SPONSORED BY
EmpowaWomen Leadership Summit 2025
10th Annual Empowawomen Leadership Summit. The Command Centre of Power, Capital and Control
Join us. Let's build the next decade, together
THIS ISN’T A SUMMIT.
IT’S A POWER TAKEOVER.
POWERED BY TRUSTED BRANDS
THAT BACK HER RISE
Previous Speakers
Our Team
BUILT FOR IMPACT. DESIGNED FOR DISRUPTION.
Simphiwe Masiza
FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE PRODUCER – EmpowaWomen
Simphiwe Masiza is the visionary Founder and CEO of Empowaworx and The Speakers Firm — two powerhouse brands at the forefront of South Africa’s integrated marketing, reputation leadership, and impact ecosystem. As the architect of groundbreaking platforms like EmpowaYouth, EmpowaWomen, EmpowaEntrepreneurs, EmpowaHim, EmpowaMen, and EmpowaHer, he is redefining how nations mobilize people, capital, and ideas for lasting transformation.
A sought-after international keynote speaker, author, and trailblazing entrepreneur, Simphiwe is known for turning vision into velocity. His platforms are not just events — they are movements that fuel opportunity, unlock capital, and champion inclusive growth.Armed with academic excellence from WITS, GIBS, and other top institutions, his expertise spans strategic planning, executive leadership, governance, organisational development, and reputation architecture. Simphiwe Masiza doesn’t just build brands — he engineers impact.
Azande Ralephenya
Managing Executive: EmpowaWomen
Managing Executive: Special Projects | EmpowaWorx
Azande Ralephenya is a multi-award-winning strategic communications trailblazer with over 12 years of shaping narratives, influencing public perception, and positioning brands at the forefront of culture and commerce. A force in corporate, tech, and consumer communications, Azande has mastered the art of turning stories into strategy and strategy into measurable impact.
She is a trusted architect of influence, known for building agile PR teams, leading high-stakes campaigns, and engineering stakeholder trust at scale. Whether launching breakthrough brands or managing reputational pivots, Azande delivers results that shift markets and mindsets alike.
In her role as Managing Executive: Special Projects at EmpowaWorx, she leads the charge on two of Africa’s most powerful platforms EmpowaWomen and EmpowaYouth — driving national movements that centre women, youth, and transformation at every level. Bold, brilliant, and purpose-driven, Azande doesn’t just manage projects, she mobilises momentum.
Mbali Mavuso
LEAD EVENT MANAGER
Mbali Mavuso is a powerhouse Events Manager with over a decade of high-impact experience in events, activations, and brand experiences. From spearheading Eskom’s iconic 49M initiative to driving strategic executions for TOTAL South Africa’s CSI and Marketing portfolios, as well as activations for Tiger Brands and Distell, Mbali is known for delivering campaigns that don’t just land they resonate.
As the lead events strategist for EmpowaYouth, EmpowaWomen, and EmpowaEntrepreneurs, Mbali curates bold, purpose-led experiences that command attention and inspire action. Her work doesn’t just fill rooms, it fuels movements, unlocks sponsorship value, and shapes memorable engagements that align seamlessly with brand purpose and social impact imperatives.
Celebrated for her creative precision, operational excellence, and deep understanding of audience psychology, Mbali is the driving force behind experiences that shift perceptions, build legacy, and leave a lasting footprint. Simply put she turns visions into unforgettable realities.
Bonnie Maponya
Chief of Staff | Empowaworx
Bonnie Maponya is the powerhouse Chief of Staff at Empowaworx a premier high-impact development agency, where she drives executional excellence, operational alignment, and strategic delivery across the organization. With over seven years of experience in project management and executive administration, Bonnie is the strategic engine behind some of the company’s most transformative initiatives.
Her portfolio includes the successful delivery of high-stakes projects for global giants such as Nike, Cartier, and BMW testament to her precision, poise, and results-driven leadership. At Empowaworx, Bonnie plays a critical role in advancing executive priorities, leading multi-sector initiatives, optimizing internal systems, and elevating cross-functional collaboration.
