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Zahra Baitie
Partnerships & Program Manager, Africa Netpreneur Prize Initiative (ANPI) at Alibaba Group
Zahra Baitie is an Africa-China enthusiast and a seasoned business development advisor in the international development sector. She has a strong passion for African development and global agency, particularly in Sino-Africa relations. Zahra has a diverse background working as a consultant and strategic advisor across various African countries for governments, corporations, and civil society organizations. Her expertise lies in driving transformative change in youth employment, agricultural development, institutional building, strategic planning, and investment facilitation.
Fluent in Mandarin and well-versed in Chinese history, culture, and politics, Zahra is dedicated to enhancing Sino-Africa relations. She is the founder of Kente & Silk (K&S), a social enterprise aimed at reshaping Africa-China dynamics. Under her leadership, K&S initiated Beijing's inaugural Africa-Week, a significant event promoting Africa in China and fostering positive interactions between the two regions. Zahra has contributed articles to reputable publications like The Atlantic, Quartz, China Watch, and has spoken at esteemed platforms such as China Daily's 'Vision China,' The China Africa Project, CGTN, BBC, and various conferences focusing on development and Africa-China ties.
Having experienced the digital and entrepreneurial boom in China firsthand, Zahra brings her insights to Alibaba with a goal of facilitating the company's mission to enable seamless global business transactions, particularly in African markets. She holds a Master's in Public Policy from Schwarzman Scholars and Tsinghua University, complemented by a Bachelor of Arts in Chinese Language and Literature, East Asian Studies, and International Development from Yale University.