WiSA announces powerful executive speaker line-up

At its core, WiSA is dedicated to the progressive and exponential advancement of the African agenda, driving the continent toward sustained prosperity and positioning women as the primary architects of modern sustainable development. Moving well beyond passive discourse and conventional "talking shops," WiSA anchors corporate strategy to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), championing socio-economic transformation, environmental stewardship, and inclusive economic growth.

WiSA’s mission aligns with the International Women’s Day 2027 theme, ‘progress parity’, which is about “...advancing gender equality through collective action, shared knowledge and opportunity.” (IWD’s website)

WiSA’s mission and pillars

To shift women from the periphery of sustainability and ESG discourse and place them at the absolute centre of leadership. WiSA’s pillars define the outcomes required to move women from visibility into authority: impact, influence, leadership, pushing boundaries, visibility, and systemic and structural change:

• Impact: Centres women in the decisions, mandates, and outcomes that define measurable sustainability progress.
  
• Influence: Builds the authority, voice, and access needed for women leaders to shape boardroom, policy, and market agendas.
  
• Leadership: Positions women as the executives, directors, and agenda-setters leading sustainable corporate transformation.
  
• Pushing boundaries: Challenges inherited limits and opens space for progressive ideas, new models, and decisive leadership.
  
• Inclusion and visibility: Ensures women leaders are seen, heard, cited, and represented where sustainability priorities are defined. At the heart is Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI).
  
• Systemic and structural change: Targets long-term change in the systems, institutions, and infrastructures that determine who gets to lead.

WiSA recognises that women in sustainability are already trailblazers; our role is therefore to accelerate the shift from the "margins" of leadership to its absolute "front and centre". The pillars are not just strategic levers to guide the WiSA mission—they also represent the immense operational power commanded by women, using them to navigate complex corporate systems.

The architects of corporate impact and sustainable development

The assembly brings together corporate executives, sustainability strategists, grassroots champions, and emerging trailblazers driving measurable change across Africa's economic landscape:

• Ronell Govender — Global sustainability business partner, Naspers-Prosus
  
• Nthabiseng Chapeshamano — Senior reputation and corporate affairs manager, Discovery Limited
  
• Andra Nel — People, culture and purpose director, KFC Africa
  
• Masibonge Mkhize — Corporate affairs and communications (SA & SADC), Reckitt
  
• Monalisa Zwambila — Founder, Femio Where Women Count
  
• Leanne Kiezer — Head of public affairs and nutrition, Danone Southern Africa
  
• Loshni Naidoo — Chief sustainability officer, Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE)
  
• Esha Mansingh — Head: corporate affairs and sustainability (Africa), DP World
  
• Mpho Lethoko-McNamee — Group chief of corporate affairs, Telkom Group
  
• Sne Ndlela — Group head: sustainability and transformation, Aspen Pharma
  
• Marina Madale — Executive: sustainability and shared value, MTN
  
• Conny Sethaelo — Director: corporate communications and public affairs, Nestlé
  
• Zipporah Maubane — Head of communications and advocacy, AUDA-NEPAD
  
• Prof. Tebogo Mashifana — School of engineering and built environment, Unisa
  
• Thuledu Ntshingila — Climate and nature finance portfolio management specialist, DBSA
  
• Saphira Ebrahim Patel — ESG and climate specialist, founder of SSP Resilience
  
• Khethiwe Nkuna — Social impact, digital inclusion and inclusive leadership strategist | Author | Board Director
  
• Vusi Vokwana — Founding director, Kasi Catalyst
  
• Aluta Nomzamo Kutsu — Corporate social investment coordinator, Mukuru (WiSA Young Executive Leader)
  
• Tando Dubeni — Digital skills programme manager, Naspers Limited (WiSA Young Executive Leader)

Prior to the main event on International Women’s Day, executive speakers, partners and relevant stakeholders will hold a private dinner on Sunday evening, 7 March 2027 to connect, network, and announce critical milestones.

A new centre of gravity:

The Executive Sustainability Assembly is the display of Impact, Influence and Leadership towards Africa’s sustainable prosperity

From keynote dialogues in the Executive Engine to live intelligence forged inside the Executive Foundry, WiSA is engineered for systemic, boundary-pushing impact. Built on an uncompromising commitment to Transformation, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (TDE&I), spotlighting young executive talent, championing leaders with disabilities, and actively engaging executive allies. The assembly provides the definitive platform for those steering the continent’s sustainable future.

Seats are limited for this transformative gathering. Learn more, view speakers, and secure your place at wisa.africa. Or direct to the ticketing link.