Advisory Board

Advisory Board

THE ADVISORY BOARD IS COMPOSED OF HIGHLY RESPECTED VETERAN PRACTITIONERS, ADVISORS, AND CONSULTANTS WHO POSSESS A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE IN BOTH THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTORS GLOBALLY, HAVE MADE A TRANSFORMATIVE IMPACT ACROSS DIVERSE INDUSTRIES, AND ARE INFLUENTIAL DEAL MAKERS.

Our advisors and consultants are independent experts who work with Concilium and our portfolio companies to provide unique global perspectives, strong regional knowledge, and access to a wealth of relationships that enhance our ability to serve our clients and capture opportunities around the world. Together with our Operating Assets and Industry Specialists, the Advisory Board forms the Transformation Nexus.

Brain Trust Overview

Concilium offers capabilities across boundaries and between the silos of any organization. We have a proven system of creating multiplier effects from the optimization of the sum of all parts – not just the individual pieces.

The Brain Trust serves as a global alliance platform to exchange ideas and the most contemporary insights. The Brain Trust also serves as Concilium’s think tank, addressing leading social challenges as part of our contribution to society at large, specifically in terms of the public sector and government institutions. Our mission is to drive transformative social impact as well as intellectual property development.

Leader of the Brain Trust

Mustafa engages with leading global thinkers, accomplished corporate leaders, and industry experts to develop unique insights on the constantly changing world. Collectively they bring together deep expertise across industries and geographies.

Mustafa Zaidi


Mustafa is an expert at distilling insights on future trends which are shaping the global business and economic landscape. He brings diverse knowledge on various sectors of the economy and global capital markets.

Mustafa was co-founder of Octane, an alternative solutions provider to institutional clients. He has more than 25 years’ investment experience, and was an investment strategist at the Lexington Worldwide Emerging Markets fund. He also worked at Cambridge Associates (Boston), a consultancy for endowments and universities.

Mustafa has a BA in History and Economics from Brown University, an MA in War Studies from King's College, and was a DPhil candidate at Balliol College, Oxford University.

William Knight


William is Chairman of Earth Capital Asia Ltd, Myanmar Investments International Ltd, and a board member of Golden Saint Technologies Ltd. He is a director or adviser to various investment and other companies that focus on the Indo-Asia Pacific region. Originally an export credit specialist at Lazard Brothers, he spent 18 years within the Lloyds Bank group, initially as a project finance specialist working from initiation on game-changing projects such as the Dubai Aluminium Smelter.

Next, he established and directed the bank's first overseas merchant banking office in Hong Kong, covering East Asia and the Indian sub-continent. He later became responsible for the creation of a number of early emerging market investment funds, and worked in a board capacity, often as chairman, on a variety of such funds. In recent years, he has served as Chairman of the J. P Morgan Chinese Investment Trust Plc, senior Independent Director of Fidelity Asian Values Trust Plc, and as a co-founder of Emerisque Brands and chairman of its three Chinese joint ventures.

In a career dedicated to frontier and emerging markets, he originated funds for Portugal, Thailand, Russia, Mauritius, and Vietnam, and served on the boards of private equity fund, KASB Bank in Pakistan and a Korean-led fund investing in Korean companies involved with China. He currently advises a UK-based food technology company on its strategy for China, a Sri Lankan family office on its Asian strategy, and a Dhaka based partnership bringing equity investment capital to private companies in Bangladesh.


Hasan Abid


Hasan has over 35 years’ of diversified experience in Capital Markets. He was the previously the CEO of Escorts Capital and transformed it into one of the leading investment brokerage firms in Pakistan. He was also one of the first individuals to obtain the brokerage membership of the Lahore Stock Exchange. Prior to that he established the equity brokerage business for the Escorts Investment bank and is credited for capturing the highest trading volumes in the history of Pakistan’s stock market.

Before that he started and led the Equity Brokerage and Arbitrage business at Fidelity Investment Bank Limited. Prior to that he was Head of Trading department at the Lahore Stock Exchange Branch. Hasan pioneered Arbitrage trading strategies in Pakistan creating one of the best performing track records in Pakistan’s trading history.

Vincenzo Volpe


Vincenzo is Founding Partner of Intelligens, an Independent Strategic Advisory Boutique first incorporated in London and then in Italy, with offices in Milan and Turin. He has over 25 years’ experience serving institutional and private clients on professional and business development roles.

