Developing leaders who will become midwives for Africa’s rebirth
Calling all passionate young leaders! Brace yourselves for an unforgettable event that will ignite your potential and shape the future.
Reflecting on the generosity and selflessness of those who helped Lincoln Mali reach his full potential, and driven by a vision to empower young leaders across the continent, the Lincoln Mali Leadership Foundation established the Youth Leadership Summit (YLS) in 2023. Now it's your turn to join us for the 4th annual Youth Leadership Summit taking place on 20 June 2026.
In partnership with Henley Business School Africa, the YLS is bringing together 200 young professionals and 22 esteemed African leaders in commemoration of Youth Day (16 June) in South Africa. Young leaders will be carefully selected from hundreds of applicants. Beyond networking, delegates will get to participate in 19 impactful masterclasses facilitated by African leaders, and aimed at empowering the next generation of African trailblazers.
Apply now for the Youth Leadership Summit 2026 and be part of something extraordinary. Applications close on 1 May.
Apply below👇 by 1 May 2026
Who should attend this one-day summit?
If you are a young professional and entrepreneur aged 21–35, and if you are passionate about making a difference, then this is the summit for YOU! Don't miss this incredible opportunity to be part of a vibrant network of emerging leaders.
MEET YOUR HOST
Lincoln Mali
Lincoln Mali is a seasoned business leader, speaker, and author with more than 25 years’ experience in the financial services sector. He currently serves as Chief Executive Officer (Southern Africa) at Lesaka Technologies, a Nasdaq- and JSE-listed fintech platform advancing financial inclusion across the region.
Following a distinguished 20-year tenure at Standard Bank Group – where he held various senior leadership roles – Lincoln joined Lesaka in 2021. Under his leadership, the company transformed from a loss-making entity into one of South Africa’s leading fintech players.
Lincoln is the Founding President of the Association of South African Payment Providers (ASAPP), a collaborative initiative formed by 15 of the country’s largest non-bank-payment providers to drive inclusive growth and strengthen the payments ecosystem.
Lincoln is a recognised international speaker who has addressed local and international audiences and in 2013 was elected Class Speaker at his Harvard Business School AMP graduation in Boston, USA. In 2014, he was awarded the Distinguished Old Rhodian Award by his Alma Mater, Rhodes University, for his leadership role on the African continent, and his contribution to societal development.
In 2022 Lincoln authored a best-selling book, Blazing a Trail: Lessons for African Leadership. Proceeds from the book fund the Lincoln Mali Leadership Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to youth empowerment and leadership development initiatives across Africa.
In 2025, Lincoln was honoured as All Africa Business Leader of the Year at the 13th All Africa Business Leaders Awards (AABLA), in recognition of his visionary leadership and the successful transformation of Lesaka Technologies. Lincoln is married to Sva and they have three children: Lihle, Amara, and Liam.
Masterclasses
As a delegate, you will have the opportunity to attend four masterclasses of your choice.
While we will make every effort to accommodate your preferred choices, we cannot guarantee that everyone will receive their exact selections. However, we assure you that the options presented will be carefully curated to provide informative and engaging lessons.
Take a look at the day’s programme here.
Meet your speakers
Jon Foster-Pedley is a distinguished academic and business leader with a remarkable international career spanning more than 45 years and six continents. As the Dean and Director of Henley Business School Africa since 2011, he has overseen the institution's rapid growth and transformation, with a vision to build the people who build the businesses that build Africa. In 2025, he was appointed as Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement – Sub-Saharan Africa) at the University of Reading, UK, expanding his mandate to build capabilities and create opportunities across the region.
A former airline pilot and aerobatic competitor, Jon worked in aircraft sales for British Aerospace and Airbus Industries and was a faculty member at the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business, where he taught strategy and creativity for 16 years. Through his leadership at Henley, he has become a prominent voice for ethical business and social development as exemplified by his founding of MBAid, an NGO that connects aspiring MBA students with social enterprises. Jon serves on numerous boards, including the Alliance of Management Development Organizations in Rising Economies (pro bono), and SOIL (pro bono).