A master at navigating complexity and mobilizing teams, she brings deep expertise in strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, budgeting, event execution, and executive support. Her ability to translate vision into actionable outcomes makes her a trusted partner to leadership and a catalyst for organizational excellence.
Known for her agility, unwavering professionalism, and solutions-oriented mindset, Bonnie continues to shape the pulse of Empowaworx’s operations ensuring every initiative not only lands but leads.
Sechaba Motsieloa
Managing Executive
Sechaba is a creative business strategist with 25+ years of experience in brand and impact management. He has held senior leadership roles at McDonald’s South Africa, Magna Carta, Lurco, The DaVinci Institute, the Marketing Association of South Africa, and KANSY Group. Known for his strategic insight and human-centered leadership, Sechaba leverages his expertise in strategic communications to advance organizational goals effectively.
Anita Tirkey
Speaker Manager
Anita Tirkey is the powerhouse behind the speaker experience at Empowaworx, a dynamic Speaker Manager and Cross-Functional Business Specialist who engineers the end-to-end speaker journey across the group’s flagship platforms: EmpowaWomen, EmpowaYouth, and EmpowaEntrepreneurs.
Armed with an MBA and a robust command of operations, stakeholder engagement, event execution, and supplier management, Anita doesn’t just coordinate she orchestrates. Every summit under her leadership is a masterclass in precision, impact, and strategic alignment.
Her unique ability to bridge internal teams with external thought leaders makes her an indispensable force in delivering world-class summits that shift thinking, inspire action, and drive transformation. With collaborative leadership, composure under pressure, and an unwavering commitment to excellence, Anita ensures that every voice on the Empowaworx stage is not just heard but felt.
At the heart of every transformative Empowaworx experience is Anita’s unseen genius shaping outcomes, elevating narratives, and engineering the conversations that move nations forward.
THIS ISN’T A SUMMIT.
IT’S A POWER TAKEOVER.
With 100+ powerhouse speakers
Across 10 sector-dominating Power Stages
20 high-intensity masterclasses
STRATEGIC NETWORKING &
DEAL-MAKING ZONES
WHERE POWER IS BROKERED, NOT JUST SHARED
EVENT OVERVIEW.
THIS ISN’T A GATHERING. IT’S A COMMAND CENTER FOR AFRICA’S MOST POWERFUL WOMEN.
Date: Saturday, 29 August 2026 | Venue: The Forum, The Campus Bryanston
Who’s in the Room:
CXO-Level Women, empire builders, dealmakers, capital allocators, and policy architects.
Global Experts, delivering game-changing insights across leadership, funding, innovation, and governance.
Sector Power Stages. From Green Economy to Tech, Retail to Media where industries are reimagined and redrawn.
Tactical Masterclasses. No fluff, no theory. Just raw strategy, execution power, and insider frameworks to scale, dominate, and disrupt.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
Bubbles & Nibbles
About the Evening
The Bubbles & Nibbles Soirée is the definitive gathering of influence, celebration, and shared purpose. As the closing crescendo of Women’s Month, this exclusive evening brings together 120 of South Africa’s most powerful women leaders—board chairs, CEOs, nation shapers, and industry architects—in the nation’s most influential room.
The soirée unfolds with a red-carpet welcome and commanding CXO dialogues that echo the voices of women who build, lead, and redefine the course of history. In this prestigious setting, we honour the icons who shift economies, rewrite corporate playbooks, and set new standards for generations to come.
This moment celebrates the legacy they are building and the futures they are shaping in the present. It is a powerful reminder that true leadership is not defined by titles, but by opportunities created, systems improved, and lives transformed.
Marked by meaningful exchanges, refined celebration, and forward-looking dialogue, the soirée welcomes leaders into a respected circle that continues to shape progress and redefine possibility. This recognition honours where they have been, validates who they are today, and affirms the enduring impact they are destined to leave.
EmpowaWomen Industry Stages:
Where Power Shifts and Futures Are Forged.
Choose Your Stage.
Shape Your Sector. Rewrite the Future.
This isn’t a summit, it’s a strategic takeover.
A continental power base where Africa’s future is not discussed, it’s designed by the women leading it.
