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Trained social scientist, a trade strategy and private sector development specialist with over two decades of experience leading multicultural teams advising on policy and regulatory matters. Passionate about developmental issues affecting the Global South and is working actively on South-South and Trilateral development Cooperation in middle and low-income economies of Africa and Asia. |
 Contact Abhilash Puljal
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Area of Expertise: |
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Agriculture, Livelihoods, Microfinance, Rural
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Capacity Building, Training, Advocacy
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Director, CEO, COP, President
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Private Sector, Social Enterprise, Corporate Social Responsibility
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Trade, Finance, Economics, Cooperation, Global
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Professional Experience: |
Abhilash is currently advising the World Bank and UN World Food Programme in New Delhi conducting studies on trade facilitation and gender to assess the challenges faced by women traders while studying the customs procedures and identifying the gaps in implementation across India. Coordinating with Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, India to suggest implementable models for Enquiry Points for the former and mapping the demands on a needs-based assessment for countries in Asia and Africa in the millet value-chain for the latter. He is also conducting capacity building, through his firm, exercises for the Afreximbank, Cairo on Export Trading Companies (ETC) across countries in Africa and the Caribbean. Moreover, his practice has been contracted by the Government of Zambia, funded by the African Development bank, to advise on the Lobito Corridor Trade Facilitation Project. Furthermore, he is also, individually and through his firm is advising private enterprises on their cross-border investment strategies especially into countries in Sub Saharan Africa, Central Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia.
Earlier, he founded Avignam Advisors, a boutique private sector advisory that researched, conceptualised and implemented sustainable projects for clients in Asia, Africa and India. He has conceptualised initiatives from the “ground-up” with “out-of-the-box” ideas and assessing the potential of such ideas using strategic and evidence-based methods. Private sector opportunities are accessed and ideated not in isolation, but after conducting a macro level study of the value chain of a certain sector and depending on the outcomes, business potential is assessed, and businesses are derived from such studies.
He is a committed self-starter with strong analytical skills known to network with an ability to maintain long and trusting relationships. Abhilash also is an effective verbal and written communicator with an ability to articulate information in a structured and insightful manner. He has a proven ability to engage decision-makers and empower teams to lead analysis and recommendations. Also, he has a deep understanding and sensitivity towards political and cultural dimensions of environments especially in complex locations and situations. Moreover, he enjoys building and leading high performing teams to deliver innovative and result oriented solutions to achieve realistic goals. Furthermore, he is also known among his peers to be experienced in mentoring and coaching junior colleagues in their professional development and career progression.
Prior to Avignam he served as an Alternate Director on the board of Bharat Renewable Energy Limited, Lucknow, India; Senior Consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, India in the Tax and Regulatory Practice working on various projects especially on policy and regulatory matters. He was earlier employed as Asst. Vice-President at SKIL Infrastructure Limited, Mumbai, India; University of Sydney as a Research Assistant in Sydney, Australia and Sathguru Management Consultants Pvt Ltd as Associate Consultant in Hyderabad, India. He also previously volunteered as a Consultant at the Overseas Development Institute in London, UK and as a Lecturer at the Australian Aid for Cambodia Fund in Prey Veng Province, Cambodia.
He constantly travels to client locations around the world, understand client needs and develop simple solutions to complex problems by ensuring a balanced stakeholder interest. He networks widely across private and public sector organisations and works closely with senior management of large to mid-sized organisations. He also has developed excellent relations with senior regulators in various Governments in Africa and Asia and heads of various diplomatic missions in Africa, Asia and Europe.
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Education: |
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Has a multidisciplinary educational background with two postgraduate degrees in Development Management and International Business from the London School of Economics and Political Science, London, and the University of Sydney, Sydney respectively. Undergraduate degree is in Management with a minor in Politics from DePaul University, Chicago and also read briefly as an exchange student at the Plekhanov Russian Academy of Economics, Moscow. Furthermore, completed a course on Markets System Development approach by The Springfield Centre, United Kingdom.
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Affiliations and Achievements: |
Member, Institute of Management Consultants of India, Mumbai, India; Life Member, Delhi Management Association, New Delhi, India; Life Member, Ananta Centre, New Delhi, India, Member, The Royal Economic Society, London, UK; Life Member, All India Management Association, New Delhi, India.
Registered Consultant – Asian Development Bank – CMS No. 159980; African Development Bank – Web-code: W295062; World Bank – UPI Number: 601961; UN World Food Programme – Candidate ID: 2031200. Empanelled as a subject matter expert with the Uganda Development Bank.
Market Systems Approach, Springfield Centre, Durham, UK; Certificate on SME exports, International Trade Centre (Online), Geneva, Switzerland; Basic Security in the Field II (Online), United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNSDSS); Advanced Security in the Field (Online), UNSDSS, BSafe (Online), UNDSS.
Strong analytical and communication skills, with faculties in document writing; Excellent interpersonal communication and project management skills; Quantitative and Qualitative Research Skills; Well-honed teaching and training skills; Good attention to detail and client focussed; Strong understanding of value chain approach for trade, industrial development and cross border investment opportunities; Strong commitment to teamwork and used working across disciplines; Well organised and motivated with intercultural skills with experience in working with international teams.
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Available for: |
- Consulting assignments
- Job opportunities
- Being headhunted – make me an offer
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Years of Experience:
More than 20 years |
Highest Qualification:
Masters |
Languages:
English, Hindi and Telugu |
Nationality:
India
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LinkedIn Profile:
www.linkedin.com/in/puljal/
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