Inaugural Africa Rising Leadership Summit and Awards ignites movement for transformative leadership

CEO and founder Nomazibulo Tshanga welcomes delegates to the Africa Rising Leadership Summit and Awards, a premiere leadership gathering that took place in Johannesburg on 27 and 28 March.

The summit, hosted by MC Dr Nompumelelo Nkosi-Ntombela, was a melting pot of ideas, energy and collaboration with an outstanding lineup of speakers who captivated audiences with their insights on leadership and transformation. Esteemed business leaders such as Nonkululeko Gobodo, Dr Charles Cotter, Kutlwano Ngwarati, Max Moyo, Akhona Qenqge, and Gugu Mkhize inspired delegates with powerful keynotes emphasising the importance of innovation, adaptability and leadership in powering Africa’s future.

Keynote speaker Max Moyo delivers powerful keynote on leadership

Power FM host and financial journalist Gugulethu Mfuphi engages delegates

Across the two days, these influential voices set the stage for deep and meaningful discussions encouraging delegates to lead with purpose. Kicking off the summit, a series of dynamic panel discussions took centre stage addressing the critical topics shaping Africa’s growth trajectory. In conversations moderated by Africa Rising Leadership founder and CEO Nomazibulo Tshanga experts such as Dr Tshidi Gule, Dr Jerry Gule, Antoinette Roberts and Boniwe Dunster explored the importance of reskilling leaders in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. While conversations with Simo-Sihle Mvinjelwa, Palesa Moeketsane, Devandre Lawrence reinforced the power of transformative leadership. AI-driven leadership was another hot topic in a panel moderated by Onke Dumeko with Esther Munyi and Fikile Mdiniso urging leaders to balance technological advancements with ethical decision-making.

On the final day of the summit, Kaya FM’s Gugulethu Mfuphi engaged Belinda Knight, Themba Chakela, Nomvula Nxumalo, and Francois de Wet in robust discussions on The Future of Leadership in an AI Driven World. While Ipeleng Mkhari, Zizipho Nyanga and Lucky Litelu championed the important role of Entrepreneurship in the Digital and Innovation Era. The summit closed with an impactful discussion unpacking on how to drive transformation and leadership excellence in conversation with Sylvester Chauke, Zwelethu Bashman, and Batandwa Damoyi.

Business leaders honoured at Africa Rising Leadership Summit and Awards

“Our vision for the Africa Rising Summit and Awards is to make leadership more accessible and more impactful. Young professionals, emerging entrepreneurs and business executives often lack access to the right mentorship and the right platforms,” commented Nomazibulo Tshanga, founder and CEO of Africa Rising Leadership. “I am really encouraged by the great response to this inaugural event, the empowering messages shared by our speakers and the robust discussions we had with panellists. It was heart-heartwarming to honour remarkable leaders in business who are doing the work every day to empower Africa's future.”

The summit culminated in a spectacular awards hosted by our MC, Unathi Ncunyana, recognising the trailblazers shaping Africa’s future. The Africa Rising Leadership Awards 2025 honoured visionaries across various categories including:

Digital Entrepreneur of the Year

Mamela Luthuli (founder and CEO, TakeNote IT)
Zibusiso Mkhwanazi (executive chairman, Avatar and M & N)

Digital Transformation Leader of the Year

Lynette Magasa (CEO, Boniswa Group)

Emerging Women Leaders

Gugu Mkhize (CEO, INSETA)
Buhle Hanise (head of business restructuring service, BDO South Africa)

Top Entrepreneur of The Year

Thandeka Mngomezulu (founder and CEO, TotalServe)

Impactful Leader of The Year

Akhona Qengqe (CEO, KFC Africa)

Emerging Leader

Godiragetse Fareed Mogajane (CEO delivery, Ka Speed)

Impactful Woman Leader

Nomvula Nomie Nxumalo (executive head of people and transformation, MiWay)

Lifetime Achievement

Ipeleng Nonkululeko Mkhari

The Africa Rising Leadership Summit and Awards is just the beginning of a transformative journey cultivating a platform for a new wave of leaders to drive Africa forward. Follow our pages for more details on http://www.africarisingleadership.com/ and https://linktr.ee/africarisingleadership.