Ben Magara, Zimbabwean Chief
Executive Officer and Director of Lonmin
He is a graduate Mining
Engineer from the University of Zimbabwe and has attended various management
programmes including the Accelerated Development Programme at the London
Business School, UK and the AMP at GIBS, SA. Ben has extensive mining
experience in both underground and surface mining as well as soft and hard rock
mining. He also has experience in the energy and logistics industries.
Ben
was the Chief Executive Officer of Anglo Coal South Africa and the Executive
Head responsible for Engineering and Capital Projects at Anglo Platinum. Ben
was previously a director of Anglo American South Africa (2006-2013), was
Chairman of Richards Bay Coal Terminal and the Eskom 2008 Coal Working Group.
He is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees at St Peters Prep School
Foundation.
Tanzanian Maria Sarungi Tsehai... Yes, she's not one easy to
define or characterize. By profession, she is a communication expert however in
reality, Ms Sarungi- Tsehai is known for a wide varied action-packed career.
She is director and owner of Compass Communications, that she founded with her
husband David Tsehai, but she is also director/producer of award winning films
and documentaries. She is also presenter and producer of many well-known and
highly viewed shows in Tanzania since 2000. Aside from the independent
production, Maria is also a communication consultant, having provided
communication advice, PR management and training to various organizations
including UN agencies, civil society organizations and individuals. Her
detailed CV lists some of these organizations including World Lung Foundation
and Foundation for Civil Society But there is more to Maria Sarungi-Tsehai than
this
Maria Sarungi Tsehai has 10 years’ experience
in national and international pageantry as event manager and pageant expert. Ms
Sarungi-Tsehai is also the personal manager and mentors to all the winners and
titleholders of Miss Universe Tanzania and since 2014 Miss Universe Kenya
pageants. She works with a team of experts in various fields including
designers, psychologist, beauty experts, boutiques, choreographers, stage
designers etc As franchise license owner of Miss Universe in Tanzania since
2007, the Miss Universe brand has become synonymous with quality and prestige.
Her mentees include Flaviana Matata, Miriam Odemba, Nelly Kamwelu and other
beauty queens. The recent re-launch of Miss Universe Kenya has put this East
African country back into the limelight with Gaylyne Ayugi’s stellar
performance at the Miss Universe finals in Miami.
However as event manager, Maria SarungiTsehai
has also excelled and managed with her company many other events, including
annual awards, brand and company launches and conferences. Her clientele is as
diverse as in any other sector. Maria’s name recognition however extends beyond
the TV screen onto the new media namely social media as she is the founder of
the citizens’ social media movement called Change Tanzania. Through her
activism, her hashtag #ChangeTanzania has now over 50,000 members and followers
on Facebook and Twitter. It was through Change Tanzania, that Maria was also
appointed by the President of the United Republic of Tanzania to be a member of
the Constituent Assembly in 2014.
Maria SarungiTsehai is also Chair of the
board of AkibaUhaki Foundation based in Nairobi, Kenya, member of the Technical
Advisory Committee of REPOA, chair of Tanzania Independent Producers’ Association,
Regional Secretary of Eastern Africa in the Pan African Federation of
Filmmakers (FEPACI), founder of Roots and Shoots – Jane Goodall Institute. She
also remains available for advice and mentoring for various other organizations
and a well-known moderator and public speaker at different events.
Simdul Shagaya, Nigerian – Tech Entrepreneur and Founder of
Konga.com and DealDey.com
Shagaya
is the founder and CEO of Konga.com, Nigeria’s largest online
shopping portal and DealDey spinoff
site. Konga.com, Africa’s answer to Amazon.com, is an e-commerce platform that sells goods and
services directly to consumers. Shagaya is also the founder & Executive
Chairman of DealDey Limited, which offers services and products at discounted
prices. In 2013 Shagaya won the All Africa Business
Leaders Awards’ Entrepreneur of the Year
award. HumanIPO selected Konga.com as one of the African technology startups of
2013. Shagaya is a graduate of George Washington University, Dartmouth College
and holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
From Jozi, Tebogo Ditshego. He's a former
freelance journalist writing for Avusa Media publications such as the Business
Day, Sowetan and Sunday Times and he holds Honors in Communications and Media
Studies from the University of Johannesburg and a certificate in Business and
Entrepreneurship from the University of Wisconsin in the US.
