Richfield's Shireen Chengadu appointed Sabsa vice-chair

Shireen Chengadu, the group chief academic officer at Growth Ten

With a rich background in academia and leadership in business and entrepreneurial roles, Chengadu is a visionary academic and leader whose appointment will see her strengthen Sabsa's bonds with the business sector, government, and regulatory bodies. Chengadu's strategic acumen, unwavering dedication to inclusivity, and fervent passion for innovation and technology are poised to steer Sabsa towards its mission of providing accredited MBA programmes that align with the evolving needs of business schools, students, industry, and local and global relevance.

Business schools play a significant role in developing Africa's leaders, in business and society. No one could have been more uniquely positioned to play this role than Chengadu. Her extensive experience and unwavering commitment to education make her best suited to shape the future of business education in South Africa. With her visionary leadership, we are confident that Chengadu will further elevate the standards of business education in South Africa, empowering future leaders to drive positive change in both the corporate world and society at large.

Chengadu is a leading author and strategic thinker in leadership with specific focus on the constantly evolving nature of gender equality, women in leadership, diversity, inclusion and transformation in business and society. Her present interest is the disruptive intersection between tech and talent. Chengadu has a passion for women leadership and has conducted numerous workshops and customised programmes for female corporate leaders in South Africa and globally.

Chengadu’s passion has always been linked to purpose. Her rootedness and the belief in the power of quality and consistent educational provision to stamp our inequality and injustices, has spanned basic, higher education and business education and corporates. Through life changing opportunities and defining educational experiences (not just formal qualifications), appetite for risk, new and lifelong learning advocate, she has evolved into a sought-after strategist, keynote speaker, facilitator, advisor, mentor, and board member in a range of sectors.

Chengadu was nominated for Finweek’s 10 Women to Watch. Finweek August 2014; named as finalist for Top Businesswoman of the Year Award category at 11th Annual Standard Bank Top Women Awards in 2014.

Chengadu is the co-author/editor of Women Leadership in Emerging Markets book published in 2017.

Richfield extends heartfelt congratulations to Chengadu on this well-deserved appointment and offers its best wishes for her tenure. With her contribution, Sabsa is set to chart a path toward even greater excellence in business and management education, leaving an indelible mark on South Africa's educational landscape.