Chief Investment & Project Officer
Sobona leads the drive to bring foreign direct investments into Zimbabwe leveraging his relationship with a network of US and UK private equity investors, venture capital, institutional investors and High Net Worth Individuals.
As the Chief Investment & Projects Officer, Dr Mtisi articulates Zimbabwe’s Open for Business Policy, and wider policy agenda to investors, providing trusted and credible insights into the Zimbabwe investment climate. He works in partnership with colleagues in Government and Government Agencies in promoting Zimbabwe as the No.1 investment destination in Southern Africa.
Prior to joining OPEAAL, Sobona started his career in academia and research, where he excelled as a multi-disciplinary researcher able to use research to inform policy and practice. During that period, Sobona worked for various international NGOs, lectured at the University of Zimbabwe, and supervised PhD students at the National University and Technology. He went on to work for 5 years at the Overseas Development Institute - UK’s leading think-tank on global development – providing research, technical, and advisory services to NGOs, governments, and multilateral development agencies. During his academic and research career, Sobona authored over 30 publications including journal articles, working papers, technical reports and book chapters on pertinent global development policy issues, including market-based approaches to development.
Mentored by a Wall Street veteran, Sobona then spent 3 years working on commodities transactions in SADC in an investment, advisory, research and business development capacity. His research helped to identify new investment opportunities, advance strategic initiatives and business development, and support investors. Recently, Sobona worked as the Senior Strategy & Business Development Manager for a fintech start-up, and commodity trading firm, before co-founding an investment advisory firm and an agribusiness company. In addition, Sobona is an avid retail trader, profitably trading UK and US securities on his individual account.
Sobona holds a PhD in International Development & Policy Management from the University of Manchester and an MBA from University of Nottingham Business School – both Russell Group Universities. Prior to that, Sobona obtained an Msc in Population Studies, and a Bsc. (Hons) in Sociology, both from the University of Zimbabwe.