He grew up in Kagiso, which is
in the West Rand of Johannesburg and started his first company Ditshego Media
in 2011. In 2015, Tebogo was listed as one of Fast Company Magazine’s top 100 most
creative South Africans in business. Later that year, the Sowetan featured him
as one of South Africa’s top 100 young bosses. In 2014, he was also named one
of the top 200 Young South Africans by the Mail and Guardian.
Tebogo Ditshego was nominated
for the University of Johannesburg’s Alumni Digitas Award in 2015, which honors
graduates who achieve a dynamic legacy of accomplishment. In 2006 and 2007 he
was elected twice consecutively to serve in the University of Johannesburg’s
Student Representative Council. He also represented the University of
Johannesburg twice consecutively at the annual Southern African Communications
Conference for his honours research essays.
Tebogo
Ditshego is the chief executive officer (CEO) of South
African public relations agency Ditshego Media. Forbes Magazine included
him in their list of the top 30 African entrepreneurs under 30 in 2014. In 2012
he founded an on-line book club called ReadaBookSA, which has grown to become
the biggest on-line book club in Africa.
In
2016, Tebogo Ditshego published his first African fiction book "Kasi
Nerd" which went on to be a bestseller. In June, 2014 Tebogo Ditshego
participated in the Mandela Fellowship for Young African leaders in the US, a
programme launched by US President Barack Obama. The Mail &
Guardian newspaper listed Tebogo Ditshego as one of the top 200 youth in
South Africa for the work he has done in spreading a culture of reading books.
He
worked on the communications campaign for the "Mandela" banknotes for
the South African Reserve Bank. In 2006 and 2007 he was selected twice
consecutively to serve in the Student Representative Council at the University
of Johannesburg. Tebogo Ditshego represented the University of Johannesburg
twice consecutively to present his research papers at the Southern African
Association of Communications Conference.
Mohammed Dewji, Tanzanian Group Chief Executive Officer of
Mohammed Enterprises Tanzania Limited
Dewji
is the Group Chief Executive Officer of Mohammed Enterprises Tanzania Limited (MeTL) and at 39 is the youngest
member of the Forbes’ Africa’s 50 richest list
with an estimated net worth of USD $500 million. The MeTL Group began as a
family business, a small trading company which Mohammed transformed into one of
the largest industrial conglomerates in East Africa, with interests ranging
from real estate, agriculture, finance, distribution and manufacturing. The
company employs more than 24,000 people across Tanzania and according to
Dewji, generates annual revenues of USD$1.3 billion. Dewji has been a Member of
Parliament in the National Assembly of Tanzania since 2005. Dewji graduated
from Georgetown University with a degree in International Business and Finance
with a minor in Theology.
Ameyaw Debrah, is a Ghanaian celebrity blogger, freelance journalist, and reporter. He
founded AmeyawDebrah.com, an entertainment website and blog that primarily
publishes news about Ghanaian celebrities. He graduated from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science
and Technology with a bachelor's degree in Publishing.
While at KNUST, he won the Best Publishing Student award in 2005. He has made
significant contributions to several Pan
African websites, including Jamati.com, Orijin-ent.com, and ModernGhana.com.
In 2008, he joined GhanaWeb.com as the entertainment
editor, and launched his own website in 2008. Through his work, Debrah has had
the opportunity of interviewing numerous personalities, including Kofi Annan, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Lloyd, John Legend, Damon Dash, Ade Bantu, Trey Songz, Amber Rose, Ludacris, Coptic, Wyclef Jean, Mario, Eve, Sean
Paul, Jimmy Jean-Louis, David Clowney, Santonio Holmes, Majid Michel, Nadia Buari and John
Dumelo.
