(M Com)

Lisle Svenson

Currently a lecturer and co-ordinator of graduate and undergraduate courses in Strategic Management and Introduction to the Economy and Business at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), Lisle has over 8 years’ lecturing experience and 12 years’ experience in Business and Management Consulting. Prior to joining UWC, she served as Operations Director at Developmentnomics Pty Ltd. Her research interest includes Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (with a focus on inclusive development and supply chains), sustainable business models, empowerment of women, youth and marginalised actors, and empowerment of communities in townships and rural areas. Lisle is also a trustee of the Footsteps Foundation, an NPO that focuses on SMME and social-enterprise development in disenfranchised rural communities.

BCom (Accounting), H Dip Acc, CA(SA)

Gugu Dingaan

Gugu is currently the Investment Executive at Women Investment Portfolio Holdings (WIPHOLD) and non-executive board member and audit committee member of Distell, Landis+Gyr, SA Corporate Real Estate Limited and Novus Holdings. She is also a non-executive board member of Adcorp Holdings Limited. Gugu is the Chairperson of Distell’s social and ethics committee, and a member of the investment sub-committee.

B Com (Hons), CA(SA)

Lizelle Malan

As Group Company Secretary for Distell, Lizelle performs all statutory company-secretarial functions and is also responsible for the company’s forensic compliance, risk management and legal divisions. She is a director of Distell Beverages RF (Pty) Ltd.

Chairman (Ph.D.)

Anthony Madimetja Benny Mokaba

Dr. Benny Mokaba , is currently a Director of Moedi Investments Pty ltd, Trading as Moedi Leadership Quest. He held various leadership positions in both private and public sectors. Among others, he was non-Executive chairman of PetroSA, and Siemens. His executive roles include inte alia, CEO and Chairman of Shell South Africa 2001-2006, Group MD of Steinmüller Africa (1999 to 2001), and Executive Director of Sasol SA Energy Business (2006 to 2010). In the 1990s he served in the government’s RDP office and in 1997-98 was appointed acting DG of the Department of Social Development. Prior to returning to South Africa in 1993, Mokaba was Associate Professor for Research at Boston College Graduate School.

In 1996, a transforming DBSA, appointed Mokaba as its first head of operations evaluation unit. With a core team of 8 people Mokaba formulated the DBSA evaluation process having visited, the World bank, EDB, and the ADB.

In addition to BA hons degrees from Fort Hare university, Mokaba hold a Masters Degree from Boston College and a Ph.D. in Social Policy from Brandeis University in the USA. His business education includes several certificates from INSEAD, Berlin, and Cape Town Universities, and an Advanced Executive Programme from Unisa’s SBL (cum Laude). His hobbies, includes, classic Cars, and Cattle Breeding.

Among his awards and recognitions, are recognition as Trailblazer for 2007 and 2008, a Business Achiever award from Limpopo, and a Fulbright scholarship. He is a member of Alpha Zigma Nu Jesuits Honour Society of Boston since 1988 for scholarship and contribution to society.

As part of Moedi leadership Quest, he provides executive coaching to several leaders in South Africa.

Law

Zeynab Titus

“Currently a practising Advocate of the High Court of South Africa, and a member of the Cape Bar, Zeynab has a varied practice including corporate and commercial law, as well as administrative and constitutional law. Previously, practising as an attorney, she commenced her articles of clerkship at Webber Wentzel (then Webber Wentzel Bowens) until she held the position of senior associate in the Litigation department of the firm. She continued to practice as such at ENSafrica (Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs) until deciding in 2007 to complete pupillage and join the Bar. Zeynab has engaged in several matters acting pro bono, including for the Women’s Legal Centre and Equal Education. She also regularly sits as a Small Claims Court Commissioner. Not related to law, she is a mentor at the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation.”

Finance

Ajay Lalu

Ajay Lalu is the founder and Managing Director of the Black Lite Group. He is part of a new breed of Ecotrepreneurs and a leading black industrialist. In 2006 he left his post as Acting CEO of Utajiri Investments which negotiated and participated in the Deutsche Bank BEE transaction valued at an estimated R1 billion. Prior to negotiating the Deutsche Bank deal, Ajay was the Director for BEE services at Ernst & Young where he was responsible for growing the new business unit focused on Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE). Ajay spent 5 years at Ernst & Young in the Corporate Finance arena and was promoted to Director in July 2003.

Ajay is a regular commentator on BBBEE issues in the media and trusted advisor to the Department of Trade and Industry and large corporations which include Fortune 500 companies like Microsoft, AIG, ABInBev, Coke Cola, IBM, 3M and Anglo American. In addition he is also a strategic advisor to listed companies like Sasol, MMI, Tiger Brands, and unlisted companies like Allan Gray, De Beers, Kagiso Tiso Holdings and Loreal.

Ajay is a Voting Member of Greenpeace Africa and was selected to be a global judge in the Energy [R]evolution contest, a global challenge to select sustainable solutions to Indian farmers’ reliance on diesel pumps.

Ajay is a keen photographer, runner and loves to travel. He is deeply committed to changing the lives of ordinary South Africans through his involvement in various NGOs. He is passionate about developing SMMEs based on his real life experiences.