neissan@pafdi.org

Prof. Neissan A. Besharati is Adjunct Professor (Sustainability) at the Gordon Institute of Business Studies (GIBS) at the University of Pretoria. He also a GIZ Senior Technical Advisor to the African Union (NEPAD) Policy Bridge Tank. He is the founder of the socio-ecological cooperative Sustainable Organic Urban Lifestyle (SOUL) and also serves as the Executive Director of the Pan-African Financing for Development Institute (PAFDI).

He holds a PhD (Public Policy & Development Management) from University of Witwatersrand (South Africa) and a Masters (International Social Development) from the University of New South Wales (Australia). He is as a senior research associate at several prominent development think-tanks and visiting professor at a number of international universities.

Neissan has extensive experience as a international consultant working with multinational corporations (EY, PWC, Deloitte, Anglo American, Kagiso Group) and serving as a senior technical advisor to governments, philanthropies, bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors and regional organisations. He currently sits on various United Nations, World Bank, African Union and OECD expert groups and committees.

He is a globally respected thought leader in the areas of international development cooperation, monitoring and evaluation, development finance, illicit financial flows, public-private partnerships, sustainability and ESG, education policy, emerging economies and South-South cooperation.