Debrah attended Adisadel College in the Cape
Coast, and became an editor for the school's
magazine in 1999. After completing his studies at KNUST, Debrah
completed his National
Service Secretariat program at Ovation International Magazine in Accra. While at Ovation, Debrah primarily wrote about the
Ghanaian Entertainment Industry. His writings were published for the
publication's international audience. After completing his service with NSS, he
became a columnist for Star
newspaper. In 2007, he devoted his time to the aforementioned Pan African
websites. Nearing the end of 2007, he joined Voices
of Africa, a media project based in the Netherlands. During his time with Voices
of Africa, he submitted videos, photos and news from Ghana
for Africanews.com. In 2008, he became the entertainment editor for
GhanaWeb.com. Later that year, he fully launched his blog AmeyawDebrah.com. He
left Ghana web in 2012 to pursue his blog full-time. He contributes to Star
Gist (an entertainment segment on Africa Magic) as a Skype correspondent. He also contributes to content on Ebony
Life TV and Glitz
Africa Magazine. He
is an ambassador for Malta
Guinness' Africa Rising Campaign
Mamadou Toure, Cameroon, Founder and Chairman
of Africa 2.0
Toure
is the founder and Chairman of Africa 2.0, an
initiative-driven advocacy group that brings together emerging leaders
representing African countries and the diaspora, who share a common vision of
the continent’s future. In 3 years of existence Africa 2.0 has
already grown into an organization with a global footprint in 26 countries
and rallied some of the most influential continental and
global leaders. As the Managing Director with General Electric (GE) Africa, Toure currently leads
a regional Investments and Project Finance team supporting all GE
businesses (power, water, mining, oil & gas, transportation, healthcare,
aviation) with financing solutions across sub-Saharan Africa. Toure received
a distinction as “New Leader for Tomorrow” by the Crans
Montana Forum in 2011. He was selected in 2012 as of one of
the 100 Most Influential Africans by the New African Magazine. In 2013, Toure was ranked among the “25
Faces of the new Africa” by BRICS Business Magazine
A
born entertainer, South African Sizwe Dhlomo is well known for his work on TV
and radio. Sizwe
has become a well-known face on the South African music and entertainment scene
from presenting the MTV base World Chart Express & MTV Fanta World Chart,
and co-anchored pro-social programme MTV base Uncensored. He was also a digital
host for the 16th Annual South African Music Awards (SAMAs) and later graced
the TV screens once again as he joined SABC1's LIVE, as the show's signature
co-host alongside Bonang Matheba. Sizwe left the show in late 2011.
Originally from Durban,
Sizwe gave up a career as a computer programmer when he won MTV Base’s talent
contest and became the first MTV Base VJ in 2005, during the music channels
debut season of its World Chart Express.
His charm and insight into youth culture have seen his
star rise rapidly and he has already interviewed massive names in pop culture
including Akon, John Legend, Sean Paul, Brickz and 2-Face.
In 2010 he was a Digital Host for the 16th Annual South
African Music Awards (SAMAs) at Sun City and continues to be a sought after MC
and presenter.
Sizwe appeared on SABC1’s LIVE,
alongside Bonang Matheba until 2011, and followed this TV success with a
transition to radio. He started his radio career on YFM and in 2013 he joined
947.
He continues to feature on TV and in 2014 Sizwe was part
of an MTV contingency from across the globe that travelled to the VMAs in
Scotland.
Vanessa Mdee also referred to as Vee
Money, is a Tanzanian recording artist and youth
activist. Mdee is popularly known for being the first ever Tanzanian MTV VJ.
She later rose to prominence as a radio and TV host, hosting Epic Bongo Star Search and Dume CHallenge for ITV Tanzania before signing to
B'Hits Music Group in late 2012. After joining B'Hits Music Group, Mdee
collaborated with Tanzanian rapper A.Y. on a record '’Money'’ and Ommy Dimpoz, a Bongo Flava artist on a record Me
and You that was later voted Song of the Year
during the 2013 Kilimanjaro Music Awards. She received an even bigger
buzz with the release of her first solo single "Closer", which in its
first week was downloaded over 30,000 times, a feat achieved by no other
Tanzanian artist. "Closer" remained on the charts for over 13 weeks.
