Valter Adão
Valter is recognised as an expert in the fields of disruptive innovation, business re-imagination and emerging technologies in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, where he does most of his work.
Leon Ayo
Leon Ayo has consulted and led teams across four continents. He specialises in Leadership, High Performance Teams, Agile Thinking, Entrepreneurship, Business Development and helping organisations navigate the 4th Industrial Revolution.
Eldrid Jordaan
Eldrid Jordaan is a pioneering entrepreneur and technology leader dedicated to leveraginginnovation for social good.
Steven Sidley
Steve has over 35 years of experience in diverse areas of business, media production, technology, artificial intelligence telecommuni-cations, information management, mobile development, blockchain/crypto development and private equity.
Kamal Patel
Kamal is a corporate executive and entrepreneur with experience across global multinational corporations and local Southern African businesses.
Hemannth(Herman) Singh
Herman is based in Johannesburg, South Africa, although he travels very often and operates in many countries in Asia, Africa and Europe.
Nonzukiso Siyotula
In March 2016, Zukie Siyotula, CA (SA), ACMA, MBA, joined the World Economic Forum’s young global leaders under the age of 40.
Rajesh Mahabeer
Rajesh is a senior chartered accountant with 46 years of diverse financial and leadership experience in the public and private sectors.
Zakhele Mkhize
Steve has over 35 years of experience in diverse areas of business, media production, technology, artificial intelligence telecommuni-cations, information management, mobile development, blockchain/crypto development and private equity.
Kamal Patel
Kamal is a corporate executive and entrepreneur with experience across global multinational corporations and local Southern African businesses. He has a blend of corporate executive roles, management consultant roles and entrepreneurial ventures. As a corporate executive, he has led and operated medium and large corporate businesses, focused on digital transformation, and product and market development. He has held the position of CEO at Juta, a publisher in the higher education and legal information sectors. In this role he was responsible for digital transformation of the business from a traditional publisher into a digital business. He also held the roles of Head of Corporate and Head of Strategy & Operations at the multinational information company Thomson Reuters’ Africa region. In this role he was responsible for developing and implementing the Africa growth strategy for the business and growing the corporate market segment. As a management consultant, he held roles at multinational firms leading strategy, growth, and transformation. In his roles at both Accenture and KPMG Consulting he led strategy and transformation projects at various Southern African financial services clients focussing on strategy, growth and operational efficiency. As an Entrepreneur, he has hands-on experience founding and growing businesses across manufacturing, property development, technology and consulting. He is currently focussed on Treptor, a consulting firm that focuses on providing strategic, operational, and board advisory services to technology-based start-ups that have been venture capital-funded and have high growth potential. Kamal holds a Masters in Business Administration from GIBS, a Post Graduate Diploma in Architecture from UKZN and a Bachelor in Architectural Studies from WITS. His is a member of Young Presidents Organisation, a global network of CEOs and is a Professor of Practice at the Johannesburg Business School.
Steven Sidley
Steve has over 35 years of experience in diverse areas of business, media production, technology, artificial intelligence telecommuni-cations, information management, mobile development, blockchain/crypto development and private equity. He has worked at operational, executive and board levels. Having qualified with an MSc (Computer Science) from UCLA in 1979, Steve spent 17 years in California. This was the Cambrian period of technological development, particularly on the West Coast of the US, and he was fortunate enough to touch a great deal of new technology. This included working as an engineer on the Space program at Hughes, followed by designing video games at Tronix and Sidley Wright (where he co-authored 4 successful games), a stint as an artificial intelligence researcher at Citicorp research in Los Angeles, followed by designing computer peripherals, and founding one of Los Angeles’ most successful computer animation companies, Sidley Wright, sold to National Video Systems in 1994.
Steve returned to SA in 1995 where he initially directed commercials for GateHouse and later managed the film and Internet divisions of VWW productions. He subsequently joined Prism Technologies as executive director, operating in the payment technology and crypto space, and which was listed on the JSE in 2000. He has subsequently held a number of high-level positions executive and board positions in blue chip companies including world-wide Group CTO for Anglo American plc and Group CTO at Altech/Altron , as well as successfully co-founding, building and selling two companies and working on private equity and VC transactions.
Steve is currently a partner at Bridge Capital, and is Head of the Blockchain and the Cryptoverse Research Unit at UJ’s Institute for Future Knowledge. In 2021 Steven Sidley and Simon Dingle were signed by Icon Books in the UK to write Beyond Bitcoin: Decentralised Finance and the End of Banks, launched globally in February 2022, now on shelves on 5 continents. He is also the award-winning and mulri-shortlisted author of 5 novels, and a columnist for Daily Maverick, covering crypto and blockchain.
