DR VIJAY MAHAJAN
Author: “Africa Rising: How 900 Million African Consumers Can Offer More Than You Think”

Mahajan holds the John P. Harbin Centennial Chair in Business at McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin. He is a former dean of the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad and is one of the world’s most widely cited researchers in business and economics.

PROF RICHARD MKANDAWIRE
Head of Resource Mobilisation, Partnerships and Communications: NEPAD Agency

Mkandawire is a socio-economist and a rural development expert and the previous head and principal architect of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). He has previously taught in the Universities of Malawi, Zambia, and in South Africa.

GEOFFREY QHENA
CEO: Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa

Qhena is a Chartered Accountant and also holds an Advanced Tax Certificate from UNISA. He was a Senior Manager in the Restructuring Department of Transnet before being appointed at the IDC as the Chief Financial Officer in 2003. He is chairman of Foskor, one of the world’s largest producers of phosphate and phosphoric acid and also serves on the board of Acerinox.

MALIK FAL
MD: Endeavour

A previous Business Operations Director of Microsoft SA, Fal joined Endeavor South Africa in 2009. Before Microsoft, Malik was with the OTF Group consultancy as Vice President, Africa region (previously part of the Monitor Group). He also spent six years at PepsiCo. He is experienced in business strategy for firms in developing countries, and the practical roles of government and private sector institutions.

MILLER MATOLA
CEO: Brand South Africa

A stalwart of the South African – and continental – drive to improve Africa’s image on the world stage, Matola was nominated for the SAA Most Outstanding Individual in the Tourism Industry Award in 2002. He is a former Portfolio Manager: South African Tourism in the Americas and previously held the position of CEO of Tourism KwaZulu-Natal.

DR JACKIE CHIMHANZI
Africa Lead: Deloitte Consulting

Chimhanzi has a PhD from the Cardiff Business School in Wales. She is a member of Graca Machel’s New Voices New Faces Network and sits on the board of the African Leadership Institute. Her role at Deloitte Consulting puts her at the forefront of helping potential investors to understand the opportunities and associated risks of doing business in Africa.

PROF NICK BINEDELL
Founding Director and Sasol Chair of Strategic Management: Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)

After an initial career in the industry in the Mining and Manufacturing sectors in sales and general management in the Barlow Rand Group, Binedell has focused his career for the past 20 years in the area of business education. His academic qualifications include a PhD from the University of Washington in Seattle, an MBA from the University of Cape Town and a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Rhodes University. Under his guidance, GIBS – established in 2000 –was recently ranked as one of the top 40 global executive education providers by the London Financial Times.

THEBE IKALAFENG
Chairman: Brand Africa

Thebe Ikalafeng is arguably one of Africa's foremost brand authorities. He has been recognised as one of the Top 10 Thinkers in Marketing in an Ipsos survey among business decision makers in Southern Africa. He is founder of the award winning Brand Leadership Group, Brand Leadership Academy, Brand Africa™ and Public Sector Excellence™ initiatives. He has been recognised with the award Asia Brand Congress “Global Brand Leadership” award and the Marquette University/American Marketing Association “Award for Marketing Excellence”. He advices, teaches and speaks globally in commercial, political, nation and personal branding and related matters.