Vincenzo worked as Head of the Investment Management Division at Polaris (March 2009-December 2012) and previously in the Goldman Sachs Group for 14 years (1994- 2009), serving in the Milan, London, and New York offices in the Fixed Income and Asset Management Divisions. He left as MD and Head of the Italian Business Unit of Goldman Sachs Asset Management. His experience includes five years at KPMG Rome, first in auditing and then in corporate finance.

He holds a BA in Business Management from the L.U.I.S.S. in Rome and a postgraduate degree in Financial Markets from the Bocconi University in Milan, and has been a CPA and Official Accountant in Rome since 1991.


Zhu Gaolong


Zhu was previously a Managing Director at Shanghai Lansheng Corporation, one of China’s leading industrial conglomerates. He was responsible for improving trade and foreign direct investment between China and the Middle East and North Africa (“MENA”) region.

He is an expert in structuring complex Public Private Partnerships and greenfield energy projects. He has previously advised leading Chinese private and public corporations on infrastructure and energy projects valued over $13 billion globally.

Sheikh Zuhair Bin Ali Azhar


Zuhair is a visionary dynamic global strategist and C-level leader, with a 30 year track record of accomplishments ranging from entrepreneurial achievements to public-private partnerships. He has extensive experience in high level negotiations, and proven ability to enhance state-level collaborations with NGOs and international organizations. He is currently the Chairman and CEO of DLT group, which provides higher education and vocational training based on distance learning technologies, with a special focus on empowering disabled communities worldwide.

He also serves as Chairman of Golden Stream Co, Chairman of Makkah for Exhibition & Conferences, Chairman of Bedo Arabia, Chairman of Livox Arabia, Vice-Chairman and advisor at OIC News Agencies, board member of the Islamic Virtual University, and CEO and board member of CPBC. Zuhair is also the Ambassador to the Religious Association of the Muslims of Russia and the Goodwill Ambassador to the Council of Chinese-Islamic Relations. He has a Bachelor‟s Degree in Electrical & Computer Engineering, and holds an MBA from Oklahoma State University.


Dr. Nadia Zaheer


They say, there are two sides of the story. Nadia believes it’s 4 sides: His, hers, them and the data. Data drives any company’s strategy and data helps you write your journey. Nadia brings the data driven strategy view for client transformation so clients can write their own story. She is a globally renowned senior data scientist and was previously the data strategy and data science project's leader at IBM.

In these disruptive times of Data Revolution 2.0, where more and more businesses need data to be translated into a strategy to create value, Nadia specializes in Data Monetization using data science for corporate clients, globally. She uses all types of data available to develop holistic storyboards to enhance consumer value journeys. She derives actionable insights using excellent technical skills combined with a business acumen that enables her to help her clients succeed.

Nadia has a deep experience in digitally transforming leading organizations and companies globally. She is an ex-business school professor and holds a doctoral degree in Information Systems. Her latest strategy projects are aimed at digital transformation using API Economy led Marketplaces for data sharing and approach for data monetization. Her latest project was a Digital Solution Marketplace for the largest corporate investment largest bank of African Continent. Nadia was nominated as a ‘data science thought leader’ IBM.

Chris Andrew


Before founding Clarmond Advisors in 2010 Chris has worked for 14 years in the family office and investment world. He worked at Consulta Limited, a multi-family office and investment firm since 1996. Chris is an IIMR qualified Fund Manager and has consistently worked with international and UK-based clients on their asset allocation and portfolio and wealth structuring.


Dr. Salim Batla


Dr. Batla serves as Executive Director at BenchMatrix Pvt. Ltd. He previously served as Director at Fauji Fertilizer Bin Qasim Limited. He has over 15 years of risk management & project management experience in Financial Risk Management.

He specializes in Risk Analytics in relation to Credit and Market Risk including valuation of first and second generation derivatives. He has been closely associated with several top organizations and served as advisor for banks and investment companies on development and implementation of consolidated risk management policies, processes and systems in line with international standards. He has served as the Capital Markets Advisor for World Bank.

Earlier, he has served in various key positions in top organizations such as BenchMatrix, Pakistan as Director of Financial Advisory Services, Common Wealth Development Corporation UK, Fauji Foundation, London & Scottish Marine Oils, Unilever Pakistan Limited and Hoechst Pakistan Limited.

He is an accredited MBA from CES, University of Toronto. Other professional designations include, Basel II Advanced Approaches Implementation, Certified Anti Money Laundering Specialist, ACAMS, Miami, USA and Certified ISO 9001:2000 Audit and Lead Auditor, Lloyd, London, United Kingdom.