Hemannth(Herman) Singh
Herman is based in Johannesburg, South Africa, although he travels very often and operates in many countries in Asia, Africa and Europe.
Herman is an innovative business thinker and a high impact player with an unusual mix of Business, Technology, Leadership and Creative Skills that position him uniquely for roles to lead the march to the new Digital Economy. A naturally innovative thinker, he has led and guided many disruptive businesses in the ongoing convergence of Technology and Business for over 20 years.
As a great and motivational public speaker, Herman is in high demand for conferences and often acts as a keynote speaker for internal company strategy events.
Herman graduated from Wits University with a Degree in Engineering, a Post Graduate qualification in Industrial Engineering, and an MBA. He has co-authored a text book that is now into its third edition. Herman serves as a Professor at the Graduate School of Business at UCT and adjunct faculty at Duke University, University of Johannesburg and at The Gordon Institute of Business Science in Johannesburg. He has worked, facilitated and spoken around the world and has served as the Chairman of the Solution Space, which is an Incubation Laboratory at the University of Cape Town. Herman also sits on the Advisory board for the Faculty of Engineering at Wits.
Herman commenced his career in the manufacturing sector and moved to consulting and advisory work in 1994 at Monitor Consulting, before taking a role as Managing Director in the Siemens Company in 1996 to lead a large scale turn-around of the Industry Division responsible for Sub-Saharan Africa (13 countries) between 1996 and 2000. The business continues to operate successfully over 15 years after his departure.
He joined Standard Bank in 2000, as the Director of Online Services. He led the bank’s foray into Internet Banking, one of the world’s first national rollouts of smart cards and continued to pioneer Fintech innovations with mobile banking JV’s in 2003 (one of the first globally), and operated one of the first African Fintech business incubators (Beyond Payments) from 2007 until 2012. He also joined the board of Eccentric Switch, a payments processor.
In 2012 Herman moved into the role of Managing Executive of Mobile Commerce Vodacom, where he successfully launched and managed a short term insurance business, a life assurance business, and a mobile wallet. He then moved to MTN in 2015 where he served in the role of Group Chief Digital Officer for four years. This role carried a profit and loss responsibility of over a billion Dollars. His broad portfolio entailed serving on seven boards, as well as in advisory capacities in multiple industry level initiatives.
Herman developed three distinct capabilities in the Digital World: Creating digital means for customers to interact with the firm via new channels and devices; digitising the internal processes of the firm; and creating digitised products and services and disruptive business models.
Herman has over 20 years’ experience leading technical teams that were involved in those three areas in order to deliver new business development, change and large scale IT developments, as well as tactical IT start-up initiatives. He is accordingly comfortable to operate at senior levels while still engaging daily with rapid application development teams across multiple verticals.
Nonzukiso Siyotula
In March 2016, Zukie Siyotula, CA (SA), ACMA, MBA, joined the World Economic Forum’s young global leaders under the age of 40. Zukie was also previously named as one of the 2011 Mail & Guardian top 200 young South Africans. Zukie currently serves as an independent non-executive director on various listed, unlisted, and public sector boards, such as Bidvest Group and Wescoal Holdings, to name a couple. She is not a typical CA in that she has been a GM and CEO of businesses, therefore having a keen understanding of what businesses go through to help management convert strategy.
She can be described as present, solutions orientated, easy to work with and someone who does not shy away from difficult conversations. Zukie is entrepreneurial and dynamic and has personally been very active in the World Economic Forum (WEF), “Workplace of the Future”, which is about how companies become relevant to consumers and she believes that to achieve this, a good digital strategy is key. Her diverse professional experience ranges from general management, finance, corporate governance, strategy, restructuring, business development, through to sales and distribution. Prior to joining the Thebe group, Zukie held various senior positions at Barclays Africa, Old Mutual Retail Mass, Royal Bafokeng Holdings and South African Breweries. In recognition of her outstanding leadership and achievements, Zukie is a Desmond Tutu Fellow and an International Woman’s Forum (IWF) Fellow, where she is the youngest member of the invitation only South African Chapter (IWFSA).
She is the founding member of the African Leadership Network (ALN), an invitation only network of dynamic African leaders and is a member of Graca Machel’s “New Faces New Voices” (NFNV) network which advocates for change in business and finance by harnessing the potential of women in Africa. Zukie is the recipient of a number of business awards in recognition of her, vision, leadership, and achievements. She was awarded the prestigious Fortune Most Powerful Women Global Mentoring Exchange Program in New York and the Vital Choices Global Ambassadors Program and is part of their Global Leadership Network. Zukie is passionate about business, the advancement of women in business and transformation. In honour of recognising the importance of human rights in the empowerment of young women, she fearlessly climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in 2015 to raise funds for sanitary pads for previously disadvantaged young girls in South Africa.
