Ronak Gopaldas is a leading South African political economist, Africa specialist, writer and keynote speaker whose work focuses on the intersection of geopolitics, economics and business across Africa.
He is a Director at Signal Risk, a research fellow at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, faculty member at GIBS Business School, and a Visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics’ Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa. Previously, Ronak spent almost a decade at Rand Merchant Bank, where he served as Head of Country Risk, analysing the economic, political, security and operational dynamics affecting markets across Sub-Saharan Africa.
A respected international commentator, Ronak has appeared on CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera and CNBC Africa and regularly addresses leading business, policy and academic audiences around the world. In 2016, he delivered a TED Talk on Africa’s evolving role in the global economy.
His accolades and affiliations include being selected as a 2019 Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellow and being named a Global South African Brand Ambassador in 2024. He is also an alumnus of the Asian Forum on Global Governance and the Young African Leadership Initiative.
Ronak holds degrees in Philosophy, Politics & Economics and Financial Analysis & Portfolio Management from UCT, as well as an MSc in Finance (Economic Policy) from SOAS University of London.
As a speaker, Ronak translates complex geopolitical and economic developments into clear, commercially relevant insights, helping organisations understand Africa’s risks, opportunities and position within a rapidly changing global economy.
Key Speaking Topics: Africa’s Economic Future • Geopolitics & the New World Order • Investing & Doing Business in Africa • Country & Political Risk • African Growth & Transformation • Trade & Investment • AfCFTA • Emerging Markets • Global Trends & their Impact on Africa
Highlights: Director, Signal Risk • Former Head of Country Risk, RMB • LSE Visiting Fellow • GIBS Faculty • NTU Research Fellow • 2019 Tutu Leadership Fellow • Global South African Brand Ambassador • TED Speaker • International Media Commentator
