Omar Ben Yedder is the Group Publisher and Managing Director of leading publishing, events and communications group IC Publications. The organisation has over 50 years’ experience in publishing magazines, country supplements, industry reports and market intelligence on Africa. It now offers a full suite of communications services as well as organises a number of key events across the continent.

Having previously been an Associate Vice President in the Equity Finance team at Merrill Lynch, Omar brought a new and dynamic approach to IC Publications, a company he joined in 2003. Under his leadership, African Banker magazine as well as IC Events were launched. Today the group also carries out communications advisory, media relations, business intelligence and contract publishing.

IC Publications is committed to serving the interests of Africa, and that is what drives all of the group’s activities. Be it in terms of shaping the African agenda and help write the African narrative, or creating the networks and links to drive social and economic empowerment throughout the continent.

Omar’s work and personal interests include media, development economics, leadership and education. He has chaired the Africa Story Challenge competition, a programme driven by the Africa Media Initiative. He also sits on the board of Brand Africa and is the co-chair of the Media stream of the Leadership and Values Initiative (LEVI), a bi-product of the World Economic Forum Africa initiatives.

Omar studied Economics and Languages at Durham University and is a Chartered Management Accountant.