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Invited Speakers
Opening Speaker
Meet our Opening Plenary Speaker
One of South Africa’s most respected business leaders and social entrepreneurs, Dr Nxasana has built an extraordinary career spanning corporate leadership, entrepreneurship, education innovation and social impact.
Dr Sizwe Nxasana
Dr Sizwe Errol Nxasana is a renowned South African business leader and social entrepreneur with a distinguished career spanning corporate leadership, education innovation and social impact. In May 2025, he earned a PhD in Education from the UNESCO PBL Centre at Aalborg University in Denmark. He began his professional journey at Unilever, before founding Sizwe & Co in 1989 – the first blackowned audit practice in KwaZulu-Natal.
In 1996, he became the founding partner of Nkonki Sizwe Ntsaluba, now SizweNtsalubaGobodo (SNG Grant Thornton), which has grown to become the fifth-largest audit firm in South Africa. In 1998, he was appointed CEO of Telkom SA and led the company’s dual listing on the Johannesburg and New York Stock Exchanges. He later served as CEO of the FirstRand Banking Group from 2005 until his retirement from corporate life in September 2015.
Following his executive career, Dr Nxasana channelled his focus into transforming education in South Africa. He is the founder of Sifiso Learning Group – a holistic education ecosystem that includes Future Nation Schools, Nation NXT College (the Group’s teacher training unit, formerly Future Nation College), iKamva Preschool (formerly Future Nation Schools Preschool) and Sifiso EdTech. Together, these entities are committed to reimagining African education through accessible, technologyenabled and Afrocentric learning, with project-based learning (PBL) at its core to foster critical thinking, collaboration and real-world problem-solving.
Dr Nxasana currently chairs several influential foundations and trusts. He is the Co-founder and Chairperson of the National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT) and the Founder and Chairperson of the Ikusasa Student Financial Aid Programme (ISFAP), which supports financially disadvantaged and “missing middle” students.
His contributions have been recognised with honorary doctorates from the University of Fort Hare, Durban University of Technology, the University of Johannesburg, Walter Sisulu University, and UNISA.
Dr Sizwe Errol Nxasana Qualifications: BCom, BCompt (Hons), CA(SA), PhD Education (Aalborg University, Denmark)
Closing Speaker
Closing Convention on Day 1
Drawing on experience from the boardroom to the Springboks, Dr Steve Harris explores how mental toughness enables people to push beyond perceived limits, thrive under pressure and achieve extraordinary results
Dr Steve Harris
Dr. Steve Harris, is the CEO of eta University College and a respected leader in business, performance psychology, and human potential. With a career spanning executive leadership, elite sport, entrepreneurship, and academia, he brings a unique perspective on building resilient individuals and high-performing organisations.
He previously served as a General Manager for a leading international FMCG organisation and was the mental performance coach to the Springbok rugby team, helping develop the psychological resilience required for success at the highest level of sport.
An accomplished entrepreneur, Dr. Harris was the winner of Anglo American’s prestigious Build a Business competition and is also a former World Champion in Surf Lifesaving.
He is the author of the e-book Mental Toughness as a Force Multiplier: From Surviving to Thriving and the novel Rainbow Road. He is also an acclaimed playwright, with his production Borderline performed at the National Arts Festival before touring South Africa.
Holding both a PhD and an MBA, Dr. Harris is a sought-after speaker and thought leader on leadership, mental toughness, resilience, and peak performance.