V. Partners and Staff

Gabriel Zagabe’s biography – Brief history of a valiant career.

Founder and current CEO at ZAEL Group. 

Gabriel Zagabe, full name Gabriel Zagabe Muzusa (Ngabo), is a young, prominent entrepreneur living in Spain for now about two decades, from the DRCongo. Founder and current CEO of ZAEL Group, a Spanish firm, legally constituted and established in Madrid, at the Financial District, in the Europe Tower, on Paseo de la Castellana 95-29, with branches and representations worldwide. ZAEL Group is active in the private and public investment, in Finance, Natural Ressources sustainable exploitation and New Technologies sectors in emerging economies.

Gabriel was born in Kinshasa the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, on 24th of Novembre 1978 in the neighborhood of Binza Ozone in the municipality of Ngaliema. Raised in a humble family of proletarian parents. Gabriel is grandson of KALEMBERA Mukongorhe, military of the armed forces of the then Belgian Congo, from South Kivu in the DRCongo. One of the Congolese heroes of the Second World War (1940-1945), who left with the Belgian Congo troops from Kisangani in February 5, 1945 under Belgian command and participated in the liberation of Ethiopia invaded by fascist forces of Mussolini.

The troops from Belgian Congo engaged in fighting will liberate Asosa, Gambela and Saio (Ethiopian cities in the west of the country) during the memorable battles that took place between March 6 and July 3, 1941.

Gabriel is the nephew of the late Archbishop Christophe Munzihirwa Mwene-Ngabo, assassinated on 29 October 1996 in Bukavu (DR Congo) by the Rwandan forces of the AFDL rebellion. Hero of Justice and truth, on May 28, 2016, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints authorizes the diocese of Bukavu to open the cause of beatification of the Servant of God Christophe Munzihirwa.

He is son of late ZAGABE KALEMBERA François, military officer of the Para-Commando Brigade of the Congolese National Army (ANC), who later worked in the public administration and finally, in one of the main Banks of the country as one of executives for the last 3 decades until his retired and passed away in 2008 death. And his mother Mrs NAMUNGO MWASOMOKE Florence is still alive.

The life was very difficult in Kinshasa during the 90s, the situation pushed him to leave the city to settle in Goma in Eastern RDC in 1994, this relocation coincided with the massive influx of Rwandan refugees fleeing the Rwandan genocide,which will make life becoming more difficult than he could expect. He will then decide to leave the country to settle in Europe in Spain invited by his elder brother Patrick Zagabe in Villena, Alicante in Spain few years earlier through Nairobi Kenya, where he stayed only one year and took advantage of this period to learn some Spanish at Floppeese College located at Park View Tower. Already almost two decades in Europe, very connected to his country DRC by very regular trips every year.

In Europe combining studies and work he will obtain various university degrees, particularly in Administration and Business Management (ADE) of the Carlos III University, Economic and Business Sciences Department, he is pursuing his second full academic career in Political Science and Administration, with the objective of a third academic cycle thesis of the disciplines combined in the choice of subject in the two disciplines of his studies. in the same university institution ; He also has to his credit, various academic titles and masters ; Internationalization of Business in Complutense University of Madrid; Marketing and Political Communication, University of Alcalá and many others in most prestigious spanish universties.

Gabriel Zagabe worked for prestigious European/ USA firms such as Citibank, British Land PLC in executive position in EU. He became entrepreneur, owner and CEO of the ZAEL Group. He is used to self-realization in everyday life and full of challenges, he consideres himself as fruit of permanent outperforming himself by always going beyond own limits, courage and constant battles and victories.

After having encountered several obstacles to develop his entrepreneurial activities in his country of origin due to serious corruption in the institutions and bad governance, he will decide in 2016 to create a political Movement responding to the DREAM of the new generation of his country which represents more than 96% of the population (with less than 60 years old), “Initiative for the Congolese DREAM”. In 2018, he will openly declare his candidacy for the presidential election in the DRC, even if he will withdraw at the last minute because of a serious lack of credibility of the elections.

“The adverse times, are for me what the battle horse is for for a warrior, or the storm for the eagle.” Gabriel Zagabe’s quote.

He illustrates it through the example of the Spanish recession, how he managed to profit from it, by making an opportunity for his group of companies into a real opportunity, offering a plan for internationalization of companies to many Spanish companies and investment funds, This will put his group of companies among the state references that helped to popularize the Spanish law 14/2013 of 27 September on support for entrepreneurs and their internationalization.

 

Isaac Chizungu

Lobbyist and Focal Point Africa – RDC