Kriya Gangiah is undoubtedly one of South Africa’s most diverse media personalities. Blessed with a healthy dose of the so-called X-factor, leading lady good looks, and a work ethic like no other, Kriya is fas becoming a force to be reckoned with.

The vivacious presenter, actress, MC and businesswoman has come a long way since presenting Craz-E on eTV in 2009. Currently a presenter for Mela on SABC 3 and Super Sport, it is easy to see why Kriya is both loved and respected in the industry.

To add to an already impressive resume, Kriya is also a Digital Brand Specialist, proving she is more than just a pretty face. Her extensive experience in both the corporate space and the entertainment industry has earned her the title of Infotainment Specialist.

Even with more than enough reason to boast, it is remarkable how humble and grateful Kriya is. Her enthusiasm and gratitude about her career are infectious, as she remains grateful to get paid to talk.

Ben is the Co-Founder and CEO of Generation.e which is a unique and impactful business which blends audiences and experiences to inspire transformation to smarter mobility for the creation of better connected and sustainable societies. This is achieved through epic adventures, thought leader summits and experiential public awareness campaigns. Before the world of electric vehicles and smarter mobility, Ben contributed to the fast growing solar industry during the birth of DEWA’s Shams Dubai Program.

He engaged in wider clean technology and climate change issues, quickly learning the key to engaging people was to excite them! Ben set up the first ever commercial electric vehicle road trip in Dubai in 2017. This quickly expanded across the Middle East and Europe, and by the end of 2019 the event was launched in South Africa. In 2020 Ben and the Generation.e team are taking things to the next level and will launch EVRT Dubai 2020 which is positioned as the World’s Greatest Electric Vehicle Road Trip.

In addition to the road trips, Ben has set up a B2B summit called ‘Smarter Mobility’. Smarter Mobility Africa was launched in South Africa in 2019 and in March 2020 Smarter Mobility World will be launched in Dubai. To date: 7 electric vehicle road trips complete, 8 mobility conferences and summits, 45+ charging points installed, 1000+ electric vehicle test drive experiences and event attendance from senior level government, business, industry leaders, influencers, and the general public. The initiative is making huge impressions.

An episode focusing on Ben’s work and the Emirates EVRT was broadcast on the highly renowned show, Robert Llewellyn’s Fully Charged Show and other exposure across mainstream media includes The Economist, Sky News Arabia, CNBC, CNBC Africa, Dubai Eye, Gulf News, Forbes, Emirates 24/7 and The National. Ben has an instinct for seeking opportunity, taking action and being at the forefront of this rapidly growing industry. His determination has led to commendable growth and positive impact through his business in its four years of operations: Over 85 partners secured, over 10,000 followers and 60+ million impressions generated through social media.

Current Position

Jacob Mamabolo, 50, was appointed on 29 May 2019 as the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Public Transport and Road Infrastructure.

Key Responsibilities

As MEC for Public Transport and Road Infrastructure, Mamabolo is tasked with improving mobility and accessibility, develop (freight & public) transport, and socio-economic infrastructure that assists residents to participate meaningfully in the economic and social activities. Its vision is to develop an integrated, sustainable transport infrastructure that promotes the accessible, safe, and affordable movement of people, goods, and services.

Biography

Jacob Mamabolo was born on 10 March 1969. He has a passion for education and knowledge. His qualifications include a Senior Diploma in Teaching, a degree in law (B. Proc), and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration. He is also a registered Ph.D., Public Administration student with the University of South Africa.

Previous positions

Before his current appointment, Mamabolo was the MEC for Infrastructure Development. In 2014 he was appointed as MEC for Human Settlement and COGTA, a position he held until 2016.

Mamabolo has worked as a civil servant for over 10 years, starting as an Office Manager for the former Deputy Minister of the Department of Correctional Services. He also worked for the Department of Home Affairs as a Parliamentary Liaison Officer and rose through the ranks to become the Chief of Staff.

Mamabolo was also appointed Project Manager of the Home Affairs Turn-Around Strategy which is recognised as one of the best practice models in the public sector.

