Chairman: Zafar Siddiqi
Zafar is cofounder and Chairman of CNBC Africa and has been part of the strategic development of the ABN Group in Africa to include Forbes Africa, ABN Training, ABN Productions, ABN Pictures, and ABN Digital.
Zafar is Chairman of CNBC Africa, President of Jaag TV, Chairman of SAMAA TV, Chairman of Murdoch University International Study Centre in Dubai, Chairman Lancaster University Ghana and Chairman Forbes Africa.
He was with KPMG for 18 years initially as a partner and later as the Managing Director of one of its consultancy practices.
Having extensive experience in the Middle East and South Asia, he left the profession in 1996 and established a television production company.
He is a director on the board of the Academy of Science and Arts of New York and has attended the KPMG partner development program at Stanford University.
Mr. Siddiqi is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
Rakesh Wahi
Rakesh Wahi is an entrepreneur who has been involved with early stage investments in emerging markets. He is a well-respected member of the investment community and has distinguished himself in the field of IT, telecoms, media, technology and education investments in the CIS, Middle East & North Africa, South & South East Asia and Sub-Sahara Africa.
Mr. Wahi is Chairman of CMA Investment Holdings that has representation through its portfolio companies in over 20 countries.
Mr. Wahi is the Founder of – CNBC Africa, Forbes Africa, ABN Productions, ABN Training Institute, ABN Pictures, ABN Education Trust, TransNational Education, Lancaster University Ghana, Murdoch University Dubai and Tech One Global.
He closely oversees the management, operations and strategic growth of all these ventures. His core focus is on long term corporate development through building strong management teams.
Mr. Wahi has been involved with the development of business media and financial journalism in the African continent. He has worked on skills development and implemented the policy of empowerment through employment by creating competencies through training, development and indigenisation.
Mr. Wahi started his career with the Indian Army (Corps of Engineers) and was decorated with the prestigious Vishisht Seva Medal (“VSM”) by the President of India in 1985. He was also part of India’s scientific expedition to the Antarctica in 1987/88. He graduated from the prestigious National Defence Academy in 1979 and the Indian Military Academy in 1980. He left the army in 1988.
He has a Bachelor of Science degree (NDA) and a Bachelor of Technology degree in Civil Engineering (CME) from the Jawaharlal Nehru University. He is a Chartered Engineer from the Institute of Engineers, Calcutta, India. He is an engineering graduate from the illustrious College of Military Engineering.
Mr. Wahi was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Science by the Minister of Education at IIM, Namibia. He has been honoured with ringing the bell at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, The Nigerian Stock Exchange and the Zambian Stock Exchange.
In March 2013 Mr. Wahi led a team of 15 members of the ABN Group to the top of Mount Killimanjaro. 100% of the team made it to the top.
Mr. Wahi has recently founded the ABN Education Trust to finance the education of children from previously disadvantaged families in South Africa as well as support orphan children.
Roberta Naicker
Roberta Naidoo took over as Group Managing Director in 2011. She is responsible for the overall operations of the ABN Group, which includes CNBC Africa and Forbes Africa.
Apart from overseeing the financial strategy, planning and forecasts, Roberta also works directly with the Group’s Vice Chairman on strategic growth and opportunities across the African continent.
Roberta serves on the Board of Africa Business News (CNBC Africa), Forbes Africa and is Chairperson of ABN Training, ABN Productions and ABN Pictures. She is also Chairperson of ABN Kenya and ABN Nigeria.
Roberta joined CNBC Africa in February 2008 as the Head of Finance and served in various positions prior to being appointed Managing Director.
Roberta has completed the Effective Strategies for Media Companies programme at Harvard, which is a leadership development program, and was a finalist in the 2012 Business Women’s Associations Business Women of the year awards in the Corporate Category.
Roberta is a Trustee of the ABN Education Trust and oversees the Groups CSR activities as well as the corporate development programs of the Group.
Roberta, who is studying her Masters in Business Administration, is a member of the International Women’s Media Foundation, as well as the Business Women’s Association of South Africa.
Sam Bhembe
Sam is one of the founding Non-Executive Directors of the ABN 360 Group. Sam started his career as a teacher of Economics and Business Economics.
He ended being the Managing Executive of Nedbank charged with the responsibilities of managing all businesses in the continent outside of South Africa. Before that, Sam looked after the public sector banking and the strategy portfolio of Nedbank Corporate. Before joining the bank, Sam was the Executive Vice President at the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa, responsible for investment and facilities into the services-based industrial sectors.
Sam has been a Non-Executive Director in numerous entities including Kimberly Clark South Africa, Hans Merensky, Nedbank Foundation and National Film & Video Foundation of South Africa. He is currently a director at the St Davids Marist College in Inanda, Sandton.
Sam is qualified with Honours in Economics, an MBA in Finance from Maastricht School of Management (Netherlands), Strategic Management in Banking from INSEAD (France) and an Advanced Management Program from Duke University (USA).
Sid Wahi
Sid Wahi is the Managing Director of CMA Investment Holdings, a family investment holding company that is the Founding shareholder of the ABN Group; including CNBC Africa and Forbes Africa.
Sid completed his schooling at the Doon School in India and earned his Bachelor (Hons) of Business Administration majoring in Finance from the Schulich School of Business, Toronto, Canada.