Vanessa has had the chance to interview many artists, such as K'Naan, Kelly
Rowland, French Montana, Trey Songs, Mac Miller, Rick Ross, Ludacris, Miguel, Donald, Nazizi, Xtatic, Stella Mwangi, Camp
Mulla, Tay Grin, Teargas, Dr. Sid and many more
African and international acts. In 2015 and 2016 she released three singles
Nobody But Me, Never Ever and Niroge which were also received well.
In early 2007, Mdee got the chance to audition for The MTV VJ
Search in Dar es Salaam. Afterwards, she joined Carol and Kule to host the Coca Cola Chart Express. By 2008, Mdee had established herself in
Tanzania and around the continent, hosting shows in Nigeria, South Africa,
Kenya, Mozambique, Angola, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. She
also became known in the United States and Brazil.
In 2008, Mdee worked with the Staying Alive Foundation on a
project close to her heart. She got to visit the Uwanja wa Fisi with
then-Staying Alive Foundation Special Ambassador Kelly Rowland. Mdee also joined Malaria No More in their Zinduka Campaign, a campaign aimed at the
eradication of malaria.
In early 2009 Mdee hosted Senses,
Sounds and Wisdom with Zantel during the annual Sauti
Za Busara International Music Festival, showcasing the ever-growing Swahili
culture. Mdee's fashion sense has made her the go-to girl at every MTV Africa Music Awards. She hosted the red carpet event for three years in a
row.
In 2011, Mdee's became the host of 102.5 Choice FM's The Hitlist. As host, Mdee
played R&B, Hip-Hop, and Pop. She also interviewed many artists, such as
K'Naan, Kelly Rowland, Mac Miller, Rick Ross, Ludacris, Miguel, Donald,
Naazizi, Xtatic, Stella Mwangi, Camp Mulla, Tay Grin, Teargas, Dr. Sid and many
more African and international acts.
Along with her pan-African weekly TV show, MTV's Base Select 10 and daily radio gig, Mdee blogged as a
roving reporter on behalf of MTV
Staying Alive and UNAIDS on her Dynamites Mission website. She
was MTV's voice at the 2011 UNAIDS Mali Youth Summit in Bamako and the
subsequent High Level meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, She participated in
the International Conference on HIV and STI's in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and
cofounded (along with M. K.
Asante) STANDWIDTH, under the UNAIDS umbrella.
In 2012 Mdee hosted MTV
Base Meets, a show geared towards empowering young Africans from around the
world by giving them the rare opportunity to sit down with an influential
leader. MTV Base Meets brought her in the company of Russell
Simmons, Alek Wek, former President of Nigeria Hon. Olusegun Obasanjo, football
star Emmanuel Adebayor and Akon. Mdee also hosted the Kili Music Awards
(Tanzania's music awards) as well as Tanzania's nationwide talent search Epiq Bongo Star Search (EBSS). Mdee is currently working on
her new web series Vee World
Wide, about her travels and encounters with various celebrities from around
the world. People who have appeared on Vee
World Wide include Keke
Palmer, Carol Rodrigues, Da Internz, Keyshia Knight Pulliam, Letoya Luckett,
DWoods, GOOD Music's D'Banj and many more. Mdee was asked to audition for BET's 106 & Park, although she
did not get the gig.
Also in 2012, Mdee was awarded at a gala in New York City
by the UNA-YP (United Nations Association of Young Professionals) for being an
African change maker. In the same month she was awarded by the GAVI
Alliance for her support in the initiation of free vaccinations for Tanzanian
children. In May 2013, Mdee was invited to speak at the World Economic Forum
for Africa in Cape Town, South Africa on behalf of the GAVI Alliance on the
announcement of the new record low price for the Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
vaccines. Later that same month, Mdee again spoke on cervical cancer at the
Global Forum for Cervical Cancer Prevention in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on behalf
of Global Health Strategies. Mdee officially became a GAVI Ambassador and an
active voice against cervical cancer.
