François van Schalkwyk is an accomplished executive, strategist, and emerging markets specialist with a strong international track record across both corporate and government sectors. He is widely regarded as a thought leader with a diverse skill set spanning investment promotion, strategic growth, and cross-border advisory.

François currently serves as President for Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) at Hunter&Co, where he leads the firm’s expansion, partnerships, and investor engagement across the region. In this role, he draws on a wealth of experience in advancing strategic initiatives, building high-performing teams, and enabling investment into high-potential markets.

Until recently, François was Executive Director of Investment at the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB), a national agency within the Office of the President of the Republic of Namibia. There, he led the country’s investment attraction strategy, working with investors, policymakers, and international offices to position Namibia as a competitive destination for sustainable, inclusive investment. His portfolio covered investment enablement, sector development, economic participation, policy design, and the oversight of NIPDB’s international footprint.

He has extensive experience implementing growth, start-up, turnaround, and transformation strategies in both private and public sector environments. François also has a strong record of governance and board-level leadership. He was the Founder & CEO of Holbrook Advisors, where for over a decade he led mergers & acquisitions, management consulting, and digital transformation efforts. He has served on the boards of Lazarus Care, a med-tech company advancing gastro-intestinal healthcare, and EMS Solutions UK, a pioneer in algorithmic and AI-based tax recovery solutions.

Earlier in his career, François held various leadership roles at the BGL Group in the UK, including Manager for Group Corporate Development & Acquisitions, International Business Manager (Chairman's Office), and Manager for Affinity Partnerships. He also worked in housing and infrastructure development at AmicusHorizon Ltd.

François holds an MBA from Imperial College Business School, as well as qualifications in Service Experience Design (St. Martin's College), International Marketing (University of South Africa), a B.Com Law and LLB from the University of the Free State. He is fluent in English and Afrikaans.