Summit aims to equip and inspire leaders for the future
A host of excellent speakers are lined up for the upcoming 2022 Nelson Mandela Bay Leadership Summit, a hybrid event taking place in Gqeberha next month.
The ninth annual Nelson Mandela Bay Leadership Summit, themed “Leadership Skills to inform the complexity of the demands on leadership”, will be presented online and in-person on June 8 and 9 at the Boardwalk International Convention Centre in Summerstrand.
After two years of the Leadership Summit being presented strictly online, Eastern Cape leaders can once again look forward to rubbing shoulders with high-profile thought leaders and speakers, with a strong female component in the 2022 selection.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Leadership Summit is a collaborative partnership between the Nelson Mandela University Business School, MIKS Foundation, Engeli Enterprise Development and media partner Arena Holdings (The Herald).
Other sponsors include EOH, Sun Boardwalk, BDO, Edge Financial Solutions and Gutsche Investment & Management Company (Pty) Ltd.
Solidarity Fund chief executive Tandi Nzimande said she was not only looking forward to sharing her insights as a speaker at the Leadership Summit, but also to learning from other leaders in the room.
“In a world of flux, the calibre, knowledge and understanding of a powerful leader is essential.
“Events such as this are important for knowledge-sharing and learning from one another’s experiences,” Nzimande said.
Speaking to the demands on leaders today, Nzimande said while the Covid-19 pandemic had been unprecedented in many ways, it was by no means the first devastating challenge that the world had faced and it would not be the last.
“From global economic depressions to local and international war to medical crises, leaders have to navigate all manner of catastrophes.
“And the response to each varies,” she said.
“So, rather than talking about how to prepare for the future, we need to talk more about the characteristics of a good leader.
“This current crisis has highlighted what a leader needs to be to face the challenges of the future.”
Some of the characteristics leaders should embrace, Nzimande said, included being flexible and agile, showing humanity, having an ability to care as well as being prepared to be wrong.
“There is no room in a crisis for ego or politics both of which demand that you always have to be seen as having the answers.
“There is nothing more dangerous than digging your heels in and following a path that isn’t working,” she said.
Cartesian Capital managing partner and founder Anthea Gardner will share the stage with Nzimande as a speaker on the second day, and said she was excited about sharing her ideas.
Her talk is titled “Building a better economy: A fresh look at the South African socioeconomic landscape”.
“As an asset manager, I am acutely aware of the perils we face in the SA economy and am concerned that we are focusing on the wrong issues,” she said.
“We need strong role models to drive the future of our country and to build an inclusive economy.”
She said other than leadership being a privilege to better the lives of others, it was almost always characterised by people who turned negatives around by going out to find solutions.
“The socioeconomic landscape is fraught with regulatory speed-bumps, and it is time for the politicians to get out of the way and the people of SA to stand together and build businesses based on meritocracy and return to being a society of givers rather than takers.”
Other speakers for the twoday event include Business Unity South Africa president Bonang Francis Mohale, Isuzu senior vice-president for rest of Africa markets Penny Mkhwanazi, EOH Group chief executive Stephen Van Coller, Net1 Southern African chief executive Lincoln Mali, JSE director of human resources Palesa Ntoagae and Brave Inflexions founder Claudelle von Eck.
For queries, email: cheryl@studio55events.co.za and to book your seat, visit https://www.studio55events.co.za/leadershipsummit/registration/
This is a reprint of the article which appeared in The Herald on Monday, May 23, to reflect the correct dates of the event