At the EmpowaWomen Leadership Summit, Africa’s most powerful CXOs, founders, and disruptors don’t just show up they set the agenda.
Each woman curates her experience across bold, sector-specific Industry Stages aligned with her ambitions.
These aren’t panels they’re power platforms.
Deals are signed. Sectors are reshaped. The next decade is mapped out in real time.
From finance to energy, media to agriculture, this is where leadership is executed.
If you’re not in the room, you’re not in the rewrite.
Secure your seat. Choose your stage. The future doesn’t wait.
HOW WE CONNECT: THE 10 PILLARS OF AFRICA’S GROWTH
OUR FOCUS HAS BEEN SHARPENED TO TEN CRITICAL INDUSTRIES THAT REPRESENT THE CORE OF ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION, INNOVATION, AND WHERE WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP IS POISED TO CREATE SEISMIC SHIFTS. PARTNERING WITH US MEANS ALIGNING YOUR BRAND WITH THE FUTURE OF THESE SECTORS.
Entrepreneurship & Funding
The Entrepreneurship & Funding stage is a non-negotiable intervention for South Africa’s economic future. It directly tackles the most pernicious barrier to women’s economic empowerment.
By providing masterclasses in scaling and creating direct pathways to capital, we are doing more than just hosting talks; we are actively writing cheques and building the balance sheets of women-owned businesses.
The stage is a critical engine room for transforming women’s economic participation from subsistence to scale. Its existence is a direct, tactical response to the most significant barrier stifling the growth of women-led businesses in South Africa: the profound and persistent funding gap. This stage moves beyond inspiration to deliver tangible tools and connections, recognizing that an idea without capital is merely a thought, and a business without funding cannot grow.
Empowering a woman with funding does not just launch a single venture; it triggers a virtuous cycle of job creation, community development, and national economic growth. This stage is the critical link between the immense potential of women entrepreneurs and the tangible capital required to unleash it, ensuring that the future of South African business is not only profitable but also powerfully inclusive.
Property & Urban Development
Property & Urban Development is the foundational pillar for achieving intergenerational wealth, economic resilience, and transformative social influence for women in South Africa.
The stage’s existence is driven by a powerful, emerging trend: women are the fastest-growing demographic in property ownership. This stage is designed to harness this momentum, moving women from being passive participants in the property market to becoming strategic investors, developers, and shapers of the urban fabric.
The Property & Urban Development stage is about more than owning a house. It is about leveraging a tangible asset to build intangible power—financial security, community influence, and a lasting legacy.
By equipping women with the capital, knowledge, and networks to excel in this sector, we are not just responding to a trend; we are actively constructing a more equitable and humane urban future. Empowering a woman in property does more than build her personal wealth; it enables her to shape the very communities she lives in, creating spaces that are not only profitable but also sustainable, safe, and inclusive for all. This is the path from being a buyer in the market to becoming a shaper of the skyline.
Wholesale, Retail & Manufacturing
The Wholesale, Retail & Manufacturing stage is a direct investment in South Africa’s industrial sovereignty and economic resilience. By celebrating and strategically supporting women in these sectors, we are doing more than promoting individual businesses.
Its existence is a direct response to a critical paradox: while women are powerful consumers and dynamic informal traders, they remain significantly underrepresented in the ownership and leadership of the formal supply chains that feed the nation. This stage aims to move women from the periphery of the market to the commanding heights of production, distribution, and large-scale retail.
We are actively building a more inclusive, resilient, and self-sufficient economy. We are ensuring that the products on our shelves are increasingly made by our people, distributed by our enterprises, and inspired by our heritage. Empowering a woman in manufacturing doesn’t just create one job; it can create hundreds. Empowering a woman in wholesale transforms her from a participant in the supply chain to a commander of it, shaping what we buy, how we buy it, and whose prosperity is built in the process. This is the path to a product economy that is truly by us, for us, and led by the vision of our women.
Communications, Advertising, Marketing and Media
The Communications, Advertising, Marketing and Media stage is about orchestrating a fundamental power shift. It recognizes that in a knowledge and attention economy, influence is a primary form of capital.
