Walter Kansteiner, III

Walter Kansteiner, III has over 20 years’ experience in African and emerging market business issues. As a Founding Principle of The Scowcroft Group he advised corporations on a wide range of mergers, acquisitions and privatisations throughout Africa in the telecommunications, forestry, mining, financial services, health care and aviation industries. Walter provided advice to the buy side on the $1.3 billion privatization of Telkom South Africa, to date the largest privatization in Africa.

Walter served two years as Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, responsible for U.S. foreign policy in Africa. He was also the President’s personal representative to the G8 Africa Process. Prior to his initial affiliation with The Scowcroft Group, Walter was executive vice president of a commodity trading and processing company. He also served in the U.S. government as director of African Affairs on the National Security Council staff. He was the Africa specialist on the Secretary of State’s Policy Planning Staff, and a member of the strategic minerals task force with the Department of Defense. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, chairs the Africa Policy Advisory Panel (a congressionally mandated advisory group), and serves on various boards in the U.S. and Africa.

Walter earned graduate degrees in international economics and ethics from American University and Virginia Theological Seminary, respectively.