Xponential appoints industry veteran Zuko Mdwaba as Group CEO to accelerate ambitious growth strategy
Mdwaba brings to Xponential a compelling blend of technical expertise, strategic vision and human-centred leadership, shaped by a career that spans globally renowned technology powerhouses including Oracle, SAS, Workday, and Salesforce. Notably, as CEO at Salesforce and Workday Africa, he broke new ground as the continent’s first executive charged with building these category-leading businesses from inception, crafting go-to-market strategies, cultivating leadership cultures, and nurturing talent pipelines tailored to local markets.
His appointment reflects Xponential’s commitment to embedding industry-leading expertise and operational rigor at the helm as it scales its integrated platform – combining private equity investments, advisory services, capital solutions, and capability-building initiatives – to becoming the preeminent growth partner for ambitious businesses and investors across the region.
Speaking on his new role, Mdwaba said: “I am excited to join Xponential, an innovative growth company and integrated platform operating across investments, advisory, capital solutions and capability-building. What truly differentiates Xponential is its deep obsession with customers, combining a unique methodology with practical execution to help organisations grow sustainably and deliver real value to the markets they serve. I look forward to working with the team and the Board to scale this impact.”
Under his leadership, Xponential is expected to sharpen its focus on disciplined execution and client-centric innovation, building on a proven track record of raising billions in capital, managing multi-billions in capital, managing multi-billion-rand revenues, and concluding landmark mergers and acquisitions – all within its inaugural year.
Executive chair, Lindile Xoko, welcomed this appointment: “I am delighted to announce Zuko as our Group CEO at Xponential. At the heart of our business model is growth and putting customers’ goals first. Zuko’s proven track record of scaling companies in the African market is exactly what we need for us and our customers. His ability to drive innovation, leverage localised market knowledge, and build deep client relationships will propel our clients and our business to new heights.
We look forward to an exciting Mdwaba’s leadership philosophy is deeply influence by his technical foundations – a bachelor’s degree in computer science and statistics – and augmented by continuous professional development, including executive programs through MIT, UCT Graduate School of Business, and Informa Telecoms and Tech Academy. Beyond the boardroom, he is a seasoned endurance athlete who draws on the discipline, resilience and mental fortitude of ultra-marathon running and mountaineering to inform his approach to leadership and mentorship.
Mdwaba’s appointment positions Xponential to capitalise on its strong foundation and ambitious growth trajectory, combining deep local insight with global leadership experience. As the company advances its vision to manage R20bn in revenue, deploy R15bn in capital, and launch 20 new companies over the next three years, Mdwaba’s leadership will be instrumental in translating strategy into sustained market-leading performance. This transition marks a pivotal chapter in Xponential’s evolution as a transformative force within the African and Middle Eastern growth landscape.