ETHICORE LEADERSHIP
Abdul Waheed Patel – CEO
Abdul Waheed is recognised as an accomplished expert and business leader, renowned for pioneering professional government affairs, advocacy and lobbying in Africa.
Since establishing ETHICORE in 2009, he leads the group’s continental and international growth and expansion. He provides strategic counsel and represents national, regional and global clients in key sectors and industries to succeed in Africa on public policy, regulatory, government relations, geo-political and political engagement, strategy, advocacy and lobbying.
He is an internationally trained public policy, governance and political science practitioner, with career experience encompassing senior policy and political advisory positions in national and city government, statutory institutions, the private sector and multilateral agencies.
Wisahl Jappie – Managing Director
Wisahl is an accomplished political communications, public policy, and advocacy expert with extensive leadership experience across Africa.
Since joining ETHICORE Political Lobbying in 2012, she has served as Deputy Managing Director, is now Managing Director of ETHICORE Group, overseeing pan-African operations and ensuring service excellence, integrity, and ethical standards.
She leads multi-country teams in delivering client strategy, government relations, stakeholder engagement, regulatory advocacy, and strategic advisory to global corporations, industry associations, and governments.
Wisahl’s career spans journalism, political analysis, and advisory roles in mobile health technology, where she bridged innovation with regulatory frameworks.
ACCOLADES
Africa’s Top 10 Best Agencies in 2025
Ranked in Africa’s Top 10 Agencies for government and public affairs in 2025 by PRovoke Media – the global authority on strategic communications, public affairs and reputation management. The prestigious global ranking coincided with ETHICORE 15 year anniversary milestone since its founding in 2009, recognising:
- Company growth into a leading force operating in 29 African countries across 5 Africa sub-regions, comprising key GDP economies and frontier markets, with strategic reach into the Arabian Gulf and Near East.
- Ethics-first deep expertise and thought leadership in government and public affairs, placing the firm among an authoritative selection of premier and strongly reputable merit based firms across EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), based on criteria including:
- Rapid growth and financial performance;
- Track record of exceptional work;
- Outstanding workplace culture;
- Thought leadership and development of new knowledge;
- Innovation in the technology and tools of the profession.
“Most of the top firms in Africa are generalists, equally adept at the corporate and consumer sides of the business, which is what you might expect in a still emerging market. But there is a growing market for specialization, and ETHICORE has carved out a nicely lucrative niche for itself in the public affairs space, drawing on a deep understanding of the complex political landscapes across Africa, and an approach that emphasizes global standards of governance and ethics.”
Political Influencer Brand 2020
In 2020 – marking the firm’s 10th anniversary, ETHICORE won the Political Influence Brand Category Award at the Africa Brand Summit – the first government affairs firm on the African continent to be conferred the award. The award affirmed ETHICORE’s tenacity and diligence in positively promoting pan African values in global policy conduct, ethical leadership and attracting positive interest in Africa through the provision of African originated professional services.
ETHICS
ETHICORE Group is founded on a commitment to integrity and ethical conduct, aligning with global best practices.
Since 2021, ETHICORE has been the only African firm part of the OECD’s “Trusted Dialogue Group on Getting Influence Right,” contributing to international efforts against corruption and shaping new OECD Guidelines on Responsible Political Engagement and OECD Council Recommendations on Transparency and Integrity in Lobbying Influence.
In 2025, under South Africa’s historic G20 Presidency, ETHICORE was appointed to the B20 Task Forces on Integrity and Compliance and Sustainable Food Systems and Agriculture. The B20, as the official voice of global business to the G20, promotes policies for inclusive growth and sustainable development. ETHICORE’s role supports efforts to enhance transparency, fight corruption, and promote ethical business worldwide, in alignment with the broader goals of multilateral cooperation, economic inclusion, and sustainability.
HERITAGE
The ETHICORE Group, established in 2025, builds on the foundation of ETHICORE Political Lobbying, which was founded in 2009 as a pioneering force and market leader in ethical government affairs and lobbying in Africa.
ETHICORE Political Lobbying continues as the dedicated full service government affairs operating division (‘ETHICORE Lobbying’) of the expanded and enlarged ETHICORE Group. This strategic evolution reflects the group’s broader mission, introducing new complimentary specialisations to better serve clients and meet the demands of modern public policy, regulatory and economic governance, geopolitics and communications.
Our Vision
Lead ethical government affairs in Africa and the East, globally.
OPERATIONS
ETHICORE Group operates across 29 African markets, strategically structured through six regional continental hubs and an international presence in the United Arab Emirates, enabling coverage of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Near East.
Headquartered in South Africa — Africa’s foremost industrial and financial powerhouse — ETHICORE Group maintains a dual-city presence in Cape Town, the nation’s legislative capital, and Johannesburg, its financial epicenter.
This positioning places the ETHICORE Group at the intersection of policymaking and economic influence across the continent and the East, enabling proximity to key decision-makers, institutions, and markets critical to Africa’s growth and integration into global economic, financial, investment, trade and governance systems.
PHILOSOPHY
ETHICORE Group’s philosophy is rooted in the belief that our expertise — guided by our values — drives progress at the intersection of markets, governments and citizenries.
ETHICORE Group views ethical advocacy, lobbying, engagement and communications as vital to democratizing participation, improving decision-making, and strengthening public policy, regulatory and economic governance. Through meaningful insights, dialogue and influence, ETHICORE promotes inclusive, evidence-based, and sustainable public policy, regulatory and geo-economic solutions.
Our Mission
We harness our expertise to lead at the convergence of markets, governments and citizenries.