AJ MUNIAN

FOUNDER & CEO  |  SMART AGRI SOLUTIONS

AJ is an agricultural value chain specialist who holds a BSc (Agric) and an MBA from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. AJ’s professional qualifications in agriculture are further strengthened by 20 years of direct experience across each link in the entire agriculture value chain, ranging from agro-technical field production through supply chain to Fast Moving Consumer Goods Companies and retail, having worked for leading companies in each of these different sectors, including Capespan, Maersk Line and Woolworths. AJ’s fresh produce experience spans controlled environment farming, technical horticultural production, fresh produce export, reefer liner shipping, freight forwarding, cold chain management and international fresh produce trading, as well as in retail across Sub-Saharan Africa. AJ is passionate about the role which innovative technologies can play in building more inclusive and sustainable agricultural supply chains.

AMY RODGER

FOUNDER & DIRECTOR | KHANYISA DEVELOPMENT CENTRE

Amy is the Director and Founder of Khanyisa Developmental Centre. As a qualified occupational therapist, she spent several years in both the public and private health sectors before establishing Khanyisa. Amy is passionate about serving and leading with excellence, making our hope in Christ a tangible experience for children with special needs and their families. Her husband leads a local church in Durban, and together they have three beautiful children.

CHRISTIAAN VAN DEN BERG

CO-FOUNDER & CO-CEO  |  JOBJACK

Christiaan, a people-passionate pioneer, is the co-founder and co-CEO of JOBJACK. He is a qualified CA (SA) – he came up with the idea of JOBJACK while completing his audit articles in 2017. Although he is stimulated by the business behind JOBJACK, he is driven by the people they are reaching, whether job-seekers, companies, employees or people simply inspired by what is happening. Christiaan wants to see God’s Kingdom come not only in his organisation, but in every company and person’s life.

DANIEL BRUWER

DIRECTOR | FINOVATE GROUP

Daniel Bruwer combines engineering and financial disciplines to connect teams and businesses like few others can. Daniel loves working with people, processes, and operational excellence. He thrives on using analytical skills and his experience in real-life businesses to guide entrepreneurs toward successful ventures. Nothing gives Daniel more joy than working with business owners to execute winning strategies with expertise, people, technology, and operational excellence.
Daniel joined Finovate in 2018, contributing a broad strategic and operational management skillset to the benefit of SME clients. From within a multidisciplinary team at Finovate Advisory, Daniel is well-positioned to leverage their diverse skills and experience to provide solutions and services that help business owners break through to new levels. Since Daniel has nearly two decades of personal experience in running successful entrepreneurial businesses, he draws on an intimate knowledge of the operating environment of the South African context to provide relevant and accurate inputs to clients.

Dineo Lioma

CO-FOUNDER & CEO  |  DEEP MEDICAL THERAPEUTICS

Dineo Lioma is inspired by innovation and the creation of high-impact businesses that create employment and improve healthcare in Africa. She is the co-founder and CEO of Deep Medical Therapeutics, a medical technology company building a network of digitally enabled, low-cost health services in South Africa. Her passion is ensuring every African has access to quality and affordable healthcare. She holds an MPhil in Micro and Nanotechnology Enterprise from the University of Cambridge, a BSc in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering and a second Masters degree in Research from the University of the Witwatersrand.

IVAN SWARTZ

CEO  |  NATION BUILDER

“Fighting and building” is part of Ivan’s DNA and a role he has been in for as long as he can remember, serving his community on various levels. He has a degree in Communications, an Honours Degree in Industrial Psychology and an MBA. In 2014, he founded Labit, a small business incubator focused on developing entrepreneurs in rural communities. In 2017, he joined Nation Builder as CEO, establishing it as a social impact investment platform. He enjoys long-distance running and endurance races. Having convinced his wife, Lecia, to marry him eight years ago remains his personal most impressive achievement.

JACOBUS KRIEL

FOUNDER & CEO  | FILMWORX

Jacobus is an untamed creative creator. The intriguing world of film and media content production became a natural outlet for this innate urge to move from ideation to production in a short period of time. With experience as a feature film director, he founded SA FilmWorx, a purpose-driven content production company that supports business growth with media content that speaks to the heart of viewers. With their first studios based in Somerset West, the business is a media powerhouse making a positive difference to everyone who becomes part of their journey!

