Honourable Lebogang Maile is a Member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature and currently serves as MEC for Education and Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation. He has served in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature since 2009 and in the Gauteng Executive Council since 2010, holding several portfolios including Economic Development, Human Settlements, Infrastructure Development, and Finance and Economic Development. His leadership journey began in student and youth structures, including serving as President of the Congress of South African Students and Chair of the ANC Youth League in Gauteng. Maile holds qualifications in public relations, intergovernmental relations, leadership and governance, and earned his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of South Africa in 2023.

Dr. Marko Saravanja is the founder and chairperson of Regenesys Education, whose journey from monk and development worker to successful entrepreneur, philanthropist, and author exemplifies a life dedicated to overcoming limitations and transforming lives. With a passion for education as a catalyst for societal change, Dr. Saravanja established Regenesys Education, which emphasizes the holistic development of intellectual, emotional, physical, and spiritual intelligence. His digital initiative, Education for All (EdForAll), aims to make high-quality higher education accessible worldwide. Through ventures like Regenesys Investment Fund, Dananda Talent, Healthi, and RegCafé, he has expanded Regenesys across Africa and into Europe. A Croatian native and a fearless adventurer, Dr. Saravanja has climbed Kilimanjaro, skydived, and explored over 90 countries. He is also a finalist for the 2009 Ernst & Young World Entrepreneurship Awards and holds a Ph.D. in Performance Management, dedicating his life to helping others unlock their potential and achieve self-actualisation.

Indherani Reddy is the Head of Regenesys Group for Africa, where she plays a key role in driving strategic growth and operational excellence across the institution. With extensive experience in operations, ICT, SAP services, and hospitality, she has held senior leadership roles including Operations Director at Kelly Group, a JSE-listed company, and executive positions at Sun International and Southern Sun, overseeing functions such as finance, IT, HR, and sales and marketing. Beyond her corporate achievements, Indherani is passionate about empowering women and supporting youth development, actively mentoring future leaders and advocating for opportunities that enable women and young people to realise their full potential. She is also a motivational speaker who champions conscious leadership, resilience, and purpose-driven success.

Confidence Dikgole is a highly accomplished South African educationalist who serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Independent Examinations Board (IEB). With decades of dedicated service in the education sector, her professional trajectory includes impactful roles at the Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa (ISASA), the Umalusi Quality Council, and Boston City Campus & Business College. Her academic foundation is deeply rooted in assessment and curriculum development, holding a Master of Education (MEd) in Curriculum and Instruction from Concordia University-Portland, alongside a BEd Honours and an Advanced Certificate in Assessment and Quality Assurance from the University of Pretoria. At the helm of the IEB, Dikgole has been instrumental in navigating the board through modern educational shifts—such as the integration of Generative AI and student well-being initiatives—while consistently maintaining the exceptionally high academic standards and global credibility of South Africa’s independent assessment systems

Amy Newsome is an international education and business development professional with more than 13 years of experience across higher education, teacher development, corporate training, and school partnerships. As School Territory Manager for Southern Africa at Cambridge International Education, she works with schools and education associations across 13 countries to strengthen relationships, support the delivery of the Cambridge pathway, and identify opportunities for sustainable growth. Her career has included leadership and relationship management roles with the British Council, Wits Language School, and the University of Auckland, giving her extensive experience in academic leadership, curriculum development, teacher training, and partner engagement. Amy holds a BA in Linguistics and English Literature from Rhodes University and a CELTA from the University of Cambridge, and has a particular interest in safeguarding and creating supportive environments in which young people can learn and thrive.

Seago Maapola is an Educational Psychologist, Head of Student Wellbeing and private practice owner with a strong focus on the mental health, learning and holistic development of young people. She holds a Master’s degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Pretoria and is an alumna of Wits Business School. Her work spans psychology, education, wellbeing and school placement, with a particular emphasis on helping children feel understood, supported and able to thrive. Alongside her work in an independent school, she conducts psychological and psychoeducational assessments, provides therapeutic support, works closely with parents and educators, and serves on the Executive Committee of the Educational Psychology Association of South Africa (EPASSA).

Sipho Mtombeni is a seasoned government affairs, public policy, and competition law professional with extensive experience at the intersection of business, government, regulation, and technology. As Government Affairs and Public Policy Manager at Google, he works on matters relating to public policy, technology, digital transformation, and the evolving regulatory landscape, with a particular interest in fostering constructive public-private partnerships and enabling inclusive economic development. Prior to joining Google, Sipho spent more than 14 years at the Competition Commission of South Africa, where he held progressively senior roles spanning legal analysis, competition investigations, policy and stakeholder relations, and leadership of the Health Market Inquiry. His work has covered critical sectors including ICT and digital markets, financial services, healthcare, energy, transport, agriculture, and other strategic areas of the economy. A strong advocate for competition, economic efficiency, employment creation, and inclusive growth, Sipho has led and contributed to numerous workshops, seminars, and policy dialogues involving government, business, labour, and other stakeholders. He is also a thought leader who has published extensively on competition policy and its implications for South Africa’s economic development. Sipho holds an MBA from GIBS Business School, along with qualifications in policy development and management and public policy analysis, and is passionate about leveraging sound policy, innovation, and collaboration to help address South Africa’s social and economic challenges.

