Zahida Virani

Zahida Virani joined OSACO Group in January 2023, after 15 years working in international criminal law, development diplomacy, and rule of law policy.

Zahida leads complex fraud and sexual misconduct investigations for OSACO clients. She specialises in developing policies and governance frameworks in politically sensitive environments. Her track record leading cross-cultural teams across sectors allows her to effectively engage principals and technical officers to deliver results and actionable recommendations for clients.

Before joining OSACO, Zahida worked with the United Nations at headquarters and in the field, advising on strengthening the accountability and independence of justice institutions. She previously worked as a corporate lawyer in New York and served on the prosecution team at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, trying serious crimes committed during the genocide.

Zahida also brings extensive experience in management and risk mitigation in low-resource and conflict-affected environments, having spent the better part of a decade leading diplomatic, business and NGO efforts to advance development and good governance initiatives in multiple African countries.

Zahida holds a Juris Doctorate law degree from the American University in Washington, DC, and a dual degree in Economics and International Development from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. She is fluent in English, French, and Gujarati, and has knowledge of Hindi and Spanish.

Key skills: Investigations in complex environments, gender-sensitive approaches, policy and programme design, partnerships.