Mdee launched her music career in 2012, working on the
single "Me and You" by Ommy Dimpoz. A month later 13 January 2013 –
she released her first single "Closer". These scored her four
nominations at Tanzania's Music Awards (Kilimanjaro Tanzania Music Awards),
including "Bongo Pop Song of the year", which she won. She also won Collaboration of the Year
In, 2013 Mdee got added to the Dar es Salaam hub of the
World Economic Forum as a Global Shaper. In October 2013 Mdee joined the GAVI
Alliance again at the UN General Assembly where she spoke on a panel with
Yoweri Museveni, President of Uganda. This trip ended with Mdee closing the
NASDAQ by ringing the ceremonial closing bell, along with UNAIDS Executive
Director Michel Sidibe and Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, President of Mali. Mdee was
in turn awarded by the Global Health and Diplomacy for her work in advocacy.
Mdee hosted MTV Base's Hunters Oasis; a music festival
around Africa with appearances from some of the African continents hottest
artists and DJs. She also hosted Tanzania's Epiq
Bongo Star Search Season 7and Dume
Challenge, seasons 1 and 2. Mdee also released her second single "Come
Over" in November, 2013 which has been on charts in Tanzania, Nigeria,
Uganda, and Kenya
In 2014, Mdee was nominated for 3 Kilimanjaro Tanzania
Music Awards for Female Artist of the Year, R&B Song of the Year and Female
Performer of the Year. On 3 May 2014, she won for R&B Song of the Year for
Closer. Mdee released her third single Hawajui on 13 June.
‘Switch On’ Airtel Campaign; Vanessa Mdee is involved in
the ‘Switch On’ campaign by Airtel that is about connecting users to the
internet and charged according to the kind of device in use.
MTV Africa Music Awards; Vanessa Mdee alongside Nomuzi
Mabena presented the Best Collaboration Award and Best Francophone Award.
During the trip to Durban, South Africa she as an MTV VJ had an opportunity to
sit down and interview Trey Songz, Miguel and French Montana all artists from
the U.S.
Coke Studio Africa; Vanessa Mdee features in season II of Coke Studio Africa where she collaborates and performs
with Nigeria's Burna Boy.
Kili Music Tour; Vanessa Mdee was among the artists that
graced the Kili Music Tour 2014 stage in Mwanza and the finale in Dar es
Salaam. Serengeti Fiesta Music Tour 2014 – Sambaza Upendo (Swahili for 'Spread
Love'); Vanessa Mdee was on Tanzania's biggest nationwide music tour, covering
various regions. The tour final took place on Saturday, 18 October 2014 in Dar
es Salaam where American rapper T.I graced the stage; other acts included
Diamond, Davido, Waje, Victoria Kimani, Patoranking to name a few.
Vanessa Mdee received an endorsement deal from Crown
Paints, to be its brand ambassador in Tanzania. Crown Paints is a number one
paint manufacturing company in Eastern Africa.
AFRIMA Awards; Vanessa Mdee nominated for two categories: Best Female Artiste in Eastern
Africa and Best African RNB & Soul in the All Africa Music Awards. On 27
December, Vanessa Mdee won Best Female Artiste in Eastern Africa award in
Lagos, Nigeria.
On 8 November, Vanessa Mdee joined forces with another
Tanzanian songbird Barnaba Elias to release their latest up tempo Afro Pop duet Siri. It tells the tale of a
cunning young man who tries to convince a young bride to embark on a love
affair with him, with promises of plenty material things. Despite her
upbringing the story ends at a crossroads, leaving the listener wondering. Siri is already rising fast on the Tanzania
radio charts plus East African charts. Later on 8 December, the much
anticipated video for Hawajui was premiered on MTV Base and has gone on to capture the
attention of the African continent and beyond.
2015 Essence a
popular US magazine – hadn't shot a cover in Africa since 1978. They decided it
was time. They travelled to East Africa and photographed Erykah Badu in Zanzibar, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya for the
August issue. Vanessa Mdee features in this Essence issue where she opens up
about Tanzania, her music, inspiration and many more
