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Omid Kassiri

PartnerNairobi

Supports governments as they pursue a transformation agenda with a focus on economics and agriculture; guides companies to better results through radical performance change

A citizen of Kenya, Omid has been with McKinsey’s Nairobi office since its early days. He leads our public sector work in East Africa and coleads our Agricultural Practice across Africa. He also leads McKinsey’s Transformation Practice (RTS) across East Africa.

As an advisor to public and private sector leaders, Omid seeks to find the balance between the right solution, the optimal implementation, and the best results. Working closely with governments and the private sector, he facilitates action and outcomes, often playing a mediating role to broker relationships between the two sectors to achieve the greatest impact.

Examples of his recent client work include the following:

  • supporting a ministry of agriculture as it developed an agricultural strategy and national agriculture imagery program
  • working with the office of the president to develop and implement a 5-year government agenda
  • developing and stress testing an innovative model for a cow and dairy business in Kenya with ambitions to scale operations regionally
  • leading support for a joint venture between a global feeds company and a local dairy-and-poultry-feeds business
  • leading the development and implementation of Kenya’s industrialization road map, including reform programs designed to reduce the difficulty of doing business and increase agro-processing investments
  • leading the transformation of a major electrical utility and working with the ministry to unlock the potential of the sector
  • directing the transformation of one East Africa’s largest financial institutions, focusing on delivering financial services to underserved populations as well as plans for expanding to five additional countries

Omid first joined McKinsey in 2004 in our Johannesburg office. After leaving to work in leadership development and renewable energy, he rejoined the firm in 2014 in Nairobi, eager to contribute to growth and development in his own country and the broader region.

Omid is also one of the founding partners of a 5,500-hectare farm near Lumumbashi, DRC, and the co-developer of a 75-megawatt solar park in South Africa. He offers volunteer support to several youth empowerment groups, and is a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network and the Tutu Fellowship.

Published work

 “The closest look yet at Chinese economic engagement in Africa,” McKinsey & Company, June 2017

“Dance of the lions and dragons: How are Africa and China engaging, and how will the partnership evolve?” McKinsey & Company, June 2017

Lions on the Move II: Realizing the potential of Africa’s economies,” McKinsey Global Institute, September 2016

Past experience

Egon Zehnder
Consultant

Forest Lion
Director, renewable energy and agricultural development

Education

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MSc, technology and policy
MSc, civil and environmental engineering

University of Cape Town
BSc, civil engineering