Advisory Board
I am a private sector specialist with a vast experience in key sectors of Ethiopian economy such as manufacturing, livestock, construction as well as cooperatives. My rich experience in leading the national private sector apex organization called the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral associations (ECCSA) has given me a hands-on regional and global perspectives as to how a business should strategically positioned and led in Ethiopia. Providing business development services for Ethiopian businesses based on strategic plans, representing them in international platforms as well as facilitating global match-makings were my sources of practical understanding on assisting Ethiopian businesses to navigate global expansion.
Using my broader portfolio at ECCSA in representing the interest of the Ethiopian businesses locally, regionally and internationally through promoting trade and investment as well as my similar prior experience at the Ethiopian Textile and Garment Manufacturers’ Association (ETGAMA), I had a privilege to strategically advise Ethiopian businesses on their export and import interests and guide foreign businesses on their trade and investment interests in Ethiopia.
Working as a senior policy advisor for Ministry of Planning and Development (MPD), which is the economic policy hub of the Ethiopian government, has given me an in-depth understanding on the policy aspect of local and international dynamics of the Ethiopian business environment. My active involvement in the preparation of the Ten Year Development Plan (TYDP) of the Ethiopian Government also gave me the strategic direction the Ethiopian economy is gearing up providing unique opportunities for Ethiopian businesses to grow and expand globally. My continued assignment of serving as State Minister of Monitoring and Evaluation of the TYDP was another chance to understand the performance of the overall national economy.
I also had chances to analyse Ethiopian business environment in global perspective. My advisory research paper conducted on extension of AGOA has reviewed the investment and export incentives under the Ethiopian Investment Proclamation with the view of evaluating the AGOA-related investments in Ethiopia.
My peer-reviewed research entitled Viability and Sustainability Assessment of Industrial Parks in Ethiopia has come up with key constraints with the feasibility of Industrial Parks in Ethiopia and recommended solutions.
I served as an active member in more than eight (8) boards and Technical Working Groups that granted me an excellent strategic and analytical skills that can be harnessed more through challenging tasks.
I am the co-initiator of Destiny Ethiopia Initiative, an indigenous response to Ethiopia’s socioeconomic and political challenges that brought together nine committed Ethiopians as a Core Group of conveners and fifty prominent, influential Ethiopians representing diverse political perspectives as an action group. The Initiative rolled out a Transformative Scenario Planning methodology through an inclusive, highly participatory series of consultations over a span of a year resulting in the much 2 acclaimed four possible futures for Ethiopia, which was colourfully launched in December 2019. Currently I am engaged with a PhD program specializing on the subject of National Development at Peking University, the institute of South-South Cooperation and Development (ISSCAD), which is the heart of the fast growing China’s economic and development cooperation with Africa and Ethiopia in particular.
In parallel, I am providing business and investment advisory services for local and international private firms through my extensive networks in China and beyond.
Work Experiences
1. State Minister: Ministry of Planning and Development of Ethiopia – Mar. 2020- Oct. 2021
2. Senior Economic Advisor: UNDP, Planning and Development Commission of Ethiopia – Nov. 2019 – Mar, 2020.
3. Secretary General: Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations; Feb. 2016 – Aug. 2019.
4. Research & Advocacy Department Manager and DSG: Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations; Oct. 2011 – Feb. 2016.
5. Secretary General: Ethiopian Textile and Garment Manufacturers’ Association; Dec. 2007 – Oct. 2011.
6. General Manager: Gullele Garment Factory; Dec. 2006 – Dec. 2007.
7. Marketing Research Senior Officer: Norinco-Lalibella (Nori-La) Engineering & Construction Share Company; Jun. 2005 – Dec. 2006.
8. Market Research and Promotion Officer, then Manager: Adei Abeba Textile Factory; Nov. 2003 – Jun. 2005.
9. Market Research and Promotion Expert: Ethiopian Livestock marketing Authority; May 2002 – Nov. 2003.
10. Credit and Marketing Expert: Oromia Cooperative Promotion Bureau; Oct. 1999 – May 2002.
Professional Certifications
1. Harvard Kennedy School of USA, Executive Education Certificate on Leading Economic Growth (LEG)
2. Waginingen University of the Netherlands, Certificate on Introducing Agro Value Chain in Private sector
3. Development
4. Arizona State University of USA, Tucson, Institute for Organization management (IOM) certificate
5. China Textile Planning Institute of Construction (CTPIC), Certificate on Textile Human Resource Management
6. International Organization for Migration (IOM), Certificate on Essentials of Migration Management 2.0
7. International Trade Centre- ITC and COMESA Business Council, Certificate on Institutional Strengthening of Business Membership Organizations.
8. Certificate in Marketing Information System, Ethiopian Management Institute.
9. Certificate in General Export Marketing planning and Management, CBI (Centre for Promotion of Imports from Developing countries, Netherlands).
10. Certificate in Trade fair participation, CBI (Centre for Promotion of Imports from Developing countries, Netherlands).
