Economic Transformation

Maudo Jallow

Maudo currently works within the Economic Advantage of Nations team at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and is based in their office in Dubai. He works in a global team and on specific case teams, providing expert advice and insights on how nations, mostly in Asia, Middle East and Africa, can attract investment, boost economic growth and advance their economic development agenda. Maudo is also a commentator for BBC Africa, where he is called upon regularly to provide on-air analysis for BBC television shows on pertinent issues around geopolitics, economics and social issues on the African continent.

Before that, Maudo worked as the Governance Associate at the Office of the President in The Gambia for the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI). He provided embedded strategic support to strengthen the Presidency, through strategy development and coordination. Maudo was focused on strategic interventions into key departments to support delivery of the National Development Plan, particularly in sectors of importance to the President: job creation, investment, agriculture and digitalisation.

In 2020, due to the outbreak of COVID-19 across the African continent, he provided remote analytical and research support, in the development of tailored products and advisory notes to support government decision-making in over a dozen African countries – specifically in terms of their economic response. When the first few cases of COVID-19 were registered in Ghana, Maudo was called to work within the Presidential COVID-19 Response Coordinator’s team. Working mostly on strategy and policy, he provided daily briefings, policy analyses and situation reports for the consumption of the President of Ghana and the cabinet.

Before joining TBI, Maudo worked for the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) as an International Development Expert. In this role, he was tasked with strategy, policy and analytical work that informed the priorities and strategic direction of the organisation and project offices around the world. The role also involved a significant amount of research and analysis on regional global value chains, manufacturing in developing countries and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Maudo holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Business with French, from the European Business School, London and a Master’s degree in African Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Nisan Abdulkader

As eclectic as Nisan’s career may seem, one thing ties it all together—using innovative thinking, collaboration, and compelling storytelling to support truly impactful and sustainable change for those who need it the most.

Nisan Abdulkader, a dual Yemeni-Kenyan, brings unique insights having worked in senior public and private sector roles across the globe including in Tunisia, Kenya, South Africa, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Syria, Italy and Canada. Nisan began her career in consulting and program management roles at UN agencies including Consortium for agricultural research (CGIAR), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome, Italy and the United Nations Environment Program in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Since 2014, Nisan has advised over 30 government investment authorities in emerging markets on how to best respond to the significant FDI opportunity which has created an estimated 50 million high value jobs across sectors like Agriculture, Healthcare, Tourism, ICT and Manufacturing. Specifically, Nisan supports IPAs to understand the services they need to optimize market share which typically cover activities like investment strategy development, aftercare & business retention, investment prospecting approaches as well as defining capacity building requirements of government authorities.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Nisan has supported key African economic development and investment authority to weather the economic impacts through expert advice, digital support services and integrating recovery strategies to rebuild emerging economies.

As a dynamic and key expert in the field, Nisan has participated as a panelist and moderator in key global influencing forums and events. She held a directive role at the largest North American African Business Initiative in Montreal, Canada; as well as being invited to speak on multiple global platforms including the BBC Focus on Africa news segments, Yale University symposium, Annual Investment Meeting Dubai, COMESA Annual Meeting as Chair, Commonwealth Africa Forum, One Africa Network Forum, Global Business Forum in Canada and an initiative by the World Bank, the EI4A –Entrepreneurship for Investment in Africa. Nisan is also a Board Member at Unsolve consultancy, Guul Group & Board President of the Yemeni National Business Council WICCI and on the advisory board of four foreign direct investment consultancies in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Nisan holds the Mary Brooks Law Award, the Social Business Impact Award and the Extraordinary Young 30 Under 30 Award from the Government of Canada.