Dr Martyn Davies is the Chief Executive Officer of Frontier Advisory - a leading research, strategy and capital advisory firm that specialises in emerging markets.

Martyn was selected in 2010 as a Young Global Leader, an honour bestowed by the World Economic Forum each year to recognise the most distinguished young leaders nominated below the age of 40 from around the world.

He has served as a strategy advisor to a large number of multinational clients in Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America. He has previously been ranked the # 1 analyst in South Africa in the “Other African Economies &Markets” category as awarded by the prestigious Financial Mail in its Annual Analysts of the Year awards.

Martyn is an Adjunct Faculty member at the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), University of Pretoria, South Africa. He has also guest lectured at the University of Stellenbosch Business School and Wits Business School . Martyn was previously the (founding) Director of the Centre for Chinese Studies (CCS) that was established under the South Africa – China Bi-national Commission at Vice Presidential level, a position he vacated in December 2009. During this time, he established the first Confucius Institute in Africa on behalf of the PRC Government in June 2004.

He has written over 200 articles in academia and the press and is a regular commentator for the international media including the BBC, CNBC Africa, China’s CCTV, SABC and Al Jazeera, He has published a number of book chapters in political-economic publications and is a regular speaker at high profile international conferences. Recent presentations include the JPMorgan China Conference, Fortune Global Conference, the British Parliament, the African Development Bank, the OECD, Harvard University, the European Commission, the School of Oriental & African Studies, the South African Parliament and the World Bank.

Martyn has chaired both public and private sessions at the World Economic Forum including chairing a session at the WEF’s annual Davos summit. Since 2008, he has participated in the WEF’s Mining & Metals Industry Group – an advisory body providing strategic advice to leading global mining and extractive industry companies. Martyn is a recipient of a Dangote Fellowship awarded by the WEF for young Africa ns selected each year for their outstanding leadership, professional accomplishments and commitment to society. In October 2008, he was appointed as an advisor to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD) for its Global Development Outlook project.

He is a member of MasterCard‘s Global Knowledge Panel– a six-member strong group comprising leading international economists and is also a member of MasterCard’s Africa Knowledge Panel providing strategic advice to the Board of MasterCard.Martyn holds a BA degree in Law, an Honours Degree in International Relations (cum laude), a Master\\\'s Degree in International Relations (cum laude) (University of the Witwatersrand), a Diploma in Asian Studies (Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea), and a PhD in International Relations (University of the Witwatersrand) – all completed by the age of twenty five. He also has a certificate from Harvard Business School & GIBS for its “Making Markets Work” course.

In 2010, Destiny Man magazine named Martyn in its “Power 40” of leading South African businessmen under the age of 40. Martyn divides his time between South Africa and international travel. His is an avid reader and is an active sports fan and participant. He has been awarded Protea Colours for cycling for South African Universities, played soccer for his alma mater Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea and participated in athletics and cross country at provincial level during high school.

He is married to Suheima and he is a proud Dad of Mikha and Zarah

mdavies@frontieradvisory.com

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 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 presented around the world to leading listed firms, international organisations and governments including in Beijing, Shanghai, 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 Said Business School at Oxford University, the OECD in Paris and Casa Asia in Madrid amongst others.

Abdullah previously practised at the second oldest and one of the most established law firms in South Africa. In this position he advised a number of clients and companies on corporate, civil and criminal law matters and also gained extensive experience in M&A and corporate advisory and commercial and civil litigation.

Abdullah serves as a co-founder and partner at Frontier Advisory and also currently heads up the Asia Frontier Advisory Division within the company. 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.  

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, 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. 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 continues to play a close advisory role to both the South African and Indian governments.

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 including the South African-India CEO’s Forum and the Brazil-India-South Africa (IBSA) heads of state summit. 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 has also led numerous international delegations on global executive programmes and international investment missions to numerous destinations in various countries including China, India, Dubai, Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, Germany, Denmark, London, Malaysia, Singapore and the US amongst others. He has led senior executives to these countries and has been hailed for his incredible knowledge and understanding of these markets. 

Abdullah presents extensively both locally and internationally, on an array of subjects, including global economics and politics as well as on frontier and emerging markets. 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. The Network provides South Africa with the region’s only comprehensive base from which to educate about and promote Indian business subjects whilst raising the profile of Indian business in South Africa and the region.

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.  

He has lectured to senior executives in the banking/financial services, insurance, FMCG, retail, mining, manufacturing, audit, IT/ICT, engineering, construction and legal sectors. Abdullah lectures regularly on business strategy, Emerging Market strategy and the global environment of business.

He has also presented to senior leaders in governments and international organisations on Asia and Africa Business Strategy as well as the influence of China and India in Africa. He has assisted numerous groups, companies and organisations in crafting their engagement strategies under changing political and economic periods. Abdullah is currently co-authoring a book on the commercial corridor between South Africa and India.

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

averachia@frontieradvisory.com

Hannah Edinger is Head of Research at Frontier Advisory. In this capacity, Hannah oversees project execution, and is responsible for finalising all research products and projects of the company.

Hannah also holds the position of Research Fellow at the China Africa Network at the Gordon Institute of Business Science, University of Pretoria in South Africa – South Africa's leading think-tank on China-Africa relations.

She has project management and research experience in a number of African and Asian economies, in particularly the mining, agriculture, trade, manufacturing & industry, infrastructure & construction, financial services, ICT, power and energy sectors.

She has also led delegations on international trade and investment missions, and has been assisting in advising a number of South African companies on their internationalisation strategies into Africa and Asia.

Beyond heading research assignments for largely South African corporates, Hannah has headed research teams for the Da Vinci Institute and the United Nations Development Programme, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the Nordic Africa Institute (NAI). She has also formed part of the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) network and completed research for the Department for International Development (DFID), and the Rockefeller Foundation. She also collaborates with the Trade Law Centre for Southern Africa (tralac) in researching trade and industrial policy related issues.

Hannah has authored, co-authored and edited various articles, book chapters and research publications. She also provides regular commentary on China's economic role in Africa, both locally and internationally in the print media and on CNBC Africa and the SABC. She also previously was a columnist for a leading South African newspaper, The Business Day.

She regularly presents locally and internationally to corporate, academic and development audiences. She has previously lectured at the University of Stellenbosch, and upon invitation at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, at the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB), at VU University in Amsterdam and at the Institute for West Asian and African Studies in Beijing.

Hannah holds a BComm degree, majoring in Economics and Statistics, a BComm Honours degree in Economics (cum laude), and a MComm degree in Economics (cum laude) from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. Hannah has also completed a one-month academic exchange programme at the Institute for West Asian and African Studies (IWAAS) in Beijing.

Hannah is fluent in German, English, Afrikaans and studying Mandarin.

hedinger@frontieradvisory.com