Prof. Lethlokwa Mpedi

Vice Chancellor & Principal, University of Johannesburg

Letlhokwa George Mpedi completed his B Juris (1996) and LLB (1998) at Vista University. In 2001 the LLM degree in Labour Law was conferred upon him by the then Rand Afrikaans University (now University of Johannesburg). He twice received the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) award (in 2000 and 2001) for purposes of researching in Germany for his LLM dissertation and LLD thesis, respectively). Upon completing his LLB he was employed as a Junior Lecturer in the Department of Mercantile Law at Vista University (Mamelodi Campus). He joined the Centre for International and Comparative Labour and Social Security Law (CICLASS) at the then Rand Afrikaans University as a researcher in 2000. In August 2003, Professor Mpedi accepted a position as a Research Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Social Law in Munich (Germany). Upon his return from Germany in 2006, he was employed as a Deputy Director at CICLASS. In the same year, the LLD degree in Mercantile Law was conferred upon him by the University of Johannesburg. Before his current position as Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Mpedi served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic and Executive Dean (Faculty of Law) at the University of Johannesburg. He lectured labour law and social security to LLB, post-graduate and certificate students and has delivered papers at numerous national and international conferences. Professor Mpedi has published widely on social security and labour law in South Africa, Southern Africa, and Anglophone Africa. His most recent publications include a co-authored book Labour Law in Ghana (2022) published by LexisNexis, South Africa. Professor Mpedi is an NRF-rated scholar. He is placed in the B category (i.e., a researcher who enjoys considerable international recognition by peers).

Godfrey Mutizwa

Editor-in-Chief, CNBC Africa

Godfrey Mutizwa is the Editor-in-Chief for CNBC Africa, and is based in Johannesburg. He has covered African business for the past 40 years across print and broadcast media - both regional and international. He occasionally presents Power Lunch and Closing Bell on CNBC Africa. Godfrey has covered and moderated debates at international conferenced like the World Economic Forum in Davos and annual meetings of the African Development Bank and the Africa Export-Import Bank

Fifi Peters

Senior Anchor, CNBC Africa

Dr Bilal Siddiqi has experience in both academic and operational spheres. He has a PhD in literature from the University College of London, where he was recipient of a three-year scholarship. During his PhD, he edited a cluster of articles on Fyodor Dostoevsky entitled, ‘Rethinking Dostoevskii: Literature, Philosophy, Narrative’ with the renowned Slavonic journal, SEER. He also co-wrote the introduction for this cluster. He taught undergraduate and postgraduate courses at UCL and supervised undergraduate theses in literature. He is also a qualified schoolteacher, with a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from Oxford University. He has taught at various secondary schools in London and Oxfordshire, teaching English Literature and Language to students in between the ages of 11 and 18. On the administrative and operational side, Bilal has worked predominantly in the media and education sectors, serving as Executive Director for Samaa TV, one of the premier news channels in Pakistan, and as a Marketing and PR executive and later manager at Murdoch University Dubai.

Audrey Cumberford

Principal and Chief Executive of Edinburgh College

Audrey Cumberford is the Principal and Chief Executive of Edinburgh College. Having graduated from Edinburgh, Audrey moved to Bristol University to undertake research in the field of sports psychology. Following this, she left the University sector and moved into private industry before returning to education, where she has held senior roles for the past 25 years. Before her current role, Audrey led and delivered a large-scale £70m merger, resulting in the formation of West College Scotland. Audrey has held several high-profile national positions such as Board member of the Scottish Funding Council (responsible for £1.8billion funding for colleges and universities) and the Scottish Government’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation Delivery Board. She has also had leading roles in the sector as both Vice Chair and Chair of the Scottish Principals Group and is one of Scotland’s longest-serving Principals. Audrey was one of the founding Principals of the UK-wide College Leaders Alliance and represented Scotland on the UK’s first Independent Commission on the ‘College of the Future’. In 2020, Audrey and Paul Little published the ‘Cumberford-Little Report’, commissioned by Scottish Government Ministers to consider the economic impact of colleges. Audrey’s career has spanned both the private and education sectors and underpins Audrey’s passion and drive to ensure tertiary education in Scotland plays a fundamental role in supporting businesses across the country – championing an environment that supports a symbiotic relationship between the business community and Scotland’s colleges as providers of vocational and technical education, business support and skills training.

Dr Bilal Siddiqi

Managing Director Strategy, Learning & Teaching, Curtin University Dubai

Dr Bilal Siddiqi has experience in both academic and operational spheres. He has a PhD in literature from the University College of London, where he was recipient of a three-year scholarship. During his PhD, he edited a cluster of articles on Fyodor Dostoevsky entitled, ‘Rethinking Dostoevskii: Literature, Philosophy, Narrative’ with the renowned Slavonic journal, SEER. He also co-wrote the introduction for this cluster. He taught undergraduate and postgraduate courses at UCL and supervised undergraduate theses in literature. He is also a qualified schoolteacher, with a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from Oxford University. He has taught at various secondary schools in London and Oxfordshire, teaching English Literature and Language to students in between the ages of 11 and 18. On the administrative and operational side, Bilal has worked predominantly in the media and education sectors, serving as Executive Director for Samaa TV, one of the premier news channels in Pakistan, and as a Marketing and PR executive and later manager at Murdoch University Dubai.

