About
I'm an economist and platform builder working at the intersection of data, policy, and technology.
My career has taken me from the University of Chicago to the offices of UN Special Envoys and High-Level Climate Champions — and in parallel, I build the tools that make complex economic data legible and actionable.
I built Vizit, a configuration-driven data visualization platform, because the tools that existed weren't good enough for the questions I was trying to answer. That experience — of seeing a gap and filling it — is how I approach most problems.
I research, I write, I build. Usually all three at once.
Experience
Venture Development Manager
Potentia — The 2043 Project
Jul 2025 – Present
Cairo, Egypt
20M+ podcast views
- Establishing and operationalizing Zai-Strive, a company offering AI training and consulting solutions for individuals and businesses across numerous sectors.
- Developing the 2043 media project, including a podcast (20M+ views), roundtable events, news coverage, and community engagement for audiences interested in entrepreneurship, tech, health, education, and energy.
- Building the 2043 digital platform with an autonomous daily newsletter and RFQ system for platform services.
Technical Office Research Associate
Office of the UN Special Envoy for Financing the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda
Feb 2024 – May 2025
Cairo, Egypt
UN High-Level Expert Group
- Conducted extensive primary research on analyzing and proposing policy measures to address debt distress in developing economies within the UN High-Level Expert Group framework.
- Researched and designed acclaimed seminar presentations for "War, Debt and Hard Currencies" presented at the UAE's Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Institute and Egypt's Institute of National Planning.
- Edited and proofread the manuscript for the book "The Political Economy of Crisis Management and Reform in Egypt" published with Palgrave Macmillan.
Executive Director
Arab Society for Economic Research (ASFER)
Feb 2023 – Feb 2024
Cairo, Egypt
$75,000+ in sponsorships secured
- Revamped ASFER's operational model, resulting in over 35% expansion in membership base with a significant increase in non-Egyptian members.
- Led preparation for all arrangements related to ASFER's 17th annual conference held in Dubai in November 2023.
- Secured over $75,000 in sponsorship deals for the conference from Egyptian and foreign sponsors.
- Contributed to the establishment and development of two major climate initiatives: the Regional Platforms for Climate Projects ($1.9B+ in finance secured across 19 deals) and the National Initiative for Smart Green Projects (15,000+ project submissions).
Special Assistant to the UN High-Level Climate Champion for Egypt
High-Level Climate Champions
Aug 2022 – Jan 2024
Cairo, Egypt
$1.9B+ in climate finance facilitated
- Contributed to the establishment and development of the Regional Platforms for Climate Projects ($1.9B+ in finance secured across 19 deals) and the National Initiative for Smart Green Projects (15,000+ submissions).
- Attended over 10 international and local climate summits including COP27 and COP28.
- Provided technical briefings and on-ground stakeholder engagement for the High-Level Champion.
Education
University of Chicago
Bachelor's of Arts in Economics & Bachelor's of Arts in Political Science with Thesis Honors
GPA: 3.84
2019 – 2022
Chicago, IL
Research & Publications
Political Economy of Infrastructure Development in Egypt
Oxford University Press — Handbook of the Egyptian Economy
Co-authored chapter examining the political economy of infrastructure development in Egypt. Presented at the Egypt Economic Development and Policies conference.
The Political Economy of Crisis Management and Reform in Egypt
Palgrave Macmillan
Edited and proofread the full manuscript for this book, published through the UN Special Envoy's Office.
Editorial contribution; primary authorship attributed to the book's authors.
War, Debt and Hard Currencies
Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Institute (UAE) & Egypt's Institute of National Planning
Research and design contributions to seminar presentations delivered at two major diplomatic and policy institutions.
Research contribution; presentation delivered on behalf of the UN Special Envoy.
Skills
Languages
Technical
Formal Bio
Ahmed Sherif Zaki is an economist and platform builder based in Cairo. He holds dual degrees in Economics and Political Science (Thesis Honors) from the University of Chicago. His career spans international development finance at the UN, climate policy, executive leadership at the Arab Society for Economic Research, and academic publishing with Oxford University Press and Palgrave Macmillan. He is the creator of Vizit, a data visualization platform for economic intelligence, and currently works at Potentia on the 2043 Project.