Zakhele Mkhize
Zakhele Mkhize is the Founder and Executive Director of Entsika Consulting Services – one of South Africa’s shining beacons for black excellence. Entsika is a proudly BBBEE Level 1 company that was established in 2009. The firm delivers a variety of professional services throughout South Africa and beyond, which include internal audit, consulting, engineering & construction, plant asset management, training & skills development, enterprise development and socio-economic development. He is a qualified Chartered Accountant registered with the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants and holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the Gordon Institute of Business Science. He has over 20 years of experience in the advisory profession, after having worked extensively in both the private and public sector at a senior executive level.
He has been giving back to communities for two decades and has helped communities stand strong through numerous projects that see him personally supporting child-headed homes, caring for the elderly, and helping children with disabilities as well as orphaned children. He has made contributions in education, business, sports development and the work he does in our country’s often aligned communities.
Rajesh Mahabeer
CA(SA) FCMA CGMA FCA (England & Wales)BFP FCCA CIA FIIASA M.Inst.D SARIPA INSOL MBA (Derby)MCom(UKZN) Post Grad Dip Acc (UKZN) N Dip Cost Acc (DUT) PhD(Candidate) (WITS)
Rajesh is a senior chartered accountant with 46 years of diverse financial and leadership experience in the public and private sectors. He was a C-suite executive for 25 years in large corporations such as AECI, Tetra Pak International, OTH Beier & Company, and Hart Limited.
Rajesh was appointed as the Chief Financial Officer at Walter Sisulu University, Auditor General South Africa, and South African National Parks. These roles were challenging and complex, and as the CFO Rajesh created and implemented successful and sustainable turnaround strategies. He was nominated for the Best CFO in the Public Sector award in 2017 by CFO South Africa.
Rajesh has experience in turning around financially distressed companies with sustainable results and is a restructuring expert. He is a scholar of Systems Thinking and applies this methodology to solve complex problems. Rajesh is registered as a Business Rescue Practitioner and his PhD research is on Business Rescue Practice in South Africa and corporate decline avoidance strategies.
Rajesh advocates the merging of theory and practice to keep at the forefront of research and business practice. He lectures to post-graduate students and supervises students’ research projects. Rajesh has an interest in corporate decline avoidance and disruptive growth strategies research using Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Rajesh is a big advocate of knowledge sharing and uses his expertise and experience to support others in the business and academic sectors. He regularly presents at seminars and conferences, chairs panel discussions, and is a well-known public speaker. Rajesh is often called upon to comment on
economic and business events and has also presented in parliament regularly in various capacities. He previously served on the Committee for Auditor Ethics and the Accreditation Committee of the Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors (IRBA). Rajesh currently serves on the Global Committee for
Accountants in Business of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants(ACCA).
Rajesh serves as a non-executive director on several boards and chairs the audit and risk committees. He serves on the board of directors of the Office of the Health Standards Compliance, Onderstepoort Biological Products, South African Tourism, the Central University of Technology, Free State, amongst others. He brings rich experience in corporate governance, King IV, strategy, auditing, accounting, finance, ICT, IFRS, GRAP, taxation, legal, ethics, and human resources, amongst others, to the boards he serves.
Rajesh is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Trilord Consulting (Pty) Ltd (Trilord). Trilord offers in-depth diverse skills and extensive corporate experience to its clients. It is a multi-disciplinary consulting firm with advanced skills and strategic leadership experience at the C-suite. Trilord consults with clients in the public and private sectors. It develops bespoke solutions that are beyond the curve and give a distinct competitive advantage to its clients. Trilord undertakes work nationally and internationally.
Rajesh is a proud father and grandfather who enjoys entertaining his family. He is an avid reader and supporter of the arts.
Eldrid Jordaan
Eldrid Jordaan – Founder & CEO of Suppple | Professor of Practice at Johannesburg Business School
Eldrid Jordaan is a pioneering entrepreneur and technology leader dedicated to leveraging innovation for social good. As the Founder and CEO of Suppple, Eldrid has guided the company to significant milestones, including a £200-million initial public offering (IPO) on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange in 2024. Suppple operates at the crucial intersection of public and private sectors, developing advanced technology that empowers governments and businesses to digitize their processes, enhance efficiency, and improve service delivery. Suppple’s mission is to create tech solutions that are not just tools but catalysts for efficiency, creativity, and positive societal impact – seamlessly woven into the fabric of daily existence. In line with the principles of the Fifth Industrial Revolution (5IR), Suppple is committed to ensuring that technology enhances human capabilities and well-being, keeping people at the centre of its innovations.
