Khanyisile Kweyama to speak at Ifa Lethu/UK “Invest in SA” Gala

The Ifa Lethu/UK “Invest In South Africa” Gala Dinner will host some of the globe’s best known speakers who will share their visions for overseas investment in SA

khanyisile_kwenyama

The Ifa Lethu Foundation, in Partnership with Brand South Africa, Business Day and South African Airways is holding two VIP events in London on 4th September as part of its ‘20 Years of Democracy’ programme.

The Ifa Lethu/UK “Invest In South Africa” Gala Dinner will host some of the globe’s best known speakers who will share their visions for overseas investment in SA, including, Baroness Patricia Scotland – UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to South Africa, Sir Michael Bear – former Lord Mayor of London, and Ms. Khanyisile Kweyama Executive Director of Anglo American.

Khanyisile Kweyama is the first woman to hold the position of executive director at Anglo American in South Africa, and she is a member of the Anglo American group executive committee.

Born in 1964 to an activist family in Atteridgeville, near Pretoria, Kweyama was learning the ropes of diplomacy from an early age. After school, and a year at the University of Fort Hare, she went into political exile to the US. When she came back, she began working for the Consultative Business Movement, helping to build relationships between business leaders and politicians in South Africa pre-1994, when the National Party was talking to the ANC for the first time. “Facilitating and finding solutions has been part of my upbringing,” she smiles.

She holds a Postgraduate Diploma and a Masters Degree in Management from the Wits Business School, and also completed various executive development programmes with GIBS and other institutions.

Prior to her appointment as Executive Director at Anglo America, Khanyisile was executive head of human resources at Anglo American’s Platinum business where she was successful in building a cohesive management team, driving performance and improving relationships with unions. She has also been elected as the vice president of the South African Chamber of Mines.

Recently, she was honoured as one of the Most Influential Women in South Africa by CEO Communications, for her leading role in the Resources and Integration category. Khanyisile is also a trustee of the Sentebale Trust – founded by Prince Harry of the UK and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho which works with vulnerable children.

Guests include the most powerful investment sectors from the UK and South Africa.

The evening will end with a unique private performance from jazz legends Hugh Masekela (SA) and Larry Willis (USA).

“The funds raised from this event will enable us to continue with our work of youth development and poverty alleviation in the rural areas of South Africa, and to show British companies the investment opportunities that exist in South Africa. It also brings a unique opportunity to business leaders from both countries to network and interact in an innovative setting, unique to Ifa Lethu,” says Ramdhani.

In addition, a Business Round Table Breakfast is also being held on the morning of 4th September at Nomura Bank London. The theme for the Round Table is also “Invest in South Africa” and will be attended by 15 of the UK’s top investors as well as Ms. Khanyisile Kweyama of Anglo America, Dr Anna Mokgokong, Chair of Ifa Lethu Foundation and Chair of Community Investment Holdings (Pty) Ltd, and the South African High Commissioner, Mr. Obed Mlaba..

“Our vision for this Round Table is to explore and communicate the investment opportunities in South Africa with UK investors and to share their views and business arguments about South Africa as an investment destination,” says Ifa Lethu CEO Dr Narissa Ramdhani.

For the past nine years Ifa Lethu has been involved in the economic development of rural youth from the creative sectors,. The developmental work of the Foundation allows Ifa Lethu to position its mandate within global and national priorities such as Millennium Goals, and to the country’s National Development Plan as well as to the Green Economy.

Dr Anna Mokgokong says, “We are proud of our model which has assisted in our developing a global profile for our work in the area of creative entrepreneurship. Positioning our work under the banner of financial investment between South Africa and the United Kingdom is strategic in driving the need for accessing critical networks for businesses between our countries. It further demonstrates how the creative sector of South Africa may constitute an engine of economic growth for the country. Poverty alleviation of those disempowered over generations is no small task.”

Other Speakers

Sir Michael Bear

Over the last 36 years, Sir Michael has worked first in the international construction industry, including the US, Europe, China, the Far East, West Africa and South Africa and latterly for Balfour Beatty Property Ltd where from 1993 – 2012 he was Managing Director, working on their development and private finance initiative (PFI) and public-private partnerships (PPP) projects.

In the City of London he was responsible for bringing the regeneration at Spitalfields to a successful conclusion as Chief Executive of the Spitalfields Development Group. He was Regeneration Director for Hammerson plc between 2006 – 2012 and was Lord Mayor of the City of London 2010 – 2011 and is currently a Non-Executive Director of Arup. Sir Michael was a member of Lord Green’s Ministerial Strategic Advisory Group and works with UKTI as Chairman of Regeneration Investment Organisation, Co-Chair of the CEO Forum for UK/China Infrastructure and Chairman of the High Value Opportunities Supervisory Board.

Sir Michael is also Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Honorary Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers and a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

Baroness Patricia Scotland

Rt Hon. the Baroness Scotland of Asthal QC is a British barrister, and has served in many ministerial positions within the UK Government, most notably as the Attorney General for England and Wales and Advocate General for Northern Ireland. She became a (Labour) peer in 1997. She is currently the UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to South Africa.

In 1991 Patricia Scotland made legal history becoming the first black female QC (Queens Counsel) at the age of 35. She was made a bencher of the Middle Temple in 1997, becoming a judge in 1999, and raised to the Privy Council in 2001

Baroness Scotland has received numerous awards and commendations including an honorary degree from the University of Westminster for services to law, government, social justice and International affairs. Among her other accomplishments: Chair of HMG Caribbean Advisory Group; Dominican Representative of the Council of British Commonwealth Ex-Services League; Member of the Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship; Member of the BBC World Service Consultative Group Lifeline (Trinidad & Tobago); Honorary Fellow of Wolfson College, Cambridge, Member of The Millennium Commission; Patron of the Women and Children’s Welfare Fund. She has specialized in family and public law and has chaired and represented parties in a number of major inquiries relating to Child Abuse, Mental Health and Housing.

“We are delighted that our accomplished speakers will share their views and business arguments about South Africa as an investment destination,” says Ifa Lethu CEO Dr Narissa Ramdhani.

For more information please go to www.ifalethu.org.za