Lord Calum Graham


Lord Calum Graham has advised and invested in high growth SMEs in the financial services, consumer, and technology sectors since 1999 as Managing Partner of Fleming Verity LLP and as co-founder of its predecessor, Fleming Lincoln Ltd.

He previously spent twelve years in investment banking in London and New York (HSBC, UBS, and Citigroup), after spending four entrepreneurial years engaged in projects in the leisure and agricultural sectors in Africa, the US, and the UK. He received a short service commission in the military, and holds a BSc in Zoology with Computer Science from the University of Cape Town and an MBA from INSEAD, France.


Kamal Chinoy


Kamal is the Chairman at Jubilee Life Insurance Co. Ltd. He is on the Board of Directors at ICI Pakistan Ltd, International Steels Ltd, Pakistan Cables Ltd, International Industries Ltd, Askari Bank Ltd, Atlas Power Ltd, and Pak Chemicals Ltd. Kamal was previously an Independent Non- Executive Director at Atlas Battery Ltd, Chairman of Aga Khan Foundation (Pakistan), a member of the Governor’s Board of Army Burn Hall College, a Non-Executive Director of Atlas Insurance Co. Ltd, President of Management Association of Pakistan, Chairman of Ngo Resource Centre, and Chairman of The Aga Khan Foundation. He also served on the board at IGI Investment Bank Ltd, Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy, and Pakistan Security Printing Corp Ltd. He received his undergraduate degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Gerald Gonzenbach


Gerald has more than 25 years’ experience in international corporate finance, asset management, and structured finance. He acted as CEO and Executive Vice Chairman for Octane Holding, an alternative solutions provider for institutional clients. Prior to this, he was CFO of Sanlam Financial Services. Previous experience includes work as Chief International Officer for Genbel Securities, and working at UBS in a number of senior positions in South Africa and Eastern Europe. Gerald received his Master’s degree and PhD in Law from the University of Zurich, Switzerland, as well as an MBA from the University of Virginia, USA.


Ed Farrauto


Ed Has been involved in public companies in the capacity of chief financial officer and director for over 20 years. He has completed several reverse takeovers involving companies in the mineral, oil and gas, entertainment sectors. He has been involved in over $500 million of equity and debt financings with the companies he has been associated with.

Hal Hemmerich


Hal has over 30 years of experience in the capital markets and financial advisory. He has led numerous project financings, conducted mergers and acquisitions and completed multiple listings globally. He has provided corporate advisory and project financing solutions for both public and private corporations worldwide.


Amina Ahmed


Amina heads the Projects Practice Group (PPG) at Axis Law. Whilst Amina has extensive experience in advising on various aspects of corporate law and non-contentious legal matters, she is a projects and transactions specialist focusing on power and infrastructure projects, PPP projects, project financing (both conventional and Islamic modes of financing).

Amina is an internationally recognized expert in the power and energy sector having led projects related to mining and integrated coal (Thar); imported coal; local coal (Kalar Kahar); regasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG); solar; wind; bagasse; co-generation; hydro; captive and wheeling. She has advised China State Grid in relation to the development of the first (and presently only) private transmission line project in Pakistan.

Amina has acted for foreign and local sponsors / project companies; government entities; equity participants and both local and foreign lenders. She is thus, experienced in advising on virtually all stages of the full project life including on investments in Pakistan's power sector and tariff and licensing matters and has drafted and negotiated project and financing documents including power / energy purchase and implementation agreements (including Pakistan’s first Thar coal, imported coal, wind, solar and RLNG purchase agreements); transmission services agreements; wheeling agreements; water use agreements; inland coal transportation agreement (all firsts); fuel supply agreements; EPC contracts; O&M agreements and financing and security documents. Amina has managed numerous projects from inception to successful financial close and is also well versed in providing legal support during the construction and operation phases of projects. Her contributions to Pakistan’s energy sector in recent years have been instrumental in the development of project finance documentation which is now being used as market precedent / industry standard.

In Chambers & Partners, Amina is a ranked lawyer for her Projects, Infrastructure & Energy expertise. Her clients describe Amina as a “very practical, bright and switched-on” practitioner who is “extremely good to work with". In the latest edition of Legal 500, PPG is described as a “practical and effective team that really understands the transaction from all sides (sponsor, lender, regulator etc.)" with Amina being praised for being “one of the most knowledgeable lawyers in this sector” and having “great industry connections” who has “assembled a very good team around her”.

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