JAMES PERRIS

HEAD OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT | CLIQTECH

James Perris is the Head of Business Development at Cliqtech. He has spent the past 15 years successfully engineering initiatives for SA’s largest multinationals & listed entities. He founded, and subsequently sold, one of SA’s first Financial Service Intermediaries purely focused on volume and affinity. Currently, he is solely focused on the financial inclusion of all South Africans via a “Digital Marketplace Financial Services Activator” strategy. James has served on various boards alongside some of SA’s most seasoned business minds, who have mentored and challenged him to grow. His passion for insurance and technology comes through in any conversation. He delivers scalable business solutions and products through financial services to various business sectors.

Khanya Ndzululeka

CO-FOUNDER & CEO | SETANA CAPITAL

Khanya Ndzululeka is the co-founder and CEO of Setana Capital: a start-up focused on supporting businesses in the informal sector with working capital finance. She is a qualified CA(SA) and Mcom in Development Finance graduate with years of experience as a Technical Advisor. Khanya focused on providing deal support by structuring new products rolled out within the financial services industry. Her dream is to see entrepreneurs in the informal sector move from a place of survival to thriving: creating job opportunities for their communities.

KOBUS LOUW

FOUNDER  |  CEO DEGIMY

After completing his Honours degree in Mathematical Sciences at Stellenbosch University, Kobus pursued a career in credit risk, where he later became a specialist in credit risk modelling. While building models that forecast the behaviour of the consumer for some of the biggest banks in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Africa, he realised that there is very little being done to change this consumer behaviour. With his modelling expertise and passion for mentorship, entrepreneurship and leadership development, he founded Digemy.com, an EdTech company that specialises in organisational optimisation, financial wellness, and entrepreneurial and soft-skill development in the Business-to-Business and Business-to-Consumer markets.

LEÀNNE VIVIERS

CO-FOUNDER & CEO  |  MINTOR

A creative problem solver, passionate about youth development and social entrepreneurship (and dancing) – this is what makes Leànne thrive and she’s put it to action having co-founded Mintor to see millions of unemployed youth realise their potential. Leànne’s background comprises 15+ yrs in IT and Operations Consulting (UK, USA, Africa), including her former role as global SME development manager for IFC (World Bank Group). She holds a B.Eng (Industrial Electronics) from Stellenbosch University and an MBA in Social Entrepreneurship from Oxford University, however, her biggest learnings were from doing business and learning from others that do.

Ross Fitzcharles

FOUNDER & CEO  |  PREFERENTAL

SAMMY RABOLELE

CO-FOUNDER, CEO & PRODUCER  |  BEYOND THE EYES

Sammy grew up in a farming family in the North West, post-Bophutatswana. He was educated at Potchefstroom High School for Boys and the University of Pretoria. It was at university that he truly came to know Jesus as his Lord and Saviour and sensed the call of the Lord on his life. After completing his B.Com Investment Management degree, he joined a ministry called Campus Outreach as full-time staff for six years, sharing his faith on campus. The desire to tell stories finally drove him to realise his dream of capturing the African stories that often remain untold, co-founding Beyond the Eyes in 2014. He shares the journey with business partner Tebogo, as well as his wife Mpho and their daughter Aobakwe.

Sarah Bryce

FOUNDER & MD  |  LEAD WITH LOVE

SIPAMANDLA MANQELE

FOUNDER & CEO | LOCAL VILLAGE FOODS

Sipamandla Manqele is the CEO and Founder of Local Village Foods, Bissap Beverages and African Harvest Table. She completed a Bachelors of Social Sciences degree in 2014, majoring in Community Development and Business Management. Sipamandla is inspired by the African continent, its diverse cultures, and its quest for social and economic unity. Her heart is to play a role in implementing free and fair trade across Africa.

Velani Mboweni

CO-FOUNDER & CEO | LULA

Velani Mboweni is the Co-Founder and CEO of LULA, an award-winning mobility startup that enables sustainable and productive commuting in Africa. He started as an entrepreneur in 2008, having founded two ventures before LULA. He was a Harambeans Entrepreneur Alliance (USA) fellow and an AlibabaeFounders Fellow (China). Velani serves on the CSIR’s Advisory Board on Smart Mobility and is a Non-Executive Director on the City of Johannesburg’s Metropolitan Trading Company. Velani enjoys cooking, reading, playing, playing the Piano and has a deep love for faith, science and aviation.