One of Suppple’s recent achievements under Eldrid’s leadership is the launch of an AI health chatbot, deployed across all 54 African Union member states. This tool is designed to revolutionize healthcare delivery by providing real-time data analytics, enabling governments to track and respond to health crises with speed and precision. This project exemplifies Suppple’s commitment to using technology as a catalyst for societal change, particularly in healthcare, where timely and accurate information can save lives.
Eldrid’s journey into technology and public service began long before Suppple. He first made a significant impact as co-founder and CEO of GovChat, South Africa’s largest civic engagement platform. GovChat became vital during the COVID-19 pandemic, facilitating the distribution of over R66 billion in social grants and providing essential services to millions. Despite legal challenges, including a high-profile dispute with Meta, Eldrid’s leadership ensured GovChat’s success as an indispensable public service platform.
Before his success with GovChat and Suppple, Eldrid played influential roles in both the public and private sectors.
He served as a Special Advisor to the Minister of Public Enterprises in South Africa, shaping policies that advanced digital transformation within the government.
In the private sector, Eldrid was an Advisory Board Member at Mxit, Africa’s largest mobile social network at the time. There, he integrated civic technology into the platform, aligning it with government initiatives aimed at providing educational content and protecting young people from harmful social media influences. His work at Mxit showcased his ability to translate governmental goals into practical, tech-driven solutions that benefit society at large.
Eldrid’s influence extends beyond his entrepreneurial ventures. As a Professor of Practice at the Johannesburg Business School, he shares his extensive experience with the next generation of business leaders, inspiring them to think critically about technology’s role in society and how it can be harnessed to create positive change.
Eldrid’s work is a powerful example of how technology can be designed and implemented to enhance human life. His career demonstrates that with vision and ethical considerations, technology can be a force for good, helping to build a future where human potential is fully realized. As he continues to lead Suppple and shape the future of digital governance, Eldrid remains at the forefront of the global conversation about how technology can be used to empower people and improve lives.
For more information about Eldrid Jordaan and Suppple.org, please visit Suppple.co.uk.
Leon Ayo
Leon Ayo has consulted and led teams across four continents. He specialises in Leadership, High Performance Teams, Agile Thinking, Entrepreneurship, Business Development and helping organisations navigate the 4th Industrial Revolution. He has been a visiting lecturer at the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Lancaster, Birmingham, Cape Town and Stellenbosch as well as Warwick & Cranfield Business Schools. He is a board advisor and consults on Leadership, strategy, driving growth and transformation through disruptive training & helping organisations embrace technology and digital communication channels.
Leadership – Proven leader with a track record of developing loyal, highly motivated and high performing teams. Events – Keynote speaker, facilitator and MC with 18 years of experience in presenting and facilitating. Commercial – Proven track record of developing and delivering new products, services and consultancy offerings to clients, achieving significant additional revenue streams. Business Development / Project Delivery – Consistently delivered high sales figures through energetic and innovative business development activities and developing efficient delivery models. Communication – An accomplished communicator in French and English who delivers lectures at the Universities of Cambridge, Oxford, Birmingham, Lancaster, Cape Town, Stellenbosch and Henley Africa, University of Cape Town. Board Level Experience – Further to advising and working with Boards & Leadership Teams on retained searches and executive development programs I have personal experience as a board member and am well networked in the Southern African Board Community.
Valter Adão
Valter is recognised as an expert in the fields of disruptive innovation, business re-imagination and emerging technologies in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, where he does most of his work. Valter is the Chief Executive, and Digital Leader for Cadena Growth Partners, a digital and innovation advisory, and venturing organisation that operates at the intersect of strategic and innovation thinking with emerging digital technologies and rapid commercialisation.
He guides organisations beyond potential disruption, towards creating new opportunities for relevance, growth and expansion by contextualising and leveraging the potential and economics of emerging technologies and disruptive trends.
Valter is a corporate entrepreneur with extensive experience in venturing and commercialising businesses across a number of industries, and works with the CEOs of leading organisations to conceive, develop and scale innovative opportunities and IP into high growth, sustainable businesses.
He is the former Chief Digital and Innovation office for Deloitte, managing and founding partner for Monitor Deloitte and managing partner for Deloitte Digital in Africa. He was also part of Deloitte’s Global Innovation Executive. He is a faculty member of Singularity University, a Tedx Speaker, and the recipient of the Constellation Transformation 150 award, which recognises the top global executives leading digital business transformation efforts. He was recently awarded as the Big 4 professional of the year, by The South African Professional Services Academy, who also recognized him as a top Professional in South Africa’s Digital Industry. Valter holds an MSc and an MBA, he has trained with Roger Martin as a master strategist and is the recipient of numerous academic awards. He is a Professor of Practice at the Johannesburg Business School.
