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The Board of the East African Business Council (EABC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Ahmed Farah as the new substantive Executive Director, following a competitive recruitment process.
Mr. Farah is a distinguished trade and investment policy expert with over two decades of leadership experience across East Africa and other African markets.
Prior to joining EABC, he served as Country Director for Kenya at TradeMark Africa (TMA), where he led large, multi-year programmes focused on trade facilitation, corridor performance, customs modernisation, and private-sector competitiveness.
He previously served as Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) and held senior advisory and leadership roles at Deloitte East Africa and PwC.
Mr. Farah holds a Master’s degree in International Development from the University of Manchester and a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) from Kenyatta University.
He is a Certified Public Accountant of Kenya (CPA K) and a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), with additional qualifications in corporate governance and strategic leadership.
Throughout his career, Mr. Farah has demonstrated exceptional expertise in regional integration, public–private dialogue, donor relations, and resource mobilisation to deliver measurable trade and investment outcomes.
He is widely recognised for his ability to translate regional and continental trade commitments—including the East African Community (EAC) integration agenda and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)—into practical reforms that reduce trade costs, ease cross-border procedures, and improve market access for businesses.
His appointment comes at a critical time as EABC intensifies advocacy to address non-tariff barriers, high trade and logistics costs, and uneven implementation of regional commitments.
As Executive Director, Mr. Farah will lead the EABC Secretariat in implementing the EABC Strategic Plan, strengthening engagement with members and National Focal Points, deepening collaboration with the EAC Secretariat, Organs and Institutions, and spearheading high-level advocacy at Ministerial and Heads of State levels.
The Board expresses its full confidence in Mr. Farah’s leadership and invites all stakeholders, partners, and the wider business community to extend their full support and cooperation as he undertakes this important role in advancing EABC’s vision of a borderless East Africa that drives business growth, investment, and jobs.