Kershen Pillay

CEO, Graduate Institute of Financial Sciences

Dr Kershen Pillay is the CEO of the Graduate Institute of Financial Sciences, known as GIFS. He became a CEO at the age of 27 and rebranded the organisation in 2005 into the South African financial services’ education powerhouse it is today. Dr Pillay is a passionate philanthropist and is respected for his insatiable thirst to ensure employment for young people. In recent years, Dr Pillay was named the TYI Top 100 Young African Innovator, he won the inaugural Future of Work Visionary Award at the Future of Leadership Summit, and most recently received a Certificate of Recognition for Moral Courage from the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse for his unwavering commitment to ensuring fairness in the financial services’ education sector.

Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala

Rector of the United Nations University & Under-Secretary –General of the United Nations

Prof. Marwala has been a visiting scholar/professor at universities in the USA, the UK, China, and South Africa. He has extensive academic, policy, management, and international experience, and is a co-holder of five patents. His research has been multi disciplinary, involving the theory and applications of artificial intelligence to engineering, social science, economics, politics, finance, and medicine. He has served on a variety of global and national policymaking bodies, and has worked with such United Nations entities as UNESCO, UNICEF, WHO, and WIPO. Prof. Marwala is, inter alia, a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, The World Academy of Sciences, the Academy of Science of South Africa, and the African Academy of Sciences. Among the awards that Prof. Marwala has received are the Order of Mapungubwe (South Africa’s highest honour) and the Academy of South Africa’s Science-for-Society Gold Medal. He was named the 2021 IT Personality of the Year by the Institute of IT Professionals South Africa.

Dan Adkins

Group CEO, Transnational Academic Group

Group Chief Executive Officer of Transnational Academic Group. He joined Transnational Academic Group Middle-East (formerly, Global Institute Middle-East) in November 2009 to teach in the Foundation and Business programmes.   Over the course of 20 years, Dan has held numerous management positions, including CIO and CEO.   He has taught IT professionals in various disciplines including project management, quality management, and leadership skills.  Dan holds an MBA and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Business Research from Herriot-Watt University and has received professional certifications in project management, quality assurance, and TEFL. He has lectured at the university level in IT, economics, accounting, marketing, management, organisational behaviour, entrepreneurship, and law, and has overseen the development of multiple foundation programs.

Khomotso Molabe

Group Chief Information Officer, Standard Bank Group

Trained as a chemical engineer, Khomotso transitioned into the financial sector and joined Standard Bank in 2008. Since then, he has held several senior leadership roles, including Chief Engineering Officer and CIO, driving innovation, operational efficiency, and technological advancement across the Group. Outside the boardroom, Khomotso—affectionately known as KK—brings the same energy to his personal pursuits. A devoted family man, passionate soccer enthusiast, and seasoned endurance athlete, he has completed over 100 marathons and ultra-marathons, including 10 Comrades and 12 Two Oceans Ultra-marathons. He is also a six-star medal owner having completed all six of the world marathons majors. His colleagues often describe him as a “passionate lunatic”—a fitting tribute to his boundless drive and commitment both at work and in life. He proudly supports Kaizer Chiefs, Chelsea, and FC Barcelona—and tackles fatherhood, fitness, and his love for football with equal intensity. Khomotso Molabe is the Group CIO for Personal and Private Banking at Standard Bank Group. A seasoned technology executive and digital transformation leader, he has been pivotal in reshaping client experiences through innovation and engineering excellence. With a background in chemical engineering, he has led major tech initiatives since joining the bank in 2008. Outside work, KK is a passionate marathoner, soccer fan, and proud family man—bringing energy and commitment to every part of his life.

Simon Guy

Pro-Vice-Chancellor Global, Lancaster University, UK

Simon began his career as an engineer before beginning his academic life pursuing studies in the humanities and cultural sociology. Situated within schools of architecture and planning, Simon has focussed upon sustainable urbanism where his interdisciplinary and international research connects architecture with urban planning, the property sector with utilities, academia with industry. He has established links with academics in North America, Asia and Europe and has held research fellowships in Tokyo, Paris, Berlin, Graz, Leuven, California and Singapore. Simon has published around sixty refereed article, over thirty book chapters and six books. He has been responsible as a principal or co-investigator for around £4.5 million of research income (£2.5 million as PI) derived from a variety of sources including RCUK, European and industry funds. These funds have been spread across the social sciences, the arts and humanities and engineering, as well as across both environmental (Global Environmental Change) and economic themes (Cities and Economic Competitiveness).

Siegie Brownlee

CEO, Eduvos

Prof. Marwala has been a visiting scholar/professor at universities in the USA, the UK, China, and South Africa. He has extensive academic, policy, management, and international experience, and is a co-holder of five patents. His research has been multi disciplinary, involving the theory and applications of artificial intelligence to engineering, social science, economics, politics, finance, and medicine. He has served on a variety of global and national policymaking bodies, and has worked with such United Nations entities as UNESCO, UNICEF, WHO, and WIPO. Prof. Marwala is, inter alia, a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, The World Academy of Sciences, the Academy of Science of South Africa, and the African Academy of Sciences. Among the awards that Prof. Marwala has received are the Order of Mapungubwe (South Africa’s highest honour) and the Academy of South Africa’s Science-for-Society Gold Medal. He was named the 2021 IT Personality of the Year by the Institute of IT Professionals South Africa

Palesa Mofokeng

Presenter CNBC Africa

Palesa is a skilled financial journalist with extensive experience reporting on financial markets across the Pan-African region. She also provides in-depth coverage of national budgets, fiscal policy, and economic forecasts, with a focus on their impact on markets and investment strategies. Palesa is currently a presenter and producer for CNBC Africa's flagship program Power Lunch Southern Africa. Palesa holds an Honours degree in Journalism and Media Studies from the University of the Witwatersrand, a BA in Media and Writing and Linguistics from the University of Cape Town, as well as a certificate in Financial Journalism and Intro to Finance and Investments from Wits.