Kelly Alexander
Dr Kelly Alexander is the President and founder of Meridian 17, a think tank dedicated to strengthening and deepening ties between Africa and the EU. A social scientist with expertise across multiple sectors—including energy, human capital, education, and entrepreneurship—she specialises in analysing geopolitical shifts and their implications for business, as well as the strategic integration of sustainability in economic development.
Kelly is a faculty member in Strategy & Sustainability at GIBS Business School in South Africa and divides her time between South Africa and the Netherlands. Her academic work addresses key policy issues such as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and renewable energy transitions in Africa. She has published extensively in academic chapters, whitepapers, and opinion articles, providing insights on Africa-EU relations.
Kelly holds a Master's in Development Sociology from Wits University and a PhD in Management and Organisation Studies from Tilburg University.
Work by Kelly Alexander
Putting People at the heart of Sustainability
When we talk about sustainability, the conversation often starts with frameworks and regulations: ESG metrics, the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the Deforestation Regulation, or South Africa’s King Codes of governance.
24 juni 2025
Europe’s “Choose Europe” pitch must be a two-continent deal
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s invitation on 29 April 2025 for scientists to “make Europe their home” is shrewd geopolitics: talent is a scarce resource in the 2020s and Washington’s culture-war skirmishes have made some U.S. academics restless.
7 mei 2025
Decolonisation Is Not Such a Scary Thing
In these days of anti-DEI activism, it is important to talk about a fundamental aspect of improving European-African relations: decolonisation.
3 juni 2025
Events with Kelly Alexander