Madelein Mkunu is a Pan-African leadership, business development and investment professional and the Founder and CEO of Leading Women of Africa (LWA) Group, a Pan-African institution advancing women's leadership, entrepreneurship, investment and economic participation across Africa.

With extensive experience spanning leadership development, international business, market access, strategic partnerships and economic empowerment, she works at the intersection of business, capital and opportunity, connecting African enterprises and leaders with markets, investors, financial partners and strategic opportunities.

Through the LWA ecosystem, she leads initiatives focused on investment readiness, capital mobilisation, trade and investment facilitation, market entry and women's participation in investment, including Africa Capital Compass (ACC) and the African Women Investment Fund Initiative (AWIFI).

Madelein holds an MBA and Master's in Management from IEDC Bled, Slovenia, as well as a postgraduate qualification from the University of the Western Cape, South Africa. She is also an international women's development practitioner and educational consultant, with a strong commitment to building practical platforms that connect African businesses, capital, markets and strategic partnerships.

Dr Jordan Kondi Kondi is a business strategist and Human Capital & Organisational Development specialist with extensive experience in organisational capability, skills development, business transformation and workplace learning. He holds a Doctor of Technology degree in Human Resources from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and has held senior roles spanning academia, manufacturing, finance, information technology and management consulting.

At AETI, Dr Kondi brings a strategic perspective on how organisations can build the leadership, skills and institutional capabilities required to translate investment, technology and business opportunities into sustainable growth, a perspective aligned with the Forum's focus on collaboration, investment opportunities, strategic partnerships and real business deals across Africa.

He is passionate about building organisations and people that are strategy-ready, growth-oriented and capable of competing in an increasingly knowledge-driven and technology-enabled African economy.

Ganief Bardien serves as the IDC's Regional Manager for the Western Cape. In addition to his regional office responsibilities, he is responsible for implementing the IDC's Small Business Finance and Regions SBU regional SME strategy, with a focus on deal origination and structuring to support SME development, employment creation, regional catalytic projects and stakeholder engagement.

He brings prior experience across the metals fabrication, machinery and equipment, mining and chemicals sectors, having worked on several strategic projects in power generation, petrochemicals, renewable energy and nuclear-related industries.

Dr Sara Andreotti is a marine biologist and extraordinary lecturer at Stellenbosch University, specialised in global shark management and conservation. Her pioneering research, including genetic analysis and population assessments, led to the first national evaluation of the South African white shark population.

As a supervisor, Sara fosters academic growth, overseeing multiple postgraduate projects at Stellenbosch University. In 2022 she co-founded the SharkWise Project Marine Internship programme, to provide the needed platform and logistics to marine biology students. She is a Trustee on the Shark Conservation and Research Trust, established to support the preservation of South African sharks.

She also co-founded SharkSafe Barriers (Pty) Ltd. The company's flagship product, the SharkSafe Barrier™, employs eco-friendly technology mimicking kelp forests to deter large predatory sharks. Sara, one of the co-inventors, envisions the barrier promoting peaceful coexistence between humans and sharks, revitalising coastal ecology and tourism. She currently serves as Chief Operating Officer and a Founding Director, driving the company's mission forward.

Kebonemorena Nthite is a senior project, programme and portfolio management professional and the founder of KN Consulting. With more than 20 years of experience across ICT, banking, insurance, healthcare, government, logistics and transport, she has led complex projects, programmes and portfolios involving multiple stakeholders, governance structures and competing priorities.

Her expertise lies in bringing structure to complexity and translating strategic objectives into coordinated execution. Through KN Consulting, she supports organisations, project owners and investors with project execution, operational structure, event project management and investment and development initiatives.

Robyn Border is the Enterprise Skills Development Facilitator at the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry and its youngest full-time staff member. Passionate about entrepreneurship and its potential to positively impact communities, Robyn started her first formal company, Report Buddy, at 17.

In her role at the Chamber, she focuses on facilitating learning and development to enable businesses to grow faster, create jobs and increase their impact.

Described on occasion as indefatigable, Robyn's enthusiasm and drive are contagious. As part of the next generation of business leaders, she brings a fresh perspective and a strong belief in the potential of business to drive meaningful change.