11. Training on Market/ing research, SPSS analysis and SNAP development, FAO.
12. Certificate in Business Skill Development I, VOCA Ethiopia.
13. Certificate on Business Skill Development II, VOCA Ethiopia.
14. Certificate in Cooperative Development, VOCA Ethiopia.
15. Certificate in Co-operatives Management and Leadership, I.L.O.
16. Certificate in Cluster Development, Cluster Navigator of U.S.
Pertinent Assignments
- Board Member of the Ethiopian Extractive Industries Transparency International (EEITI)
2. Board member, National Steering Committee of the Entrepreneurship Development Program (EDP) of UNDP and Ministry of Construction and Urban Development.
3. Board Member, F.D.R.E. Public Procurement & Asset Disposal Complaints Review & Decision Setting Board; Ministry of Finance.
4. Board Member, National Steering Committee of Single Window Project of Revenue and Customs Authority of F.D.R.E.
5. Served as member of Technical Committee for Ethiopia’s accession to WTO & AfCFTA under Ministry of Trade & Industry.
6. Technical Committee member of Sustainable Development Goals, SDG under Planning and Development Commission.
7. Cotton International’s designated Africa expert; Writer on Africa Report of Cotton International: US-based sectoral Magazine.
8. Member and active participant of Ethiopian Economic Association (EEA).
9. Member of the technical committee of ACTIF – African Cotton and Textile Industry Federation – Nairobi (Kenya).
10. Member of the national steering committee of the ILO decent work country program.
11. Member of TWG – Technical Working group of the ILO Cotton/Textile national project.
12. Attended the Champion Product Approach (CPA) working visit to Japan following TICAD Forum and International Exhibition, http://open_jicareport.jica.go.jp/pdf/12148680_01.pdf
13. Attended a two-months experience sharing and working visits to textile factories, research centres, universities, policy makers and private sector associations of P.R. China.
14. Attended African Organic Exchange Conference on Cotton Textile and Apparel sectors of African states in Uganda, representing the Ethiopian textile sector and presented a paper.
15. Attended the MAGIC Show Trade Fair in Las Vegas USA as an exhibitor with products, representing member factors of ETGAMA.
16. Participated as member of the COMESA African Cotton Textile Industry Development Strategy Committee at South Africa/Johannesburg.
17. Represented the Ethiopian Private Sector in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Private Sector Forum, as well as AfCFTA signing event, Kigali; Rwanda;
18. Represented the Ethiopian Private sector in High level forum on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDG) National Voluntary Review – NVR in New York, USA.
19. Conducted a research on “Enterprise Management of State owned cotton/Textile/ Garment Enterprises in Ethiopia “Proceedings of the third International Conference on the Ethiopia Economy; Ethiopian Economic Association Vol. II.
20. Prepared advisory research paper on Ethiopia’s Textile Industry Position on extension of The African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) of The United States Government.
21. Viability and Sustainability Assessment of Industrial Park in Ethiopia: The case of Bole Lemi Industrial Park.
22. Supervised more than 15 researches in different areas of the Ethiopian economy and the private sector at ECCSA.
23. Developing bank loan re-schedulement plan with a detail business cycle analysis and repayment schedule for Gullele Garment Share Company.
24. Developing a marketing and sales manual for Adama Spinning plant
25. Developing Export Business Plan for Adama spinning Factory.
26. Pre-feasibility study on five star hotel, four star hotel, multipurpose buildings and residential buildings.
27. Feasibility study on dump trucks leasing business. (Team research)
28. Feasibility study on dump trucks assembly factory (Team research)
29. Spoke on UNIDO’s International Agro-Industry Investment Forum. https://youtu.be/QVT5keYgZzc
30. Moderated a roundtable on ITC Series prepared on Non-Tariff Barriers (NTB) https://www.intracen.org/uploadedFiles/intracenorg/Content/Publications/Ethiopia%20N TM%20survey_Low-res.pdf
31. Spoke on the grand launch of 2014 edition of the Economic Commission for Africa’s (ECA’s) flagship report. https://addisstandard.com/new-economic-report-on-africareveals-promising-industrialization/
32. Nairobi; Kenya – on African position on AGOA extension. https://agoa.info/news/article/4360-ethiopian-textile-exports-have-grown-under-agoatextile-body-chief.html.
33. Country Presentation on Eastern Africa CTA Capacity Building Workshop http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00K1PH.pdf
34. Spoke on opening ceremony of Indian Textile Exhibitions INTEXPO in Ethiopia and Kenya. https://storage.unitedwebnetwork.com/files/63/7e7c0d80a1a60382c81e0a2b038903d2.pd f
35. Co-initiator and Core Team Member of Destiny Ethiopia Initiative, an indigenous response to Ethiopia’s socio-economic and political challenges.
Languages:
English – Excellent (Reading, Speaking, Writing)
Amharic – Excellent (Reading, Speaking, Writing)
Oromiffa – Reading, Speaking, Writing
References
· Eyob Tekalign (PhD), State Minister, Ministry of Finance, FDRE. Tel. +251111552171, Email- eyobjobt@gmail.com
· Ambassador Mulu Solomon, Tel. +251 911227750, muluright@gmail.com.
· Befikadu Zeleke (PhD), Ass. Professor, Lecturer, Addis Ababa University, Tel. +251911144218 .O.Box 150103, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia