Meet the Team
Suhayl Dudhia - Managing Director and Senior Council
Suhayl Dudhia is a highly accomplished senior banker and corporate lawyer with 30 years of professional experience spanning law, finance, and corporate advisory. He holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB Hons) from Brunel University (UK) and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance from the United States. Suhayl is also a Licensed Insolvency Practitioner and Court appointed Receiver.
As a Senior Advocate of the Zambian Bar, Suhayl has represented leading multinational and regional clients—including Total, Standard Chartered Bank, Barclays Bank, EIB, DEG, FMO, FNB Zambia, Zambian Breweries, Zambeef Plc, and Farmers House Plc. His practice covers the full spectrum of corporate and civil law, with a strong record in Supreme Court litigation, company law, capital markets, banking and securitisation, employment law, and enforcement of securities.
Complementing his legal expertise, Suhayl has held senior leadership roles in the banking and advisory sector, including Corporate Recovery Manager & Development Consultant at Deloitte, Senior Corporate Banker at Barclays Bank, and Vice President of Corporate Banking at Citibank. He has been instrumental in structuring financing for landmark projects such as Eastpark Mall, Jacaranda Mall, Acacia Park, and Saddle Yard, as well as in major mergers and acquisitionsacross real estate, mining & energy, agriculture, and telecommunications in Zambia and the wider Sub-Saharan region.
With his unique combination of legal acumen, financial expertise, and an extensive network across industries, Suhayl brings unmatched value to Skills Transfer’s clients. His ability to bridge complex legal frameworks with innovative financial solutions positions the firm as a trusted advisor for investors seeking to succeed in Zambia’s evolving market.
Vanessa Seno- Dudhia - Director
Vanessa Seno-Dudhia is a seasoned operations leader with extensive expertise in property development, property management, and leasing of large-scale commercial and residential properties. Her career spans the construction services and materials industry, retail, logistics, and transport sectors, where she has delivered transformative projects and operational excellence for leading organizations such as Eastpark Mall, Jacaranda Mall, Acacia Park, Saddle Yard, SPAR, VS Cargo, Zambeef Plc, Handyman’s Paradise, and Woolworths.
Vanessa has successfully managed multidisciplinary teams to design, launch, and operate major construction and commercial developments across Zambia, including the creation of service level agreements that optimize efficiency and deliver enhanced shareholder returns. She is highly skilled in turnkey construction delivery, logistics management, and regional supply chain coordination, having led numerous projects that included both new branch developments and remodeling of existing facilities to modern, world-class standards.
Through her extensive experience, Vanessa has built a global network of suppliers, contractors, clearing agents, transporters, and service providers, enabling her to source competitively and deliver high-value results. Recognized for her ability to lead with precision and vision, she ensures that every project under her direction is executed efficiently, effectively, and to the highest standards.
With her proven track record in operations, project delivery, and stakeholder coordination, Vanessa plays a pivotal role in driving Skills Transfer’s mission to provide seamless investment and operational solutions in Zambia.
William Axelsson - Operations Director
William Axelsson is a global development leader with a proven track record in designing, building, and managing sustainable development programs across diverse sectors. With a career that spans the United Nations, consulting, financial services, and technology, he brings a rare blend of strategic vision, operational expertise, and cultural intelligence to complex international assignments.
William’s broad expertise includes multilateral diplomacy, governance, digital transformation, data analytics, infrastructure planning, mergers and acquisitions, and the development of industry standards. Having lived and worked extensively across Europe and the United States, he is multilingual and adept at navigating intricate cultural and institutional landscapes to build coalitions and drive results.
He is recognized for his ability to simplify complexity, visualize opportunities, and align diverse stakeholders—including governments, boards, and civil society—towards practical, results-oriented solutions. His leadership is marked by a pragmatic, inclusive approach grounded in his multiracial, multicultural, and multidisciplinary background.
At Skills Transfer, William leverages his international experience and strategic insight to deliver innovative, sustainable solutions that unlock growth opportunities and accelerate impact for clients.
Saphira Patel - Climate and Renewable Energy Expert
Saphira Patel is a highly respected climate and renewable energy specialist with over 20 years of experience advancing climate resilience, ESG compliance, sustainability, climate risk management, and Just Energy Transition strategies across Africa. She has successfully led multidisciplinary teams and advised a wide range of clients on achieving sustainable investment outcomes.
Most recently, Saphira served as Just Transition Lead within the Climate Change team at British International Investment (BII). Prior to that, she held senior leadership roles at the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), ultimately heading the Bank’s ESG and Operations Evaluation Units. Her expertise also extends to climate finance and sustainable investment, and she currently serves as Chair of the Sustainable Finance Coalition.
Saphira is widely recognized for her ability to integrate climate strategies with developmental priorities, ensuring that projects deliver measurable impact while aligning with global sustainability standards. She is an advocate of a holistic approach to climate action, combining innovation with practical solutions to transform economies for future generations.
A collaborative leader, Saphira works seamlessly with diverse teams and stakeholders, bringing creativity, constructiveness, and solution-driven focus to every engagement.
Anthony Seno - IT and Infrastructure Expert
Anthony Seno is a highly skilled IT and infrastructure specialist with deep expertise in database management, IT security, enterprise-level infrastructure, and open-source platforms. With extensive experience in network engineering, server administration, and virtualization, he is recognized for his ability to deliver complex technical solutions, strengthen IT security frameworks, and manage high-pressure environments with confidence.
Anthony’s career highlights include leading the Point of Sale system upgrade across 130 Zambeef Plc’s retail sites, integrating EFT payments, loyalty programs, and mobile applications. He also spearheaded a full network overhaul to support Zambeef’s AIM London Stock Exchange listing, implementing robust IT policies, disaster recovery systems, firewalls, and backup solutions.
Earlier in his career, Anthony contributed to Accenture’s Navitaire business unit, transitioning from systems administration to database administration, where he supported multiple Go-LIVE airline implementations for Ryanair, AirTran, and TUIFly—managing database clustering, monitoring, and enterprise hardware configurations. He also oversaw antivirus infrastructure for Saudi Telecom Company, managing 49 servers and 18,000 workstations, before moving to TrendMicro’s Asia Pacific operations, where he achieved customer satisfaction within two weeks of deployment.
Recognized for his strong communication, leadership, and technical training skills, Anthony combines hands-on technical expertise with a strategic approach to building secure, resilient, and scalable IT systems. His contribution ensures that Skills Transfer clients are supported withworld-class IT infrastructure and security solutions tailored to the local and regional context.
Jatin Misra - Finance
Jatin Misra is a qualified accountant, registered with the Zambia Institute of Chartered Accountants (ZICA), with extensive experience in financial structuring, capital raising, and corporate finance transactions. He began his career in audit at Moores Rowland, before broadening his expertise across multiple industries, including agriculture, agri-processing, and the franchised food sector with leading brands such as Nando’s and Debonairs.
He later served as Financial Controller for a diversified group of companies, overseeing a large quarrying operation as well as major property development projects. Jatin played a central role in structuring and financing landmark developments such as Eastpark Mall, Acacia Park, Jacaranda Mall, and multiple townhouse complexes, and was instrumental in the merger with one of Southern Africa’s largest Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs).
With deep expertise in due diligence, corporate negotiations, and capital structuring, Jatin has developed strong relationships with multinational banks and financial institutions operating across Southern Africa. His varied experience and strategic financial insight position him as a key asset to Skills Transfer, ensuring clients receive robust, innovative solutions in dynamic and evolving markets.
Aleesha Vaghela - Intern, Research Analyst
Aleesha Vaghela is a recent graduate with a BSc in Economics and Actuarial Science (Honours) from the University of Southampton, where she specialized in quantitative modelling, econometrics, financial mathematics, and portfolio theory. Her dissertation, which analyzed the returns to education using advanced econometric methods on a large UK dataset, was awarded a high distinction.
She brings practical experience across financial analysis, data management, and applied research. Aleesha has worked as a Financial Analyst at The Pantry Food Shoppe in Zambia, where she developed a cash flow model and investment pack to support a new distribution business, and as a Database Developer for YouthBuild UK, building systems to track and improve outcomes for disadvantaged youth. She is also engaged as a Math Consultant with Outlier AI,where she contributes to improving the accuracy and reliability of large language models.
Her prior experience includes internships with Bright Network IEUK (Technology) and Napoli Properties (Architecture), alongside long-term contributions to her family-run business in Zambia in FMCG and the textile industry. She has also completed the Bloomberg Market Concepts certification and will further advance her technical skills through the Executive Programme in Algorithmic Trading (EPAT).
At Skills Transfer, Aleesha supports the team in research, data analysis, and financial modelling, contributing fresh insight and technical expertise to client projects.