Licy M. Do Canto

Licy Do Canto is a seasoned public affairs and communications executive and geopolitical expert, especially in Africa, with a distinguished career spanning government, business, and civil society. He has an extensive record of advising governments, Fortune 500 companies, multinational corporations, and civil society organizations on complex issues, including trade, development, security, and public health, at the intersection of policy, politics, communications, and reputation, both domestically and abroad.

Licy is the managing director emeritus for the global headquarters and Washington, DC office of APCO, a multinational public affairs firm, where he led the firm’s engagements in Africa. He also is the founder and president of The Do Canto Group, an award-winning global public affairs and strategic communications firm, and a senior executive at Gray Global Advisors, a global strategic advisory and public affairs firm founded by late Congressman William Gray, a key figure in ending South Africa's apartheid through the passage of his 1986 Anti-Apartheid Law.
Licy is also the chief government affairs advisor for WEYTEC, a global Swiss multinational technology firm specializing in high-performance solutions for secure mission-critical operational environments globally.

A multilingual and multicultural leader, trusted commentator, and influential voice in Washington, DC, Licy is the son of immigrants from the Cape Verde Islands in West Africa and a veteran of DC’s influential circles with deep expertise spanning a wide range of issues. His experience includes corporate strategy, strategic communications, issues management, crisis, policy, lobbying, social impact and sustainability, diversity and inclusion, business development, and representing company interests across domestic and international governmental institutions, the international diplomatic community, multilateral and bilateral institutions, and other domestic and international audiences.

Licy’s leadership has been instrumental in crafting impactful strategies, driving cross-functional collaboration, delivering results in challenging global and corporate environments, and leveraging his diverse background to bridge divides and foster understanding among diverse stakeholders. He has held key roles at global multinational public affairs firms, state government, the offices of influential U.S. House of Representatives and Senate lawmakers, and national and global non-governmental organizations. Additionally, he serves as a trustee, strategic advisor, and member of several prominent boards and organizations, including the Renew Democracy Initiative, the DACOR Foreign Affairs Council, The Economic Club of Washington DC, and the Multicultural Media Correspondents Association.

He also served on the Wilson Center Global Advisory Council, the Next Narrative Africa Fund Advisory Board, and is Chairman Emeritus of the MA Schooner Ernestina Commission, responsible for preserving and operating the National Historic Landmark Schooner Ernestina-Morrissey, the last sailing ship in regular service to bring immigrants to and from West Africa and the United States. In his work across Africa, Licy is frequently called upon to advise the African diplomatic community in the US and leading institutions and organizations focused on the continent, including the UN Global Compact and Global Africa Business Initiative, UN Spotlight Initiative, and the Carnegie Africa program. He is also a member of Bloomberg’s Africa Business Media Innovators and served as a keynote speaker at the 2023 ABMI Forum in Cape Town.

Licy is also an expert moderator, having worked with and interviewed a wide range of leading thought leaders and policy makers across government, multilaterals, and philanthropy, as well as with corporate executives from across diverse industries globally and domestically. 

A graduate of Duke University with a health leadership certificate from the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, he has received numerous awards and honors recognizing his leadership and influence, including being named one of The Hill's Most Influential Leaders in Washington, DC, for 12 consecutive years.