Jon’s influence extends beyond university administration. He is a Life Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, UK, and a Distinguished Professor at Woxsen University, India, with expertise in strategy, marketing, and innovation. He is a long-standing member and former chair of the British Chamber of Business in Southern Africa and was a Visiting Professor in creativity and innovation for the Namibian Business Innovation Centre.
Lesetja Kganyago has led the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) since 9 November 2014, when he was first appointed Governor by the President. He was subsequently reappointed to serve two more five-year terms, with his third term running from 9 November 2024 to 8 November 2029. He previously served as Deputy Governor of the SARB from 16 May 2011.
Governor Kganyago is Chair of the Monetary Policy Committee, Prudential Committee and Financial Stability Committee. He also chairs the Committee of Central Bank Governors of the Southern African Development Community, and the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) Central Bank Governance Group. He co-chairs the FSB's Cross-Border Payments Coordination Group and the FSB's Regional Consultative Group for Sub-Saharan Africa.
Between 18 January 2018 and 17 January 2021 he chaired the International Monetary and Financial Committee – the primary advisory board to the International Monetary Fund Board of Governors.
Governor Kganyago holds an MSc in Economics from SOAS University of London, and a BCom in Economics and Accounting from the University of South Africa.
Dominic Malentsha Sewela is a highly regarded businessman and experienced executive, with more than 30 years’ expertise in the energy, petroleum, oil and gas, and agricultural sectors. He has held significant leadership positions in various global companies.
Dominic earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Tuskegee University in Alabama, USA. After graduating, he began his career as a Project Engineer at Shell Chemicals and then worked as a Process Engineer at Sasol Oil. In 1994, he joined Barloworld Equipment, where he established a new business unit and advanced to the role of Account Manager, overseeing multiple regions.
As the founding Managing Director of Exel Petroleum, a successful black-owned fuel retail company, Dominic played a key role in founding the African Mineral and Energy Forum (AMEF). After four years of leadership, he transitioned to oil trading as Executive Director of High Beam Trading International and became a founding Non-Executive Director of Dudula Shipping. Later, he served as Director of Support Services at Eskom Enterprises, where he was appointed Acting CEO.
Following his time at Eskom, Dominic led the Agri Sizwe Empowerment Trust and facilitated a R500 million B-BBEE transaction with Afgri Limited, a listed agricultural services company. He first served as Deputy CEO of Afgri Financial Services, and then as Deputy Managing Director of Afgri Limited.
In 2007 Dominic became the CEO of Barloworld Equipment Southern Africa. During his tenure, he chaired several divisional boards and served as an executive director of Barloworld Power Southern Africa. In 2014 he became Group CEO of Barloworld Equipment Southern Africa. After a year as Deputy CEO of Barloworld, Dominic took on the role of Group CEO of Barloworld Ltd, where he continues to lead.
Kagiso Khaole is the Chief Executive Officer: Merchant Division at Lesaka. He brings deep leadership experience from global technology environments, having held senior roles at SpaceX, Uber, and Samsung, where he successfully led strategic growth initiatives across African markets.
At Lesaka, Kagiso is responsible for transforming the Merchant Division into a unified ecosystem delivering integrated financial and technology solutions for corporates, SMEs, and entrepreneurs. He has served on boards of multinational technology companies and holds the Certified Director designation from the Institute of Directors in South Africa.
He holds an MBA from Wits Business School and a BCom in Business Finance and Information Systems from the University of the Witwatersrand.
Dr Lulu Gwagwa is one of the founders of Lereko Investments (Pty) Ltd, a black-owned investment company focused on infrastructure, energy, and industrial services. She continues to advise on development planning and spatial transformation. A seasoned leader in both public and private sectors, Lulu served as CEO of the Independent Development Trust (IDT) from 1998 to 2003. There, she led a restructuring process, repositioning the organisation to focus on development implementation management – a shift that aligned the Trust with South Africa’s emerging post-apartheid priorities.