(CAMM) is a critical intervention in the landscape of cultural and economic influence. Its existence is predicated on a fundamental market truth: while women control the vast majority of consumer spending and are the primary audience for most advertising, they remain drastically underrepresented in the boardrooms where brand narratives are created and in the ownership structures of the media channels that disseminate them. This stage is dedicated to closing this “influence gap,” ensuring women are not just the target of marketing, but the architects of it.
By equipping women to shape narratives, build iconic stories, and own media equity, we are ensuring they control the very lens through which society—and the market—views them. This transforms them from being the subject of the conversation to the host of it. Empowering a woman in this sector doesn’t just change an ad campaign; it changes culture. It ensures that the stories told about Africa, about women, and about progress are authentic, powerful, and ultimately, owned by those who know them best
Beauty, Fashion, Health & Wellness
The EmpowaWomen Annual Summit establishes the Beauty, Fashion, Health & Wellness (BFHW) stage as a dedicated platform for one of the most dynamic and female-driven economic sectors. Its existence is a strategic recognition of a simple truth: this industry is not frivolous; it is a powerhouse of cultural expression, economic activity, and personal empowerment.
This stage is designed to transform women’s innate participation as consumers and creators into strategic leadership and scalable, innovative enterprise, while championing holistic wellbeing as a non-negotiable component of sustained success.
The Beauty, Fashion, Health & Wellness stage looks, feels, and operates differently. It recognizes that the industries which most intimately touch women’s lives should be led by them.
By focusing on scalability, innovation, and holistic wellbeing, we are not just creating successful business owners; we are cultivating leaders who will build ethical, sustainable, and empowering enterprises. This stage ensures that the products we use, the clothes we wear, and the wellness practices we adopt are shaped by women who understand that true beauty and health are not just markets to be captured, but foundations for a powerful and purposeful life.
LEADERSHIP, GOVERNANCE & BOARDS
Globally, women occupy less than 25% of board seats and far fewer hold chairperson or CEO positions. On the African continent, representation on listed company boards across major stock exchanges remains disproportionately low, despite mounting pressure from investors, regulators, and ESG frameworks. Yet the data is undeniable: companies with women in executive leadership consistently outperform on profitability, innovation, and long-term value creation.
This stage exists to equip women with the tools to ascend to boardrooms and c-suites, shaping ethical corporate culture and driving strategic oversight for inclusive growth.
Digital Technology, AI & the Creative Economy
The Digital Technology, AI & the Creative Economy stage exists not as a trend, but as a critical, non-negotiable intervention for South Africa’s economic future. Its existence is a direct response to a pressing national challenge and a unique opportunity to harness the full potential of women as architects of the country’s digital destiny.
The statistic that only 23% of technology jobs in South Africa are held by women is more than just a number; it is a symptom of a systemic failure that, if left unaddressed, will lead to a future of deepened inequality and stunted economic growth. This stage is designed as a catalyst to dismantle these barriers and actively equip women to lead, not just participate;
What This Stage Aims to Equip Women With:
- Future-Proofed Skills
- An Entrepreneurial Mindset
- Leadership and Confidence
- Fire-side chats with leading South African women in tech and critical awareness of the tech landscape.
Agriculture and Food Security
The Agriculture and Food Security stage is a strategic investment in South Africa’s stability and prosperity. By empowering women—the primary caregivers and food providers—we are directly attacking hunger and poverty at its root. More than that, we are unlocking a massive engine of economic growth.
By deliberately positioning women at the forefront of the Just Energy Transition and the critical minerals value chain, we are not merely promoting equality. We are injecting the sectors with the innovation, resilience, and community-centric leadership required to succeed in the 21st century. This stage is about empowering women to become the engineers of a new energy system, the architects of sustainable mining, and the business leaders who will ensure South Africa’s natural wealth translates into shared and sustainable prosperity for all
Green Economy & Climate Innovation
The Green Economy & Climate Innovation stage exists as a critical response to the defining dual challenge of the 21st century: achieving economic prosperity while averting ecological collapse. Its existence is predicated on the undeniable truth that the transition to a sustainable, low-carbon future is the single greatest economic opportunity of our time, and that excluding women from leading this transition is not only unjust but also a recipe for ineffective and inequitable outcomes.
