Zemedeneh Negatu

Managing Partner Ethiopia &
Head Transaction Advisory Services (Corporate Finance)
Eastern Africa
Ernst & Young LLP

Zemedeneh is Ernst & Young’s Managing Partner for Ethiopia and the Head of Transaction Advisory Services (Corporate Finance) for Eastern Africa which includes Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and other countries. For Several Years Zemedeneh had served on E&Y’s Africa board and as a member of the international firm’s Global Partner Council (GPC). He is an American Citizen with a proud Ethiopian heritage.

A globally experienced executive, he has lived and worked around the world including the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Argentina and Saudi Arabia. His global clients have ranged from Fortune 500 companies to Latin American multi-nationals.

In Africa, he has advised clients extensively in various sectors including airlines, telecoms, manufacturing and agro-industry in countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, Mozambique, South Africa and Togo. He recently completed a large Merger & Acquisition (M&A) project in Lagos for one of the best known Nigerian companies. Zemedeneh is presently advising several investors from oil rich Middle East countries about investment in Africa. Previously, he had led the E&Y advisory team which helped transform Ethiopian Airlines to become the 2nd biggest in Africa and more profitable than all African airlines combined.

Frequently invited to high profile international gatherings, Zemedeneh has spoken at a Capital Markets summit in South Africa, at the Harvard Business School in Boston, the COMESA Investment Forum in Egypt, the Saudi-East African Business conference, attended by Heads of States and 7th Corporate Council on Africa summit in Washington. Furthermore, he has been interviewed by various international media organizations including Bloomberg TV, the Financial Times/Mergermarket, Africa Investor magazine and Summit TV South Africa.

A tireless promoter of investment into Africa, including by the African Diaspora, Zemedeneh actively participates in initiatives which showcase Africa as an attractive investment destination. He also devotes time to support social programs by various organizations such OAFLA (Organization of Africa First Ladies Against AIDS)

Zemedeneh has completed Harvard Business School’s "Leadership for Senior Executives" (LSE) program. He received his undergraduate business degree from Howard University, Washington, D.C. and is a CPA.