South Africa’s top executives will gather in Johannesburg to explore the relationship between technology and human leadership.
The third annual Executive Day returns to Melrose Arch on 3 September, where South Africa’s leading finance, HR and IT leaders will connect for a day of shared insights and networking. They will discuss how to collaborate and coordinate across functions to solve today’s most pressing business hurdles.
This year’s theme – Integrated intelligence – calls on co-leaders to bridge the tech divide by focusing on the relationship between AI, human capital and corporate strategy. The full-day learning and networking experience is brought to you by Executive Communities. It is the essential gathering for the country’s most influential CIOs, CHROs and CFOs.
Speed networking and blindspots
The event will begin with an ice-breaking speed networking session.
The morning panels are aimed at tackling critical corporate friction. Sasol executive vice president of people Thabile Makgala and Microsoft South Africa commercial solutions officer Ravi Bhat will lead the first panel on what is missing from the conversation on AI adoption.
Then, MTN Group CHRO Paul Norman and Old Mutual group chief human capital and corporate affairs officer Celiwe Ross will explore the green and red flags among business leaders.
Deep-dive breakaway sessions
After a networking lunch, guests will divide into four breakaway rooms. These interactive sessions ignore industry boundaries to offer fresh perspectives.
The first group will be led by Council for Medical Schemes group CIO Dr Denisha Jairam-Owthar, Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa people and culture director Vinolia Singh and NTT Data Southern Africa VP of finance Rebecca Pole. They will unpack issues around boardroom servitude and credibility.
In the second group, Eskom acting general manager supplier management IT and OT Norbit Williams, Cell C CFO El Kope and Discovery chief people experience officer Steven Teasdale will lead discussions on navigating change fatigue.
The third group, led by AB InBev VP of people Inette Swart, Auditor-General CTO Phila Ndarana and Zeda CIO Pulana Ngwasheng, will host a friction audit to tackle workplace tension.
And finally, the group four leaders will look in the mirror. Eqstra CFO Lauren Odell and Wits University CIO Dr Mgobansimbi Stanley Mpofu will discuss corporate incentive structures and organisational dislikes.
Following the breakaways is a highly anticipated interactive session aptly titled Bullshxt Bingo hosted by futurist, economist and business trends analyst Bronwyn Williams and business transformation specialist Sharon Pearce. Together, they will separate AI myths and marketing hype from real impacts on work.
To close off the day, the final panel, themed Human too, features Bridgestone regional vice president for Africa and the Middle East Jacques Rikhotso and Alexforbes CEO of growth markets Jonathan Muthige. They will share personal stories and discuss how to lead while navigating personal hardships.
The day concludes at 3.30pm with closing reflections, drinks and a final round of executive networking.
