Women in Business Conference
2023
Shattering the Glass Ceiling
Event Speakers
Catherine Duggan
Catherine Duggan is Director (Dean) of the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business (GSB).
Before joining the UCT GSB she was Vice Dean and Professor of Management and Political Economy at the African Leadership University School of Business (ALUSB) in Rwanda. At ALUSB she was the founding Vice Dean and the business school's first faculty member and helped to design the school's blended MBA curriculum. She also created and taught the popular Politics, Economics, and the Context of African Business (PECAB) course and led the school's executive education programs, including the school's collaboration with INSEAD on an Africa-focused executive education program.
She was previously a professor at Harvard Business School (HBS) in the Business, Government, and the International Economy (BGIE) Unit, where she taught leadership and political economy in MBA and executive education programs for nearly a decade. At HBS she was the first woman in the school’s history to win the Faculty Award for Outstanding Teaching in the Required Curriculum two years in a row. She also received the Charles M. Williams Award for Excellence in Teaching and was named the Berol Corporation Fellow.
Dr Duggan has been a Visiting Scholar at the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School (SBS), where she taught the Doing Business in Africa course in the MBA and EMBA as well as Africa sessions in several executive education programs. She has taught courses and sessions on leadership, political economy, and doing business in Africa at various business schools in the United States, Europe, and Africa.
Dr Duggan's academic work is on the political economy of development in Africa, with a particular focus on institutional development and financial sector regulation. She has worked on the continent for more than twenty years and gained experience in nearly two dozen African countries. She is the author of a number of case studies on African firms and countries, including cases on South Africa, Nigeria, DRC, Zimbabwe, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and others. She regularly leads strategy and leadership workshops for corporations and has advised a number of governments and public sector agencies on the continent and beyond.
She earned a Ph.D. in Political Science from Stanford University, where she was the G.J. Lieberman Fellow for the Social Sciences, and received a B.A. with honors in Political Science from Brown University.
Before joining the UCT GSB she was Vice Dean and Professor of Management and Political Economy at the African Leadership University School of Business (ALUSB) in Rwanda. At ALUSB she was the founding Vice Dean and the business school's first faculty member and helped to design the school's blended MBA curriculum. She also created and taught the popular Politics, Economics, and the Context of African Business (PECAB) course and led the school's executive education programs, including the school's collaboration with INSEAD on an Africa-focused executive education program.
She was previously a professor at Harvard Business School (HBS) in the Business, Government, and the International Economy (BGIE) Unit, where she taught leadership and political economy in MBA and executive education programs for nearly a decade. At HBS she was the first woman in the school’s history to win the Faculty Award for Outstanding Teaching in the Required Curriculum two years in a row. She also received the Charles M. Williams Award for Excellence in Teaching and was named the Berol Corporation Fellow.
Dr Duggan has been a Visiting Scholar at the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School (SBS), where she taught the Doing Business in Africa course in the MBA and EMBA as well as Africa sessions in several executive education programs. She has taught courses and sessions on leadership, political economy, and doing business in Africa at various business schools in the United States, Europe, and Africa.
Dr Duggan's academic work is on the political economy of development in Africa, with a particular focus on institutional development and financial sector regulation. She has worked on the continent for more than twenty years and gained experience in nearly two dozen African countries. She is the author of a number of case studies on African firms and countries, including cases on South Africa, Nigeria, DRC, Zimbabwe, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and others. She regularly leads strategy and leadership workshops for corporations and has advised a number of governments and public sector agencies on the continent and beyond.
She earned a Ph.D. in Political Science from Stanford University, where she was the G.J. Lieberman Fellow for the Social Sciences, and received a B.A. with honors in Political Science from Brown University.
Stacey-Anne Scholtz
Stacey-Anne Scholtz is the Chief Executive of Buying at Ackerman’s, she is a wife, a mom of 2 and is born and raised in Cape Town. She has worked in various retail organisations across various disciplines at the Clicks group, Edcon, Woolworths, Truworths and Shoecity where she held her last Role as CEO.
Stacey-Anne Scholtz is an accomplished retail professional with over 18 years of experience in the industry, including more than 10 years in senior management roles. She has a proven track record of successfully leading teams to deliver strategic business priorities with clarity and direction. In the past 5 years, she has played a pivotal role as part of the EXCO team driving corporate strategy.
Stacey holds a degree in Retail Business Management, and she has a winning record of implementing merchandising principles that invigorate underperforming businesses and transform them into thriving ones. Her strong business acumen and innovative problem-solving skills allow her to deliver strategic initiatives that realize corporate goals and drive performance.
Stacey's leadership style is centered on empowerment, teamwork, and creating an environment that sparks creativity and enables ownership. She strongly values people and those within her teams and has a genuine passion for building meaningful relationships on both a personal and professional level.