Prior to that, she was Deputy Director General in the national Department of Public Works (1995–1999), where she championed the transformation of the construction industry. Most notably, she launched the national public works programme, and the emerging contractor development programme, aimed at fostering entrepreneurship and inclusion in one of South Africa’s most unequal sectors. Earlier in her career, Lulu was a senior lecturer at the (then) University of Natal. She also worked as a development planner in the NGO sector, and has published in the fields of gender, housing, and development planning.
She holds a masters in Town and Regional Planning from University of Natal, an MSc in Social Policy and Planning (cum laude) from the London School of Economics, an MPhil from St Augustine College, and a PhD from University College London. Lulu currently chairs the board of the FirstRand Empowerment Foundation. She also serves on the boards of Barloworld and Woolworths, and is a council member of the Women’s University in Africa.
Beyond business, Lulu's passion for social impact continues through the Mhakazi Trust, which she founded. The Trust supports education for orphaned children in Umzimkulu, honouring her family’s legacy. She also founded Traversing Liminality to support young women across the African continent and diaspora.
Luvuyo Masinda is the Chief Executive for Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) at Standard Bank Group. He joined Standard Bank in 2007 and has held several senior positions across the CIB business. He previously served as Deputy Chief Executive for CIB until his appointment as CEO, CIB, in August 2024.
Luvuyo is a talented and accomplished executive. With close to 20 years of experience in the financial services industry under his belt, he is well suited to take CIB to new heights.
His strong leadership skills, along with his deep understanding of financial and commercial clients, have allowed him to effectively manage diverse client portfolios and provide innovative service solutions within CIB.
Cheslyn Jacobs is the CEO of GoTyme Bank, formerly TymeBank, South Africa’s fastest-growing digital bank and Africa’s first profitable digital bank. His journey is defined by resilience, persistence, and a belief that effort creates opportunity. Over more than a decade at TymeBank, he helped build inclusive, customer-centric banking systems that expand access, improve financial literacy, and support individuals, families, and entrepreneurs.
A passionate advocate for education and empowerment, Cheslyn serves on the Teach the Nation board and is committed to building financial systems that work at scale while never losing sight of the people they serve.
Cheslyn has a BCom in Industrial Psychology from the University of the Western Cape, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management from the University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS). He previously worked at Standard Bank and Deloitte. Cheslyn joined Tyme in 2012 as Sales and Distribution Manager, later becoming National Operations Manager at Tyme Infield. He was appointed Head of Sales and Services in 2019, the year TymeBank launched, and was promoted to Chief Commercial Officer in 2022, accountable for driving revenue generation and business growth. He was appointed CEO from 1 January 2026.
Charmaine Houvet, Cisco’s Senior Director for Africa, is an accomplished and visionary leader with an illustrious career spanning more than three decades in the digital sector. With an impressive track record in the public, private, and academic spheres, she has been a driving force behind technological advancements and enabling policy, shaping the landscape of the industry. Her deep industry knowledge positions her perfectly to strengthen Cisco’s operations across Africa, drive its digital transformation ambitions and empower governments, organisations and communities to contribute to the digital economy.
Charmaine is a tech diplomat, balancing the art of leadership, policy, regulation, stakeholder engagement, growth, innovation, and strategy for Africa. As a trusted advisor to business leaders and government heads, she has played a pivotal role in crafting forward-thinking strategies, policies and regulations that drive innovation and digital transformation. A pre-eminent voice in the African tech ecosystem, Charmaine drafts and translates complex stakeholder white papers into actionable AI and cybersecurity strategies that define the continent's digital future. Her role is a bridge-builder, connecting the dots between innovation and national requirements, helping drive digital transformation across different countries. Charmaine is also a Cisco spokesperson for Africa.
Notably, Charmaine served as chair of South Africa’s 4IR commission, where she played a central role in shaping the nation’s approach to harnessing emerging technologies for economic and societal progress. Her passion for advancing the ICT sector, combined with her strong advocacy for women’s empowerment, has been a defining aspect of her career journey. Charmaine also serves as an orchestrator for Duke Corporate Education leadership programmes. She is the founder of Afriel, a mentorship NPO that mentors, sponsors and coaches young professionals with the aim of retaining women in the ICT sector.
