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Speakers 

4TH AFRICAN SUSTAINABILITY SUMMIT

SPEAKERS LINE UP

 

MC: Shamiso Kumbirai – WEF Global Shaper, Civil Engineer and Sustainability Champion

 

Shamiso is a Civil Engineering graduate from the University of Cape Town with a passion for infrastructure; especially the integral part that infrastructure development plays in economic and social development on the African continent. In addition to her work as a Water Engineer at one of the leading consulting engineering companies in the country, she is also currently pursuing her Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering. Her dissertation focuses on the interplay between technical engineering and social sciences in informal settlement upgrades to create sustainable infrastructure. She is also currently serving as a member of the World Economic Forum Global Shapers, a global network of young leaders committed to positively impacting their society. Their current projects revolve around improving access to water and sanitation facilities for schools within the Tshwane region. Her hope is to be a driving force towards bridging the gap between access to infrastructure providing clean water and dignified sanitation to the economically disenfranchised across the continent. 

 

Corli Le Roux, (Head of Sustainability Capital Markets Division), JSE

 

TOPIC: JSE Green Bond Framework and Sustainable Finance Vision and Strategy for SA-NEPAD and Treasury

Corli le Roux is Head of Sustainability at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. With a background and qualifications in law, she has been with the JSE since August 2001 and was responsible for the development and operation of the JSE’s Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) Index. She currently manages the JSE’s work in sustainability across the investment value chain and advises the JSE executives on the development and implementation of an organisational sustainability strategy. Corli sits on various committees covering sustainability, integrated reporting and responsible investment, and currently chairs the World Federation of Exchanges’ Sustainability Working Group. She has been a finalist and semi-finalist in the Africa’s Most Influential Women in Business and Government awards.

 

Raldu Nel, Chairman and Founder of the African Sustainability Summit and African Sustainable Development Association

 

TOPIC: Summit context and A-SDA: African Green Business Connector & Resilience Venture Capital Fund

Trusted Partnerships towards Green Business Project Portfolio, matched to market access and funding.

 

Raldu, is Founder and CEO of Blank Canvas International (BCI), Chairman of the African Sustainability Summit and Founding Member of the African Sustainable Development Association.

 

He leads a team of specialists who enable clients to grow their businesses optimally, ensuring that they are relevant and competitive. This is done by helping organisations and  leaders to design and implement a roadmap and action plan to lead the organisation to growth in an inclusive and green economy.  Raldu has contributed to a number of international conferences as chairman, panellist and facilitator. Through his industry experience and BCI client interaction he has established himself as a specialist in innovation for growth, differentiation and sustainable development in the local and global context. He passionately believes that Africa is a continent of choice and subscribes to the philosophy of cathedral thinking.

 

Brenda Kali, MD of Conscious Companies South Africa, Director: Centre for Executive Renewal and Transformation Strategist

 

TOPIC: Sustainable Conscious Leadership in Action: placing ethics and humanity at the core of our economy and socio-political agenda

 

Brenda is a veteran of the communication industry. Her extensive career spans a wide range of genres including author, former broadcast executive and reputational turnaround and communication strategist. Her achievements are many and her experience varied. She has assumed successive high profile positions that helped shape the reputation of several major companies, including Telkom. She is a change agent who has been part of the industry for over 30 years. As a seasoned communicator and one of the pioneers in corporate mindfulness, she brings a new energy into the corporate space.  Prof Mervyn King SC writes in the foreword of Brenda’s book, Beyond the Corporate Sludge, “In her personal life, [Brenda] has had to deal with peaks of success and valleys of uncertainty as she displayed immense resilience in the face of personal tragedy. She found new meaning in life and this gave her new direction in her professional capacity to be able to communicate in a manner of substance over form on behalf of corporations.”       

 

Henley Business School Panel Discussion with:

 

Gareth Armstrong (Henley radio producer and social commentator)

For close on a decade, Gareth has interviewed top national and international business, political, and civic leaders on subjects like leadership, business, and entrepreneurship. His writing has been published by various print media publications, which includes a weekly, full page column in The Star Workplace that ran for two years. Gareth has worked with leaders and leadership teams from large multinational organisations, as well as doing pro-bono work for large and small non-profit initiatives, universities, and schools. He is the founder of the non-profit organisation, Future CEOs™, co-host of the Future CEOs™ show on CliffCentral.com,  producer and presenter on Henley Business Radio and seeks to empower high potential young executives and ambitious entrepreneurs as they push for CEO status.

 

John Vlismas (stand-up comedian and provocateur)

John is well-known for his outspoken and observational humour. His ability to understand and comment on political, social and economic affairs has earned him a broad fan base and growing corporate client base, as well as invitations to perform in England, Germany, Canada, Ireland, Australia, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe. John is something of a cult figure, taking his particular brand of original, intellectual and wildly risky comedy into everything he does, whether it is clean, complex corporate appearances with highly tailored material, the no-holds-barred material that ignites his public appearances, or the thought through outrage he often presents on radio to provoke robust debate.

Puleng Makhoalibe (Henley Head of Innovation, Creativity & Entrepreneurship)

Puleng has an holistic, fresh and unpretentious way of looking at creativity and innovation as key skills for business and life.  Puleng is an experienced international speaker and published author. Her love for creativity, design-thinking and innovation has culminated in colourful approaches to work, projects and problem-solving. She enjoys exploring, sharing and empowering organisations with these new approaches. She specialises in Design-thinking, Creativity, Facilitation & Training, Project Management, Innovation, Creative Problem Solving, IT Management, and Strategy. She consults to a number of consultancies and is a board member of the Creative Education Foundation, and Member and Facilitator of the African Creativity Foundation. She has received numerous awards including, Women & Home: Women in Technology Who Inspire.

 

Nonhlanhla Joye, (Founder Umgibe Farming Organics & Training Institute) TOPIC: Homegrown solutions for changing landscapes

Three years ago, Nonhlanhla Joye was the sole breadwinner of her household, and needed to find a new way to put food on the table after her cancer diagnosis. She began to grow her own vegetables, but unfortunately, her neighbour's chickens got to them before she could. So as a solution, she devised a Frugal Climate Smart System to grow organic vegetables involving a raised mechanism out of chicken-reach. Using recycled plastic bags attached to a recycled plastic structure, the system requires less water, expands space, and is portable. Specifically designed for urban farmers, the system is eco-friendly, using organic pesticides and compost for plant nutrients. It is also custom-made to clients’ requirements to ensure affordability. Nonhlanhla will share her journey from despair to changing communities with Umgibe Farming Organics and Training Institute as a practical example of a brave and innovative agricultural pioneer.

 

Vicki Shaw: Programme Manager for the Mine Water Coordinating Body of the NEPAD Business Forum

 

TOPIC: Clean Technology Solutions: Integrated Water Management, Sustainable Mine Closure & Rehabilitation

 

Vicki describes herself as a resourceful individual with extensive Environmental and Sustainability Management experience. Having worked in the consulting, corporate and non-governmental spheres, she has exceptional skills in developing and maintaining relationships with people from a multitude of backgrounds to work towards a common goal.
She enjoys a challenging work environment and will persevere to achieve set targets and objectives. She strives to go beyond what is required to find new and innovative solutions for the challenges facing business when identifying and implementing sustainable business practices. She has the proven ability to find creative and cost-effective solutions to challenges and worked successfully as part of a team and actively contributed to initiatives that have won awards in the Environmental and Sustainability fields.
Says Vicki, “I believe innovation, risk management and behavioural change are critical in shifting business, and the world, towards a more sustainable approach to operating.”

 

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