Leon Taljaard leads Global Gateway developments at Invest International, the Dutch development finance institution advancing sustainable and inclusive investment worldwide. An experienced founder and entrepreneur, Leon brings practical insight into delivering industrial and infrastructure projects in Africa, ensuring long-term local economic development. He excels in building international partnerships and bridging the gap between convening needs, project realities in complex environments, and finance. At Invest International, Leon drives strategic connectivity initiatives under the EU’s Global Gateway framework, including the Lobito Corridor Project in Angola and the Northern Corridor in East Africa — mobilising blended finance and private capital to strengthen trade routes, logistics resilience, and sustainable value chains between Europe and Africa. His expertise spans project development, structured and blended finance, and policy strategy across sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on credit-enhanced infrastructure and inclusive value-chain investments.