Professor Alistair Mokoena is an internationally acclaimed speaker and a seasoned leader with 29 years of experience in both the corporate world and business education. He is Executive Dean of the Johannesburg Business School, and was previously Google’s Country Director in Southern Africa.
He is the author of the popular personal effectiveness book Servings of Self-Mastery, which was launched in October 2023, and Servings of Self-Mastery Journal, which launched in May 2025. He also co-authored two books: The Book That Every Leader Needs to Read, and The book That Every Marketer Should Definitely Read.
Alistair's academic qualifications include BCom, LLB, MDP (Management Development Programme), EDP (Executive Development Programme), MBA, PhD, and a DBA (Doctor of Business Administration). His areas of research interest include marketing, advertising, digital transformation, international business, leadership, and self-mastery.
He has received many industry awards over the years, including Global Brands Magazine’s Best Advertising and Marketing Leader Award in South Africa (2019) and North-West University’s Alumni Excellence Award for Business Leadership (2023). He was a finalist in the Institute of Marketing Management (IMM) Marketing Excellence Awards (2023) and Rhodes University Distinguished Alumni Award (2024).
Monde Nkosi is a seasoned investor in public and private companies. He is a Partner at Value Capital Partners, the leading activist investment firm in South Africa. Prior to that, he was a Senior Associate at FFL Partners, a San Francisco-based private equity firm managing >$2bn.
Monde is an experienced director who has served on the boards of five public companies listed on the Nasdaq and JSE in sectors including financial services, education, hospitality and quick-service restaurants.
He is an Archbishop Tutu Leadership Fellow and serves on the board of the Centre for Development & Enterprise, a leading policy research and advocacy organisation focused on economic growth and employment in South Africa.
Monde holds a Bachelor of Business Science with Honours in Finance from the University of Cape Town, a Master of Arts in Education from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education, and an MBA from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, where he was an Arjay Miller Scholar, finishing in the top 10 of his class.
Pria Hassan has been a foundational architect in the South African business landscape. She is not merely a CEO; she is a trailblazer who transitioned from the precision of the courtroom to the high-stakes arena of industrial conglomerates. As the Founder and CEO of the WOA Group, Pria has spent three decades engineering a massive,
multi-sector empire. Since founding WOA in 2004, she has turned a vision of gender inclusivity into a diversified powerhouse that commands presence in Fuels and Oils, Logistics, Petrochemicals, Pharmaceuticals, and Insurance.
Pria’s influence transcends borders, making her a highly sought-after international speaker recognised for her ability to bridge the gap between complex legal frameworks and street-smart entrepreneurial strategy. Her insights are in high demand on the world's most prestigious stages, as evidenced by her recent participation in Indore, India, during the Global Indian Organisation (GIO) International Convention, where she helped shape the dialogue on global trade.
Her career is punctuated by accolades that recognise her as a leader of both local and international stature.
Daniel (Dan) Leseja Marokane is Group Chief Executive (GCE) of Eskom Holdings SOC Limited, a 100% state-owned company with more than 40 000 employees. Eskom generates close to 90% of the energy supplied to a wide range of customers in South Africa and the region, by transforming inputs from the natural environment, such as coal, nuclear fuel, diesel, kerosene, water, and wind into energy. Eskom has a total of 30 power stations with a nominal capacity of 46 788MW.
Dan is a seasoned turnaround expert, a charismatic and inspirational leader, with a proven track record of disciplined execution in operational, strategic, and change leadership roles in large organisations. He has led operations across the oil, gas, power/energy and manufacturing sectors where he has overseen procurement budgets of more than R100 billion and capex budgets of R60 billion annually, achieving cashflow improvements of R3 billion over a two-year period and facilitating asset disposals of R6,5 billion. Prior to taking the helm at Eskom, Dan led staff complements of up to 35 000 people.