As a goal-oriented, innovative, and passionate leader, Stacey-Anne Scholtz has demonstrated an exceptional ability to lead organizations to achieve their full potential and drive business success.
Stacey-Anne Scholtz is an accomplished retail professional with over 18 years of experience in the industry, including more than 10 years in senior management roles. She has a proven track record of successfully leading teams to deliver strategic business priorities with clarity and direction. In the past 5 years, she has played a pivotal role as part of the EXCO team driving corporate strategy.
Stacey holds a degree in Retail Business Management, and she has a winning record of implementing merchandising principles that invigorate underperforming businesses and transform them into thriving ones. Her strong business acumen and innovative problem-solving skills allow her to deliver strategic initiatives that realize corporate goals and drive performance.
Stacey's leadership style is centered on empowerment, teamwork, and creating an environment that sparks creativity and enables ownership. She strongly values people and those within her teams and has a genuine passion for building meaningful relationships on both a personal and professional level.
As a goal-oriented, innovative, and passionate leader, Stacey-Anne Scholtz has demonstrated an exceptional ability to lead organizations to achieve their full potential and drive business success.
Felicia Msiza
Felicia has served as CEO of the Raubex Group since August 2022, a role in which together with the management team, focuses on driving the growth and diversification strategy in the Group. Her journey at Raubex began with her appointment as an independent non-executive director in February 2011, which position she held until February 2017. On 1 March 2017 she was appointed as an executive director responsible for governance, risk, and compliance. She has extensive knowledge and experience in the field of corporate governance, including audit, compliance, risk management and strategy.
Felicia holds a Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) degree, a qualification in Tax Law, a Master of Business Administration (MBA), and is a certified Chartered Director (SA). Felicia is a strategic thinker at her core, driven by a strong sense of vision and goal orientation. With over twenty years of professional experience, she has achieved remarkable success and career growth. Felicia takes immense pride in her expertise in strategy development and execution, auditing, risk management, and governance, skills that have opened diverse opportunities for her. Notably, these skills have led to her serving on the boards of prestigious organisations like the Institute of Directors South Africa (IoDSA) and the Institute of Internal Auditors of South Africa (IIASA).
Felicia's career has spanned both the private and public sectors, allowing her to cultivate strong relationships and master essential stakeholder management skills. This solid foundation informs her ongoing commitment to building partnerships across all organisational levels and effectively coordinating teams across various business functions. Drawing upon her background in governance and risk management, Felicia has honed her ability to craft integrated, future-focused strategies that promote sustainable business practices. Her unwavering belief in the paramount importance of integrity underscores her approach to professional success.
In her leadership journey at Raubex, Felicia has placed a significant emphasis on the company's role in the construction industry and the communities it serves. Central to this, is the development of organisations that are socially responsible and transformative. She prioritises the employment of local labour and the training and development of communities. Felicia firmly believes that cultivating dynamic, diverse, and inclusive teams is crucial to fostering a culture of innovation and contributing to the overall growth of the construction industry.
Felicia's personal leadership philosophy is rooted in the principles of transformational management, aiming to inspire and motivate employees while harnessing their skills to drive the organisation's overarching strategy. Beyond her professional endeavours, she is deeply committed to community involvement, youth empowerment, and mentoring women. These passions are inspired by her role as a devoted wife and mother of two, motivating her to make a positive impact beyond her career.
Felicia holds a Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) degree, a qualification in Tax Law, a Master of Business Administration (MBA), and is a certified Chartered Director (SA). Felicia is a strategic thinker at her core, driven by a strong sense of vision and goal orientation. With over twenty years of professional experience, she has achieved remarkable success and career growth. Felicia takes immense pride in her expertise in strategy development and execution, auditing, risk management, and governance, skills that have opened diverse opportunities for her. Notably, these skills have led to her serving on the boards of prestigious organisations like the Institute of Directors South Africa (IoDSA) and the Institute of Internal Auditors of South Africa (IIASA).
Felicia's career has spanned both the private and public sectors, allowing her to cultivate strong relationships and master essential stakeholder management skills. This solid foundation informs her ongoing commitment to building partnerships across all organisational levels and effectively coordinating teams across various business functions. Drawing upon her background in governance and risk management, Felicia has honed her ability to craft integrated, future-focused strategies that promote sustainable business practices. Her unwavering belief in the paramount importance of integrity underscores her approach to professional success.
In her leadership journey at Raubex, Felicia has placed a significant emphasis on the company's role in the construction industry and the communities it serves. Central to this, is the development of organisations that are socially responsible and transformative. She prioritises the employment of local labour and the training and development of communities. Felicia firmly believes that cultivating dynamic, diverse, and inclusive teams is crucial to fostering a culture of innovation and contributing to the overall growth of the construction industry.