The data and policy landscape in South Africa create a non-negotiable case for a just transition, with women at its heart.
South Africa is ranked highly vulnerable to climate impacts, experiencing intensifying droughts (as witnessed in the Cape Town “Day Zero” crisis), devastating floods (like those in KwaZulu-Natal), and heatwaves. These events disproportionately affect women, who are often primary caregivers and responsible for water and food security at the household level, making them key agents in building community resilience.
By equipping women with the capital, skills, and networks to lead in this space, we are not merely including them in a trend. We are leveraging their unique perspectives to build more resilient communities, create sustainable jobs, and develop innovative solutions that address South Africa’s most pressing challenges. Empowering women in the green economy is the most direct route to achieving a future that is both prosperous and sustainable for all.
Mining & Energy
The Mining & Energy Stage is a strategic intervention at the very core of South Africa’s industrial and socio-economic future. Its existence is driven by the urgent need to ensure that the nation’s most critical, yet traditionally male-dominated and often exclusionary, sectors are reshaped by the inclusion and leadership of women. This stage is not about asking for a seat at the existing table; it is about building a new, more resilient, and equitable table altogether, in direct alignment with national imperatives.
With over $3 trillion in global infrastructure and mobility investments projected by 2030, Africa’s competitive edge lies not in catching up but in leading with intention, innovation, and inclusion. This stage is the engine room for women who are not just in the room they’re designing the blueprint.
From green logistics and AI-driven supply chains to next-gen transport corridors and gender-responsive cities, this is where Africa’s physical systems collide with fierce, female-led strategy. We’re not debating women’s place in infrastructure anymore. We’re fast-tracking their dominance across it. One corridor. One city. One economy at a time.
WHY IT MATTERS. THIS ISN’T JUST A SUMMIT.
IT’S A POWER SHIFT IN MOTION.
Step Into the Right Rooms
Join a powerhouse collective of industry leaders, policy shapers, capital allocators, and global influencers women who move markets and shift mindsets.
Accelerate Your Ascent
Access bold strategies from women who’ve built legacies, broken glass ceilings, and scaled beyond limits and who are lifting others as they lead.
Redesign the System
This is not just inspiration it’s infrastructure. Real conversations. Real solutions. Real disruption.
This is where outdated systems are challenged, new frameworks are built, and the next decade of African leadership is set in motion.
Honour Power in Action
Celebrate the women who are redefining institutions, rewriting economic history, and building futures that will outlast them.
Partner With Purpose
Form alliances that don’t just connect they convert.
Build with intention. Collaborate for impact. Deliver value that resonates across boardrooms, communities, and continents.
Because this isn’t a gathering. It’s a declaration that power belongs where vision lives.
PARTNERING WITH PURPOSE
THIS ISN’T SPONSORSHIP. IT’S STRATEGIC DOMINANCE.
Activate ESG, SED & ESD Capital with Precision
Channel your funds into high-impact ecosystems that deliver measurable ROI, auditable outcomes, and nation-building relevance.
Command Brand Equity at the Highest Level
Align your brand with policy architects, power brokers, and women shaping Africa’s economic future — where influence is currency.
Engineer the Future You Want to Lead
Be more than visible — be instrumental in building inclusive, future-proof industries across the continent’s most critical sectors.
We don’t host events. We engineer ecosystems. We shift culture. We deliver impact.
NEXT STEPS. THE FUTURE DOESN’T WAIT.
Partner. Sponsor. Exhibit. Register.
Don’t just watch the shift, lead it. This is where purpose meets power, and brands become movements.
For high-impact sponsorships and partnership engagements, contact:
Azande Ralephenya
Partnership & Sponsorship Lead | Exhibition Packages & Strategic Brand Alliances
info@empowawomen.co.za
011 482 7256/7257
364 Pine Avenue, Ferndale, Randburg, 2196
ABOUT EMPOWAWORX.
WE DON’T CREATE EVENTS. WE ENGINEER POWER ECOSYSTEMS.