He was also head of the Home Affairs 2010 Soccer World Cup Project. Following his success in the World Cup, he was then appointed Chief Director responsible for Ports of Entry. He later joined the Department Public Works as head of Change Management, supporting the Turn-Around Strategy in the National Department of Public Works.

Political participation

Mamabolo’s political consciousness emerged at an early age informed by the harsh political and economic circumstances of the time. Restless and decisive, he took a decision to become a student activist and served as President of the South African Student Congress (SASCO). He also served as National Co-ordinator of the Young Communist League Steering Committee which later gave birth to the Young Communist League in 2003.

After completing high school Mamabolo enrolled and studied teaching. His leadership and activism could not go unnoticed. He was elected as the President of the Student Representative Council (SRC) while studying at Mokopane Teachers College. This paved the way for him to take up leadership roles within the teachers’ union – South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu).

He is also the Provincial Secretary of the South African Communist Party (SACP), and a Provincial Executive Committee member of the African National Congress. Mamabolo has extensive public service and leadership experience accumulated over many years both in senior management positions and political activism.

Simisola Elegba is a Transportation Engineer with nearly 10 concurrent years’ work experience. She works as a Bus Systems Engineer at the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) contributing towards the success of strategic transportation goals, objectives and plans via the implementation of various transport interventions in Lagos State.

Simisola specialises in Transport Systems deployment – Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and has been instrumental in the optimization of the first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in sub-Saharan Africa as well as in the implementation of the first, integrated Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) and Centralized Electronic Payment Collection System for Public Transportation in Lagos, Nigeria.

She is a Registered Engineer in Nigeria (COREN) and is a member of the American Society of Engineers (ASCE), Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE).

Simisola believes transportation plays a key role in re-vitalizing the economy of any nation thereby resulting in increased prosperity and better livelihood for the citizens and she has the personal objective of improving the lives of Nigerians through optimized technology-driven transportation

Chris joined the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy as a full-time staff member in 2008 after being involved as a consultant since 2004, focusing on transport projects in Africa and India. In Cape Town, Accra, and Johannesburg, he assessed the impacts of proposed BRT systems on greenhouse gas emissions. More recently, Chris has been involved in projects in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Jharkhand, covering areas such as bus rapid transit, street design, parking management, and transit-oriented development. Chris has been involved in a number of TOD projects, including the Local Area Plan for Ahmedabad’s Central Business District, an updated TOD policy for BRT corridors in Pimpri Chinchwad, TOD planning efforts for Chennai’s metro and suburban rail networks, and TOD elements in Nashik’s new Development Plan. Chris now leads ITDP’s initiatives in Kenya, Uganda, and other African countries.

Before joining ITDP, Chris worked for the Transportation and Land Use Coalition (now Transform) in Oakland; the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, also in Oakland; the City of Berkeley’s Planning Department; Meyer, Mohadddes Associates, Los Angeles; and Delin Consult in Accra. Chris received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in environmental policy from the Earth Systems Program at Stanford University.

Jean-François BLANC is Solution Director for Light Rail Integrated Systems within the Turnkey Platform team. He joined ALSTOM in 1989 and from that he held various positions in commissioning & warranty; business development, marketing and strategy of the services group; Concession and Integrated systems tenders & development. Major projects he was involved in are Taipei Automatic Metro; Caracas, Buenos Aires, Santiago or Budapest metros; Dublin or Sydney Tramway.

Kefilwe MOTHUPI is the Business Development Director for Alstom Southern Africa. She joined Alstom in 2019 and has been in the rail industry for almost 20 years.  She currently leads initiatives aimed at introducing Alstom’s mobility solutions to customers and growing Alstom’s presence in Southern Africa.

Ben is the Co-Founder and CEO of Generation.e which is a unique and impactful business which blends audiences and experiences to inspire transformation to smarter mobility for the creation of better connected and sustainable societies. This is achieved through epic adventures, thought leader summits and experiential public awareness campaigns. Before the world of electric vehicles and smarter mobility, Ben contributed to the fast growing solar industry during the birth of DEWA’s Shams Dubai Program.

