‘Women Leading Change’ Events set to embolden South African Leaders

Prominent South African and international business leaders convene in Johannesburg for two seminal events hosted by Duke Corporate Education (Duke CE)

JOHANNESBURG, GAUTENG, SOUTH AFRICA, August 14, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- "Women Leading Change" Events set to embolden South African Leaders
Johannesburg, South Africa:

This Women’s Month will see prominent South African and international business leaders convene in Johannesburg for two seminal events hosted by Duke Corporate Education (Duke CE).

Amid global conflict and turmoil, and during a month acknowledging women’s contributions to freedom and equality, Duke CE will host its “Women Leading Change” series this August. Reinforcing Duke CE’s commitment to fostering inclusive, courageous and human-centered leadership, these two important conversations are set to take place in Johannesburg in August 2025.

In partnership with the International Women’s Forum South Africa (IWFSA) and Africa Women Chartered Accountants (AWCA), the dialogues aim to drive actionable strategies for gender-inclusive, future-fit leadership and sustainable progress.

At the first event on the 18th of August, in partnership with MTN, Duke CE will host an exclusive Human Capital Roundtable, themed "Leading Beyond the Algorithm." This intimate gathering convenes senior leaders, HR professionals, and innovators to explore how leaders can bridge the gap between human and machine intelligence to drive innovation, productivity and ethical decisions. The roundtable builds on the idea that in a world where algorithms predominate, human values will determine the future that is created.

The following day, 19th of August, sees Duke CE’s 8th annual flagship Women’s Month South Africa event, “Women Leading Change 2025,” taking place in Bryanston. With a theme of "Reimagining Our World with Courage," and a stellar line-up of speakers, the summit is set to take Johannesburg by storm. With a wider audience of senior leaders across sectors, this high-powered event brings together visionary leaders and innovators, to catalyse and inspire bold dialogue that carries a definitive call to action. Among other things, the event positions women and inclusive leadership at the forefront of fostering innovation and progress, through community-inspired action.

The events are spearheaded by Duke CE CEO, Dr. Sharmla Chetty. Having founded Duke CE’s South Africa office in 2007, Dr. Chetty’s deep commitment to social justice is reflected in her relentless pursuit of inclusive and transformative leadership. Appointed as Duke CE’s global CEO in 2021, Chetty’s leadership philosophy, rooted in resilience and empathy, continues to inspire leaders worldwide to create sustainable, equitable futures.

Dr. Chetty heads an impressive array of over 70 international and local speakers at the two forums, including Nolitha Fakude, President of IWFSA, the South African arm of the International Women’s Forum and Chair of the Anglo American Management Board, Dr Aaron “Ronnie” Chatterji, Chief Economist at Open AI and Duke University Professor, Tsakani Maluleke, Auditor General of South Africa, Fran Katsoudas, Executive Vice President and Chief People and Policy Officer at Cisco, Lucrecia Borgonovo, Chief Talent and Organizational Effectiveness Officer for Mastercard, Michael Fraccaro, Mastercard Fellow, and Diane Ty, Managing Director of the Milken Institute of Aging, among others.

Given South Africa’s much-anticipated hosting of the G20 in November this year, interest is likely to run high as South Africa’s “B20 Sherpa”, Cas Coovadia, updates delegates at the Bryanston event about South Africa’s response to B20 priorities ahead of the G20. A talk entitled “Champions Beyond the Game,” featuring Springbok legend Bryan Habana is also likely to attract interest, given the Springboks’ August playing schedule.

“As these two discussions and others demonstrate, Duke CE’s ‘Women Leading Change’ series is about more than dialogue—it’s about action,” says Chetty. “We are bringing together leaders who are ready to shape a future defined by courage, clarity, and purpose. Together, we can reimagine our world and drive lasting impact.”

The events have been made possible through partnership with IWFSA, African Women Chartered Accountants (AWCA), as well as B20, alongside significant sponsorships from Mastercard and Cisco (Platinum), MTN, ABSA Group and the FirstRand Foundation (Gold).

ENDS

For more information on the "Women Leading Change" series please visit https://info.dukece.com/women-leading-change-event.

About Duke Corporate Education
Duke Corporate Education, the custom executive education arm of Duke University, is a global leader in custom leadership development, consistently ranked among the top providers by the Financial Times. With offices in Durham, Washington, D.C., London, Johannesburg and Singapore, Duke CE delivers transformative programs in over 85 countries, empowering organizations and their leaders to navigate complexity and drive positive change.

Warwick Bloom
WB Communications
+27 82 496 4376
warwickbloom@outlook.com
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