After five years leading the African Leadership University and capping 15 years of dedicated and outstanding contributions to the African Leadership Group, Veda Sunassee will bow out of his current role as CEO of ALU in early 2026.
Not only is Veda part of the founding team of ALU, but he has also been at the helm of the institution since 2021. He has led with vision, creativity, and commitment, guiding ALU through a transformative chapter. Under his leadership, our university has continued to strengthen its role as a catalyst for innovation, a builder of talent, and a pioneer in shaping the future of higher education across the continent and beyond.
Veda’s African Leadership Group journey began in 2010, when he joined the African Leadership Academy as an Admissions Officer. Since then, he has held roles as ALU’s Director of Student Life and Head of College, before stepping away in 2019 to fulfil his entrepreneurial ambitions. At the request of the Founder, he returned to ALU in early 2021 and became CEO in 2022, bringing renewed energy, insight, and vision that have left a lasting impact on the university and our community.
Since Veda informed the ALU Board in October 2024, they have been thoughtfully planning his succession to ensure continuity and sustained momentum as the university enters its next chapter. Upon completion of that process, a new CEO will be announced in the coming months.
In an email to the ALU staff following Veda’s announcement, Fred Swaniker, Founder and Chairman of the Board of ALU, expressed his deep appreciation:
“When we launched ALU in Mauritius, Veda was one of the first to join, moving home to become our Director of Student Life. When we expanded to Rwanda, he became the founding Dean, running the campus in his early 30s. By 2020, it was clear he was ready to step into the role of CEO at the ‘ripe old age’ of 36. True to our philosophy of giving young, innovative leaders real responsibility, Veda proved again and again that he could rise to the challenge. Through every chapter, Veda has embodied what it means to be a cathedral builder: someone who lays foundations for something far greater than themselves, something designed to last for generations. His impact is etched not only in the milestones ALU has achieved but also in the thousands of young leaders whose lives he has impacted and inspired. To quote Steve Jobs, he’s “put a dent in the universe,” and for that I will always be deeply grateful.
Reflecting on his time, Veda Sunassee shared:
“Serving ALU has been the honor of a lifetime. I am eternally grateful to have had the chance to help lay the bricks of this extraordinary institution that is reimagining higher education, transforming our continent, and inspiring the world. Together, we have nurtured a generation of young innovators who are boldly shaping Africa’s future. I look forward to celebrating our Decennial at the B.O.L.D. Summit later this month. This is only the beginning of an extraordinary journey, with so much more to be built for the next decade and beyond. As an engineer, an artist, and a creative, my time at ALU has left me feeling more energized than ever to continue building Africa’s incredible future.”