Felicia's personal leadership philosophy is rooted in the principles of transformational management, aiming to inspire and motivate employees while harnessing their skills to drive the organisation's overarching strategy. Beyond her professional endeavours, she is deeply committed to community involvement, youth empowerment, and mentoring women. These passions are inspired by her role as a devoted wife and mother of two, motivating her to make a positive impact beyond her career.
Egla Ntumba
Egla Ntumba, is a venture capital investor at Newtown Partners and has recently completed her MBA at UCT's GSB. She has experience in Venture Capital, equity analysis, research and corporate credit analysis.
Egla is passionate about creating a platform for disruptive female-lead business, her MBA dissertation looked at ways to empower small businesses to scale through adequate financial education. She has also mentored multiple programs supporting early-stage female founders and various early career development.
Egla is passionate about creating a platform for disruptive female-lead business, her MBA dissertation looked at ways to empower small businesses to scale through adequate financial education. She has also mentored multiple programs supporting early-stage female founders and various early career development.
Shivani Ghai
Shivani Ghai is the Corporate Partnerships Manager for the Andreas & Sue Struengmann Foundation.
She is a Strategic Advisor in the Education and Employability space, having previously done so for the Western Cape Government's flagship youth programme, and for international projects in Ethiopia and Kenya.
Finally, she is the loudest and proudest GSB Alum from the FT Class of 2019!!"
She is a Strategic Advisor in the Education and Employability space, having previously done so for the Western Cape Government's flagship youth programme, and for international projects in Ethiopia and Kenya.
Finally, she is the loudest and proudest GSB Alum from the FT Class of 2019!!"
Simmy Sachar
As Chief Marketing officer for Liquid Thought, Simmy is responsible for leading a talented team that develops, implements, and rolls out digital marketing strategies for leading brands in an exponential age. With a wealth of experience in the industry, she understands the importance of crafting targeted and impactful marketing campaigns that deliver measurable results.
Her passion is working with clients identifying and leveraging the latest trends and technologies to build brand equity, drive traffic, and increase revenue. However, her focus is not limited to driving marketing success. As part of the leadership team at Liquid Thought, she committed to creating a successful and healthy work culture that is driven by purpose and intention.
She believes that a positive and collaborative work environment is key to attracting and retaining top talent and achieving sustainable success. Having just successfully completed her Executive MBA, she is working towards her Yale stint in June. Simmy is constantly immersed in the latest trends and knowledge shaping the industry leaders and Liquid Thought’s offering to the market, ensuring their Clients remain relevant.
Her passion is working with clients identifying and leveraging the latest trends and technologies to build brand equity, drive traffic, and increase revenue. However, her focus is not limited to driving marketing success. As part of the leadership team at Liquid Thought, she committed to creating a successful and healthy work culture that is driven by purpose and intention.
She believes that a positive and collaborative work environment is key to attracting and retaining top talent and achieving sustainable success. Having just successfully completed her Executive MBA, she is working towards her Yale stint in June. Simmy is constantly immersed in the latest trends and knowledge shaping the industry leaders and Liquid Thought’s offering to the market, ensuring their Clients remain relevant.
Babar Dharani
Dr Babar Dharani is a Senior Lecturer at the Allan Gray Centre for Values-Based Leadership at the Graduate School of Business (GSB) at the University of Cape Town (UCT).
His research has ranged from academic books in the field of self-leadership to diversity & inclusion, peer- reviewed journal articles on leadership traits & work experiences ranging from burnout & boredom, toxic masculinity & exclusion, to vigour & absorption at work, & book chapters about inclusive leadership, mental models & happiness versus contentment at work.
He is a Business Finance Professional (BFP) & a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (FCA). His career started at Deloitte in London (UK) & KPMG in Port Louis (Mauritius) & Nairobi (Kenya). He moved from consulting to industry with FedEx in Dubai (UAE).
His career largely excelled in the Diamond industry, working in the position of CFO for one of the largest global diamond manufacturing businesses in Amsterdam (The Netherlands) to subsequently managing the entire group in Luxembourg, & the sponsor’s family office in Singapore.
His research has ranged from academic books in the field of self-leadership to diversity & inclusion, peer- reviewed journal articles on leadership traits & work experiences ranging from burnout & boredom, toxic masculinity & exclusion, to vigour & absorption at work, & book chapters about inclusive leadership, mental models & happiness versus contentment at work.
He is a Business Finance Professional (BFP) & a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (FCA). His career started at Deloitte in London (UK) & KPMG in Port Louis (Mauritius) & Nairobi (Kenya). He moved from consulting to industry with FedEx in Dubai (UAE).
His career largely excelled in the Diamond industry, working in the position of CFO for one of the largest global diamond manufacturing businesses in Amsterdam (The Netherlands) to subsequently managing the entire group in Luxembourg, & the sponsor’s family office in Singapore.