His return to Eskom is preceded by a stint between 2010 and 2015. During that tenure, he was tasked with stabilising Eskom’s coal supply function, following the first occurrences of loadshedding in 2008. The remit of his function was the operational execution of the coal procurement strategy, focused on quality and adherence to the coal supply schedule. He joined Tongaat Hulett as an executive in January 2018 and carried out various responsibilities as the organisation embarked on a turnaround journey. He was appointed to the Tongaat Hulett Board on 18 November 2019. Dan acted as interim CEO in February 2023, early into the company’s voluntary business rescue process, where he focused on ensuring that, while a financial plan to solve the company’s debt burden was being considered, the four operating entities across Southern Africa (South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Botswana) continued to show improvement in their operational excellence glide path, thus demonstrating the value of the business.
After his departure from Eskom in March 2015, and before joining Tongaat Hulett, Dan provided advisory services across the energy value chain. He partnered with clients, capacitating them in driving strategic growth and change projects, at CEO and board level.
Dan holds a BSc in Chemical Engineering (UCT), an MSc Petroleum Eng (London), and an MBA (UCT GSB). He is passionate about people, helping them realise their inherent value and full potential, which is critical to driving performance.
Khanyi Mlambo is the Managing Director of KM ESG Consulting and a leading voice in sustainability leadership across Africa. A Fellow and Ambassador of the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership and a Seasonal Lecturer at the Wits School of Governance, she blends academic depth with real-world impact.
With qualifications in architecture, business leadership and community psychology, Khanyi is also a certified Executive Coach. A former senior leader at Old Mutual, Standard Bank Group, and Corobrik, Khanyi has more than 30 years' experience guiding businesses to pursue growth with purpose.
She currently serves on several boards – including the Automobile Association of South Africa (AA), Courage Youth (CY), and St David’s Marist Inanda – and has been instrumental in advancing impact investment, youth development, gender equity, shared value, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. She is a former board member of the UN Global Compact SA Network, the National Business Initiative (NBI), the Nozala Trust, the Motheo Construction Group – chair of SEEC, and the Construction Industry Development Board. She co-founded and chaired the South African Women in Construction (SAWIC) organisation.
A lifelong adventurer, mountaineer, and marathon runner, Khanyi’s work is driven by a simple conviction: leadership means leaving people, organisations, and the world better than you found them.
Mavuso Msimang is a South African public servant, conservation leader and anti-apartheid activist whose career has spanned government, diplomacy, and environmental stewardship.
Born in 1943, Mavuso became politically active at a young age and joined the African National Congress (ANC) during the struggle against apartheid. His activism forced him into exile in the early 1960s, and he went on to become a senior member of the ANC and served on the Military High Command of uMkhonto weSizwe.
While abroad, Mavuso gained numerous qualifications – including a Bachelor of Science from the University of Zambia, and an MBA from the United States International University, California. He worked for the United Nations in Zambia, Kenya, and Ethiopia; the World University Service of Canada; and CARE International.
Mavuso returned to South Africa and entered the public service during the democratic transition in 1994, playing an influential role in rebuilding key institutions. He has held numerous roles, including CEO of South African National Parks, CEO of the State Information Technology Agency, and Director-General in the Department of Home Affairs.
Dr Abdullah Verachia is a globally recognised strategist, systems thinker, venture builder, and CEO of The Strategists, trusted by boards, governments and Fortune 500 firms to navigate disruption and craft competitive future strategies.
He is senior faculty at GIBS, Head of Faculty for Strategy, Sustainability and Digital, Director of the Harvard Business School Senior Executive Programme (Africa), and holds the inaugural MultiChoice chair in Sport, Media and Entertainment. With a PhD in Strategy and Dynamic Capabilities, GMP (Harvard Business School), MIM cum laude (Wits Business School) and LLB (UJ), he has led over 300 strategy assignments globally, including the 2017–2030 Gauteng Economic Development strategy, and the Mauritius Competitiveness foresight strategy.
Abdullah is a successful entrepreneur and co-founder of Digicars, The Collective Genius and Frontier Advisory (acquired by Deloitte). He is also a best-selling author of Disruption Amplified, and a globally sought-after speaker who has delivered keynotes in more than 70 cities worldwide.
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Nyari Samushonga is a tecexecutive and entrepreneur on a bold mission to ensure that Africa builds its own technology – and the talent to sustain it.
