It is with a heavy heart and immense sadness that we mourn the death of our dear friend, partner and colleague, Zakiya Serguro. In the evening of Thursday 10th June, Zakiya succumbed to complications from COVID-19 after battling the illness for several weeks.
As we grapple with the shock, unable yet to process the reality of her departure, the legacy she leaves behind at Frank Partners grows ever brighter and clearer like a star against the darkening sky at dusk.
Zakiya had an entrepreneurial spirit rivalled by few. She drove, pushed and forced FP forward through a combination of rational professionalism and passionate humanism that is rarely found in one person. With wisdom, courage and above all integrity, Zakiya inspired us every day with fresh thinking to overcome obstacles you encounter when running a business.
Zakiya grew up in the business intelligence community, joining Kroll in 2005. It was here that she met the other partners of what would become FP, and where they forged the bond that would last a decade and a half. Throughout her career in the sector, Zakiya made a point of maintaining and developing relationships with industry practitioners. She always regarded herself and us as belonging to this wider community of like-minded people from a wealth of backgrounds, who in turn respected and valued her highly as a person and as an eminent expert on African matters, her beloved home region.
Zakiya spearheaded FP’s Africa and Middle East practice, advising clients on the risks and pitfalls of emerging markets while always warning against falling into cliché thinking or received wisdom. She always challenged the status quo, questioning whether the “way it has always been done” was really the right way forward. This mantra was as strong in her business life as elsewhere, such in her political activism – another ardent passion she pursued.
Zakiya was highly regarded within Nordic compliance circles for her ideas, solutions and spot-on analysis. Her contribution to the maturation of the field over the last decade, in which the compliance sector really took off in the Nordics, cannot be overstated. She worked closely with many of the region’s leading companies and some of the most forward-thinking experts in the field, who appreciated her honest advice and value-adding approach.
Anyone who had the pleasure to hear Zakiya in public will recall what an excellent speaker she was. Most recently, at the online Nordic Business Ethics event in late April, she spoke with her habitual clarity and vigour about what a culture of integrity actually means – a topic very close to her heart.
It is this culture of integrity that will be one of her lasting legacies at FP. Zakiya’s imprint is all over our everyday operations. Zakiya truly believed in something we might call commercial compassion – that doing good within the scope of business is not only a possibility but a duty. Where FP stands today is proof that she was right in believing this and a testament to her colossal efforts and determination.
The number of messages and condolences we have received over the last days is testimony to Zakiya’s impact on those who had the fortune to encounter her. She was respected for her sharp mind and loved for her empathy and readiness to help. We will forever be grateful for her friendship, partnership and leadership.
While we mourn our own loss, our thoughts are with Zakiya’s family and friends in South Africa, the UK, and around the globe. Thank you for sharing this wonderful person with us. We count ourselves lucky to have spent so much time with Zakiya.
Rest in peace Zakiya,
you will always be in our hearts.
FP
