Mandla Isaacs: Political Economist

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  • Travels from: Cape Town

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Mandla Isaacs is a public speaker, and facilitator. He is Managing Director of Zehuti Advisory, a communications and strategy firm. 

His main areas of expertise and interest are: political economy, business strategy/trends, South African and African development, international relations, public policy/administration and politics.

His career has spanned management consulting, including with McKinsey – where he advised companies and governments across Africa on strategy and change management – as well as public service, where he was head of research and speechwriting for the Minister of Home Affairs and Finance. 

In four years in government, Mandla wrote speeches for Parliament, investors, foreign diplomats and communities, among other stakeholders.

Mandla Isaacs

He also wrote two budget speeches – the October 2017 Medium Term Budget Policy Statement Speech, and the February 2018 Budget Speech – which are two of the most closely followed communications on the national calendar. 

He regularly provides analysis on South Africa-focused political economy, international relations and development issues in online columns, on radio and TV. 

He is a former champion debater and coach in British Parliamentary-style university debating.

Mandla Isaacs – Political Economist was educated in the United States (BA Political Science, Howard University) and South Africa (MA International Relations).

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