As Chair and CEO of WeThinkCode_, one of Africa’s leading tech academies, she brings seven years of experience to the table. During her tenure, she has scaled the organisation to train over 1,800 developers, achieve gender parity, and expand nationally with a curriculum built specifically for African realities.
She is also CEO and co-founder of FoldLeft Consulting, an AI-native software consultancy that makes enterprise-grade technology accessible to SMEs through AI-powered delivery.
A chartered accountant and former Managing Director of ThoughtWorks Africa, Nyari combines financial rigour with technical depth – bringing strategic discipline to the dynamic environment of developing tech talent.
Nyari is driven by a strong belief that access to quality tech education is not just a social good, it's an economic imperative.
Gqi Raoleka is a driving force behind Pele Green Energy. He has played a pivotal role in shaping and executing the company's strategic initiatives. His foresight and ability to align corporate objectives with industry trends have positioned Pele Green Energy as an African leader in renewable energy .
Prior to his 15 years in the energy sector establishing Pele Green Energy, Gqi pursued a seven-year career in finance, first as an investment banker in corporate finance at JPMorgan, and then in the leverage and acquisition finance team at Standard Bank.
Gqi’s current responsibilities include leading and overseeing Pele Green Energy’s three major business units, namely: Project Development, Investment and Funding, and the Energy Operations unit. With a keen focus on managing risk and exposure, Gqi is leading the drive towards Pele Green Energy’s geographical diversification. He currently serves on the boards of Pele Green Energy’s operating power plants including the 36MW Solar
CPV 1 board, the 88MW Nojoli Wind Farm board, and the 101MW Redstone Solar CSP board.
As one of the founders and Chief Executive Officer of Pele Green Energy , Gqi has been instrumental in raising over R40 billion in project debt and R4,2 billion in project equity, as well as raising over R3,2bn billion in preference share funding over the last four years.
Gqi holds an a Bcom Economics and Econometrics degree as well as an honours in International Finance and Monetary Theory. Gqi also accepted the inaugural Presidential Sustainability award in 2022 from President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Nico Jacobs is the CEO of the South African Future Trust, established by the Oppenheimer Generations Foundation as a R1 billion Covid Relief fund. The Trust has now expanded its mandate to build financial and non-financial support to small-, medium- and micro-enterprises in both the formal and informal economies.
Nico has vast corporate experience across Retail, Finance, FMCG and Telecommunications. A previous role as head of the Small Business Banking Division of a large commercial bank means he understands the necessity for alternative funding models outside of the banking sector.
He has a passion for entrepreneurship with business interests across the Manufacturing, Engineering, Technology, Property, Agriculture, and Craft sectors.
Andisa Ntsubane is a chartered marketer (CM SA) and certified customer experience professional. He is a globally recognised brand thought leader, named by The Drum (UK) as one of the World’s 100 most influential B2B CMOs of 2025. He was a member of the team to receive a 2025 Cannes Lions award in B2B Craft for the international film Everybody’s Business. In 2025, Andisa served as President of the Lions Scholarship Jury and became the first African appointed to the prestigious Titanium Jury at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. In South Africa, he was named marketer of the year at the 2025 Assegai Awards, and was recognised by Scopen as being among the top 10 most admired marketing professionals.
Andisa currently serves as Managing Executive for Brand, Marketing, and Communications in Africa at Vodacom Group Limited. Prior to Vodacom, he served as Strategy Executive for Group Marketing, Public Affairs, and Sustainability at Old Mutual Limited, where he also acted as Interim Chief Marketing Officer, and supported the execution of Old Mutual’s Managed Separation, establishing it as a standalone, independently listed entity on the African continent.
Andisa remains an active leader in the global marketing industry, serving on various advisory councils. He has completed executive leadership programmes at the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), Chartered Institute of Marketing (UK), University of Cape Town, London Business School (UK), and the Institute for Real Growth, in the Netherlands.
Marang Denalane is an executive director and part of the founding team at Sphere Holdings, a leading South African investment company with a two-decade track record in the purposeful stewardship of capital. Marang is an experienced director of companies and has served on several portfolio businesses on behalf of Sphere, and as an independent non-executive director in both private and public companies.
