Talal Rafi specializes in sustainability and development economics. He is a Senior Global Management Consultant at Deloitte and he was on Deloitte’s Global ESG Operations Team. He is a member of the Expert Network of the World Economic Forum for his expertise in entrepreneurship, gender equality and reduced inequalities and he co-chairs the Global Plastic Innovation Network Action Group of the World Economic Forum.
He began his career as an entrepreneur and later moved into the development sector. As an entrepreneurship specialist at a USAID project, he was instrumental in developing a mentoring platform for entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka. He has consulted as an Industry Expert at Moratuwa University under the World Bank AHEAD project on developing an entrepreneurship ecosystem. He was on a Selection Committee of the Asian Development Bank #DigitalAgainstCovid19 Innovation Series focusing on empowering innovative businesses in Asia.
Talal was also on the team of experts at Chatham House London on formulating recommendations for the G7 & G20 on gender equality post-Covid-19. As a World Bank GYCN Ambassador on climate change, Talal works to inspire young people into taking climate action. He serves on the Advisory Committee on regional development at the Export Development Board of Sri Lanka and is on the Enterprise Operations Committee at Moratuwa University.
He has given talks globally, including at the NASDAQ Entrepreneurial Center and at the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and contributes regularly with thought leadership for the Davos Agenda. Talal’s work has been published by the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Asian Development Bank, World Economic Forum, UNFCCC (United Nations), London School of Economics, and Forbes.