the agenda of resolving environmental challenges in Ethiopia
Education
Diploma - Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies
Harvard University
Boston, Massachusetts12.2018
B.A. - Political Science & Marketing Management
McGill University
06.2015
Skills
- Strategic Relationship building
- Effective Communication
- Effective Fundraising Strategies
- Policy preparation
- Effective Verbal Communication
- Data-Driven Decision-Making
Languages
Arabic
English
French
Italian
Swahili
Spanish
Awards
- 30 under 30 Canadian Award, BCS, Vancouver
- Social Impact Grant Award, Montreal
- Mary Brooks Law Award, Vancouver, British Columbia
Advisory Roles
Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions (AAMFI) Communications Chair, Present
- Board Member, Unsolve Consultancy, Namibia, 01/01/21, Present
- Board Member, Guul Growth & Investment Group, Somalia, 01/01/22, Present
- Featured on BBC, CNBC Africa, Forbes Africa (for Shelter Afrique Development Bank
- Vice Chair, COMESA Technical Workshops, Nairobi - Cairo - Zimbabwe, 01/01/20, Present
- Yale University – Africa Symposium Speaker, 11/01/22, 11/01/22
- EU-Africa Union Business Forum, Geneva, 02/01/22, 02/01/22
- Moderator & Workshop facilitator, Game Changer: African Continental Free Trade Agreement & Business Opportunity with the World – Roundtable Discussion, 06/01/21, 06/01/21
- Dhaka Forum, Bangladesh, 07/01/20, 07/01/20
- Annual Investment Meeting, Dubai, 05/01/19, 05/01/20
- World Bank EI4A Entrepreneurship Summit, Montreal, 01/01/18, 01/01/18
Timeline
Director, External Affairs & Communications
Shelter Afrique Development Bank
01.2024 - Current
Vice President, Africa & Middle East
Financial Times Limited
03.2023 - 01.2024
Project Director
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
01.2020 - 08.2022
Economic Development Analyst / Project Manager
Research on Investment (ROI)
11.2019 - 06.2018
Vice President, Africa
Wavteq Limited
01.2019 - 03.2023
Partnership & Outreach Coordinator
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
02.2016 - 12.2016
Diploma - Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies
Harvard University
B.A. - Political Science & Marketing Management
McGill University
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