We don’t convene for applause. We mobilise capital. Scale innovation. Institutionalise transformation.
From grassroots movements to executive boardrooms, we bridge the gap between policy and profit, talent and traction, vision and velocity.
We don’t chase change we build the infrastructure for it.
Because power isn’t given. It’s designed, deployed, and scaled. And that’s exactly what we do.
LET’S SHIFT POWER. LET’S SCALE IMPACT.
LET’S MAKE HERSTORY.
TICKETING & ACCESS
SECURE YOUR SEAT IN THE ROOM WHERE HERSTORY IS WRITTEN.
Early Bird Rate: R950 (Valid until 1 February 2026)
Standard Rate: R1,500 (From 2 February 2026)
Secure your seat via Quicket or connect with EmpowaWorx directly to unlock your place in the room where power is redefined.
info@empowawomen.co.za
011 482 7256/7257
364 Pine Avenue, Ferndale, Randburg, 2196
This isn’t a cost. It’s an investment in access, alliances, and ascendancy.
Because you don’t just witness HERSTORY.
You write it.
MEDIA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE :
EMPOWAWOMEN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT 2026
Saturday, 29 August 2026 | The Forum, The Campus Bryanston
Secure Your Seat at Africa’s Premier Women’s Leadership Summit
Ticket Pricing
- Early Bird Rate: R950 (Valid until 1 February 2026)
- Standard Rate: R1,500 (From 2 February 2026)
This is your all-access pass to connect with 2,000 of the continent’s most powerful women and shape the future of business and leadership.
General Delegate
Who Qualifies:
This ticket is for the architects of Africa’s economy. Join a curated assembly of:
- CEOs, C-Suite Executives, and Board Directors from South Africa’s most dominant industries
- Founders of high-growth ventures and established entrepreneurs
- Key Decision-Makers, Funders, and influential Thought Leaders
- Senior Managers and rising stars on the fast-track to executive leadership
What’s Included in Your R950 Early Bird Ticket?
Your passport to power, strategy, and unparalleled connection includes:
- Unrivalled Content Access: Curated entry to 10 dedicated industry stages featuring Leadership, Governance & Boards; Entrepreneurship & Funding; Green Economy; Digital Tech & AI; and more.
- Learn from the Best: Gain insights from 120+ of Africa’s most influential speakers, thought leaders, and industry pioneers.
- Skill Up for Success: Participate in world-class masterclasses and deep-dive workshops designed to provide actionable strategies.
- Connect with Opportunity: Explore an exhibition arena with 30+ exhibitors spanning funding institutions, corporate partners, entrepreneurial support, and beauty & wellness brands.
- Power Your Network: Join 2,000 powerhouse women. Use our exclusive event app to connect and schedule 1-on-1 meetings with funders, CEOs, and visionary entrepreneurs.
- Exclusive Networking Events: Access to the official summit welcome reception and daily networking sessions to build meaningful relationships in a powerful, curated environment.
- Fuel Your Day: Enjoy daily complimentary coffee, light refreshments, and a gourmet lunch to keep you energised throughout the summit.
- Digital Goodie Bag: Receive post-event access to selected speaker presentations, exclusive reports, and key takeaways.
This is more than a summit—it’s the boardroom for Africa’s next decade. Invest in your legacy and secure your Early Bird ticket today before prices increase.
For media accreditation, contact media@empowawomen.co.za or call 011 482 7256/7. Visit www.empowawomen.co.za to learn more.
#EmpowaWomen2025 | #HerStoryInTheMaking | #PowerRedefined
Because if you’re not in the room, you’re not in the rewrite.
Broadcast Media
Feature Articles
info@empowawomen.co.za
011 482 7256/7257
364 Pine Avenue, Ferndale, Randburg, 2196
This isn’t a cost. It’s an investment in access, alliances, and ascendancy.
CONTACT US
Azande Ralephenya:
Partnership & Sponsorship Lead | Exhibition Packages & Strategic Brand Alliances
E-mail: azande@empowaworx.co.za |
Tel: 011 482 7256/7257 |
Cell: 073 818 6910
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