Marang has served in various leadership capacities in industry associations and as an advocate for impact and transformation in the South African savings and investment industries.
She is passionate about entrepreneurship and regional economic development and is a member of various groups whose purpose is to collaborate through investment, trade, policy formulation, and advocacy to drive the continent’s prosperity. She is a member of the South African board of Endeavor, a global network that serves as a catalyst for high-impact entrepreneurs.
Marang is a fellow of the inaugural class of the Finance Leaders Fellowship Programme, and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. She graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand, holds a charter from the CFA Institute and has an Advanced Certificate in Entrepreneurship from HEC Paris.
Lunga Siyo is a leader who thrives at the intersection of strategy, innovation, and transformation. As CEO of Telkom Consumer & Small Business, he stands at the helm of one of South Africa’s most dynamic business portfolios, driving growth, digital inclusion, and customer excellence across millions of households and small enterprises.
When Lunga joined Telkom, he brought with him not just experience, but a clear vision to reimagine how technology can empower people and businesses. Under his leadership, Telkom Consumer & Small Business has accelerated its digital-first strategy, strengthened its product ecosystem, and delivered measurable improvements in customer experience. His tenure has been marked by bold decisions that have positioned Telkom as a more agile, customer-centric, and future-ready organisation.
Lunga’s journey to the top was built on a foundation of strategic insight and commercial excellence. Before joining Telkom, he held senior leadership roles at MTN, BP, Santam, and Standard Bank, where he led transformative initiatives in digital channel development, business optimisation, and innovation. Across every role, his impact has been consistent: creating growth through clarity, innovation, and disciplined execution.
Known for his forward-thinking mindset, Lunga combines deep financial acumen with a passion for technology’s power to unlock value. His leadership philosophy is to build teams that think boldly, act decisively, and deliver sustainably. Today he continues to champion Telkom’s mission to drive inclusive digital access, operational excellence, and long-term competitiveness.
Renier Lombard is a South African entrepreneur, community builder, and founder with a passion for scaling purpose-driven ventures and creating global impact.
He is the co-founder and CEO of The Lekker Network (TLN), a global initiative uniting South Africans around the world for business, collaboration, and mutual upliftment. TLN is more than a network; it’s a movement aimed at unlocking cross-border opportunities and building a worldwide community rooted in South African excellence.
Renier also leads FDC, a LinkedIn executive management firm that supports more than 150 CEOs and executives worldwide. Operating across every continent except Antarctica, FDC helps leaders amplify their influence and drive growth through their LinkedIn personal brands/ profiles.
With a deep belief in community-led business models and the power of connection, Renier has built a career around bringing people together to create meaningful, lasting relationships. Whether advising founders, launching high-growth initiatives, or building digital ecosystems, his work is defined by global reach, local relevance, and a drive to uplift others.
Thato Moraka is the founder and CEO of Leaders in Motion Academy. With 25+ years’ experience in Africa’s creative economy, Thato has trained more than 500 underprivileged youth and invested R17 million in bursaries. He is committed to professionalising Africa's creative industries through storytelling and monetising creative assets. His expertise encompasses strategic marketing, and he has developed campaigns for top brands – such as Coca-Cola and SA Tourism – and garnered partnerships with countries like Ghana, Botswana, Lesotho.
Thato has served on the board of the Gauteng Film Commission and as Creative Director at Gateway Media for eight years. He currently serves on the South African Women in ICT Forum. As a public speaker on creative industries, he has represented South Africa on promotion missions at the Black History Festival in Ohio (USA), Ghana, and Nottingham (UK). Locally, he has spoken in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and the Eastern Cape, supported by GIZ at the Digital Skills Conference.
In August 2024 he attended Devcom/Gamescom in Cologne, Germany – a trade mission supported by the Small Enterprise Development agency (SEDA) to lobby investments towards the development of the local gaming industry. As a patron of South Africa’s creative industries Thato is passionate about youth development and education. He is constantly in search of new ways to contribute positively to our country’s challenges, and opportunities to harness the power of storytelling to build the African brand.