Abdullah currently serves as the CEO of The Strategists where he plays an active role in assisting companies and organisations craft competitive future strategies.
He has significant expertise in strategy, competitiveness and sector trends and facilitates a number of high level strategy sessions and breakaways for companies and governments and also speaks globally in this area.
Having presented in over 60 cities globally Abdullah Verachia has been recognised as a leading dealmaker, strategist and thought leader on company competitiveness and strategy and on Frontier and Emerging Markets.
His experience in these areas make him a sought after global speaker in these areas.
He has presented around the world to leading listed firms, international organisations and governments including in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzen, Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Accra, Dar Es Salaam, Nairobi, Frankfurt, Munich, Copenhagen, Madrid, Paris, London and New York. 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 OECD in Paris and Casa Asia in Madrid amongst others.
He has provided business strategy solutions on behalf of listed and multinational clients in Asia, Africa and Europe. Abdullah has also initiated and advised on some of the largest Asian investments into Africa. He also advised numerous South African companies on their internationalisation strategies with various Emerging Market economies.
Abdullah has headed up research, strategy and consulting assignments in an array of sectors including banking, mining, finance, asset management, construction, insurance, legal, audit, FMCG, telecoms, retail and automotive. He has also headed up consulting assignments on behalf of a number of South African Industrial Development Zones and Investment Promotion Agencies. He has also done work on behalf of leading donor organisations and specifically on the intra-emerging market flows between Asia and Africa.
He has also advised and engaged with a number of Indian companies entering Africa. He has participated in numerous high profile Asia-Africa initiatives, private meetings, conferences and delegations and served on a number of initiatives. Abdullah is also a regular media commentator for a number of publications including CNBC Africa, BBC, CCTV, CNN, SABC, Moneyweb, Business Day, SAFM, 702, Al Jazeera, New York Times, Financial Times, Reuters and the Sunday Times. Abdullah is currently co-authoring a book on the commercial corridor between South Africa and India as well as a book on Leading in a changing world – the future of disruption.
Current Positions
- CEO of The Strategists
- Faculty member at the Gordon Institute of Business Science, University of Pretoria
- Executive Chairperson: The Collective Genius Board and advisory positions
- General Electric Southern Africa
- Gauteng Vision 2055 task team
- Gauteng Innovation Advisory Board
- Education Africa
- The Collective Genius (Chairperson)
- Penryn College Council
- General Electric Supplier Development Trust (Trustee)
- South African Model United Nations (Chairperson)
- FirstRand India Management Board (resigned in July 2014)
- 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.
Associations
- Associate of Tomorrow Today Global
- Associate of The Networking Company
Previous Positions
- Executive: International at Rand Merchant Bank and member of the management board of FirstRand India
- Co-founder and Partner at Frontier Advisory (acquired by Deloitte in 2015)
- Attorney of the High Court of South Africa Awards
- Selected for the Brightest Young Minds in South Africa
- Awarded fifteen year excellence award for the contribution and development of the Model United Nations in South Africa
- Awarded honorary member of the Golden Key International Honour Society
- Mpumalanga youth leader of the year and finalist for the South African youth leader of the year
Abdullah Hassen Verachia is an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa and holds qualifications from leading academic institutions.