Farouk Khan is a respected South African football development pioneer and the director of Stars of Africa Football Academy, a role he has held since 2003. Renowned for identifying and nurturing young talent, he has played a significant role in developing players who have gone on to succeed both locally and internationally. With decades of coaching experience, Khan has achieved notable success, including winning the BP Top Eight Cup, the PSL Championship, the Mandela Cup, two Coca-Cola Cups, two ABSA Cups, and eleven Youth Cup titles. He has also mentored aspiring coaches, contributed as a football analyst and media commentator, and remains committed to community development through football. His dedication to nurturing future generations of players has established him as a respected mentor, leader, and influential figure in South African football.

Agnat Max Makgoale is an experienced technology and business leader with more than two decades of experience across the ICT, cloud computing, enterprise technology, and digital transformation sectors. As Senior Account Manager for the Education Sector at Amazon Web Services (AWS), he focuses on helping educational and research institutions leverage cloud technologies to accelerate innovation, improve operational efficiency, and transform the student and research experience. A pioneer in the Internet of Things (IoT) space, Agnat brings extensive expertise in 4IR technologies, solution development, enterprise architecture, business development, and strategic sales. Prior to joining AWS, he held senior leadership and entrepreneurial roles, including CEO of Telsaf Data, Chief of Vula Telematix, Founder and Director of Vula Green Energy, and Executive Director of UMT South Africa. He holds a Management Development Programme qualification from The University of Manchester and a National Higher Diploma in Electrical Engineering from Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Passionate about technology that creates meaningful impact, Agnat is committed to using innovation and cloud computing to simplify lives, advance education and research, and drive transformative outcomes across Africa.

Mr. Tshepo Masigo is a seasoned business development executive with more than 30 years of international experience driving growth in cloud computing, digital transformation and strategic business development. Currently serving as a Senior Executive in Cloud, Digital Transformation and Strategic Business Development at Telkom Foundation, he has held senior leadership positions at leading organisations including Vodacom Business, IBM, Oracle, LTIMindtree, SUSE Software Solutions and BCX. His expertise spans cloud computing, data centres, cyber security, IT infrastructure and digital transformation. Mr. Masigo holds an MBA from GIBS, a BSc in Information Systems and a Leadership Development Programme certificate from Harvard Business School and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Business Management at Regenesys Business School, researching the impact of cloud computing and offshoring on South Africa’s ICT industry.

A seasoned entertainment professional with more than 20 years of experience in television and radio, he is best known as the host of South African Idols and a co-executive producer. A BBA graduate and MBA candidate, he combines academic achievement with extensive industry expertise. He is also an accomplished musician with a decade-long music career, multiple albums, and numerous collaborations, as well as a successful entrepreneur, corporate speaker, influencer, philanthropist, author of *The Book of ProVerb*, and sought-after event host and MC. His experience extends to board leadership and property investment portfolio management. Over the years, he has received several prestigious awards, including the You Spectacular Award for Favourite TV Presenter, the PRISM Gold Presidential Award for Media Personality of the Year, and the Hope Givers Foundation Legend Award.

Chipo Chibaya is an experienced education-sector professional and assessment strategist with expertise in examination management, quality assurance, certification, policy development and stakeholder engagement. She currently serves as Head: Liaison, Resulting and Certification at SACAI, where she oversees learner registration, resulting, certification, standardisation, internal quality assurance and engagement with Umalusi and other key stakeholders. With experience across assessment bodies and training institutions, she has held leadership roles in ABET, NSC, quality assurance, accreditation and education project management, and is passionate about strengthening education systems and supporting lifelong learning.

Rebekka Liebenberg is a homeschooling mother, parent advocate and active voice in South Africa’s home-education community. Her work is grounded in the everyday realities families face when they choose a pathway outside conventional schooling: finding credible options, protecting learner wellbeing, understanding their legal responsibilities, and making informed decisions for their children. She has participated in advocacy, public-comment and consultation processes concerning homeschooling, education choice and the developing legislative framework for alternative education in South Africa. Rebekka is particularly interested in ensuring that families receive clear, accurate information as online, distance and alternative education expand – including clarity about quality assurance, assessment, learner protection and the distinctions between different types of education provider. She brings an independent parent and homeschooling perspective, with a focus on the practical questions families need answered as they navigate an increasingly complex education landscape.