Ahmed Farah Appointed East African Business Council Executive Director

The Board of the East African Business Council (EABC) has appointed Mr Ahmed Farah as the new substantive Executive Director of the East African Business Council. 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 has also 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.

According to a statement from EABC, throughout his career, Mr. Farah has demonstrated exceptional expertise in regional integration, public-private dialogue, donor relations, and resource mobilisation, successfully stewarding partnerships to deliver measurable trade and investment outcomes.

“He is widely recognised for his ability to turn regional and continental trade commitments, including the 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,” says EABC chairperson, Mr John Lual Akol.

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Mr Akol said Farah brings strong strategic leadership, deep knowledge of the EAC regulatory environment, and a proven track record in institutional strengthening and results-oriented delivery. 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 EABC members and National Focal Points, and deepening collaboration with the East African Community Secretariat, Organs, and Institutions. He will also spearhead resource mobilisation and high-level advocacy at Ministerial and Heads of State levels to advance EABC’s vision of a borderless East Africa that drives business growth, investment and jobs.