In an exciting turn of events, Dr. Nirmal Shah, Nature Seychelles CEO, has been selected as one of the 9 private sector representatives on the Joint Economic Forum (JEF). The Joint Economic Forum is a newly minted mechanism in Seychelles for high-level public-private sector dialogue and partnership. It is designed to monitor progress on reform and improve the national business climate. The first meeting held at State House and chaired by President Wavel Ramkalawan was attended by representatives from the key business associations in Seychelles. At that meeting it was decided that there should be 9 representatives from the private sector on the Forum and that these would be chosen by a panel through an open call for nominations.
Dr. Shah says, “I’m humbled by this appointment and thank the selection panel for their trust in me. I took the call for nominations to the JEF very seriously and I answered everyone of the 8 eligibility criteria with a lot of thought and foresight. It seemed to me from the call that the panel was striving to acquire game changers, future-looking leaders and those committed to inclusive sustainable national development, and to avoid getting bogged down in silos and narrow vested interests.”
Dr Shah receiving an award from the WIOMSA President
Calls for nominations were sent out on social and print media and by email to business associations and SCCI (Seychelles Chamber of Commerce and Industry) members. The selection process was especially competitive, the panel pointed out. Thirty four high-quality nominations from across sectors and islands were received within the deadline, the panel said, and it emphasized that a rigorous evaluation based on clear criteria provided in the call was undertaken. The panel said Dr. Shah’s nomination “stood out for his leadership, credibility, and commitment to collaborative reform”. Dr. Shah is also known for ESG awareness, his ability to put together and lead diverse teams, and his long advocacy experience, all part of the list of criteria.
Mr. Oliver Bastienne, the Chair of the SCCI says, “Dr. Shah has a special ability to span many disciplines and sectors. He is a thought leader, knowledge broker, and innovator in domains of much interest to the private sector notably Blue Economy, ecotourism, Nature-Based Solutions, climate adaptation and others. What is interesting to us at the SCCI is that he’s carved out a niche as a social entrepreneur, a much needed but very rare breed in Seychelles.”
In a past interview with the BBC
Dr. Shah explains that he has been working with the SCCI for some years as an elected Council Member. “I have contributed robustly to the SCCI’s initiatives such as chairing its committee to review the Employment Act, representing it at high level meetings including with development partners like the World Bank, and helping to develop content, thought leadership, and advocacy. Most people don’t know that my first degree is in business and my family had one of the largest companies in Seychelles for many years until the coup d’etat,” he says.
“I’m particularly gratified that the simple formula I devised to dive swiftly into private sector concerns, the 4 Ls, namely Land, Labor, Laws and Lending, was advocated by the SCCI Chair and has been adopted by the Forum as the working mechanism for its 4 thematic groups,” Dr. Shah concludes.