He engaged in wider clean technology and climate change issues, quickly learning the key to engaging people was to excite them! Ben set up the first ever commercial electric vehicle road trip in Dubai in 2017. This quickly expanded across the Middle East and Europe, and by the end of 2019 the event was launched in South Africa. In 2020 Ben and the Generation.e team are taking things to the next level and will launch EVRT Dubai 2020 which is positioned as the World’s Greatest Electric Vehicle Road Trip.

In addition to the road trips, Ben has set up a B2B summit called ‘Smarter Mobility’. Smarter Mobility Africa was launched in South Africa in 2019 and in March 2020 Smarter Mobility World will be launched in Dubai. To date: 7 electric vehicle road trips complete, 8 mobility conferences and summits, 45+ charging points installed, 1000+ electric vehicle test drive experiences and event attendance from senior level government, business, industry leaders, influencers, and the general public. The initiative is making huge impressions.

An episode focusing on Ben’s work and the Emirates EVRT was broadcast on the highly renowned show, Robert Llewellyn’s Fully Charged Show and other exposure across mainstream media includes The Economist, Sky News Arabia, CNBC, CNBC Africa, Dubai Eye, Gulf News, Forbes, Emirates 24/7 and The National. Ben has an instinct for seeking opportunity, taking action and being at the forefront of this rapidly growing industry. His determination has led to commendable growth and positive impact through his business in its four years of operations: Over 85 partners secured, over 10,000 followers and 60+ million impressions generated through social media.

Tshepo Kgobe is Seasoned Senior Executive who is also a Certified Project Management Professional and Multidisciplinary Engineer with more than 21 years of extensive experience in managing complex projects and operations with diverse technical requirements in Infrastructure, Energy and Mining. Tshepo has also held diverse positions that are not related to engineering including BBBEE, Transformation and Corporate Social Investment.

Tshepo is currently the Chief Operating Officer of the Gautrain Management Agency (GMA), responsible for the everyday running of the agency. In this role, Tshepo is responsible for Technical Services, ICT and Knowledge Management, Marketing and Communication, Risk Management, Legal and Compliance Services, Corporate Services, including Human Capital and Facilities. In this role Tshepo is responsible for the implementation of the strategy of the GMA. Tshepo previously held the role of Senior Executive responsible for all Technical and Project services in GMA. GMA is the Agency that manages the Concession Agreement for the operation of the Gautrain on behalf of the Gauteng Provincial Government and is also responsible for the expansions and the extensions of the system.

Tshepo has diverse experience earlier in his career before joining the GMA. He was an Executive Director on the board of a large international consulting company and currently uses that experience on the board of two companies that are dedicated to supplier and enterprise development. Tshepo brings a wealth of experience in Program and Project Management, as he has been in the Rail and Mega Project space for over 21 years. Tshepo as a young man in 2005, was one of the first few engineers to join the Gautrain at its infancy stage, to see the design of the system until Financial Close and the signing of the Concession Agreement.

Tshepo is a seasoned visionary Senior Executive with a strong history of driving business expansion through projects; managing and sustaining client relationships, and efficiently managing cross-functional business operations.

Bernard PEILLE is the Managing Director of Alstom Southern Africa. Bernard joined Alstom in 1989. Bernard has led and managed several Alstom sites in different countries focusing on design, industrial site development, management of rolling stock, service and project management for high speed, regional and urban trains.

Jean-François BLANC is Solution Director for Light Rail Integrated Systems within the Turnkey Platform team. He joined ALSTOM in 1989 and from that he held various positions in commissioning & warranty; business development, marketing and strategy of the services group; Concession and Integrated systems tenders & development. Major projects he was involved in are Taipei Automatic Metro; Caracas, Buenos Aires, Santiago or Budapest metros; Dublin or Sydney Tramway.

Having started her career at the PIC, in 2005, Nangamso Maponya is an Investment Banking and Project Finance Professional at the DBSA, responsible for infrastructure projects within the Transport, Logistics and Water sectors. She has also participated in project financing and monitoring of projects in Broadband, Oil & Gas, Student accommodation, Maritime infrastructure as well through Fund of Funds and Private Equity investments. 

A Unisa BCom (Hons) – Financial Management graduate, she now holds a master’s degree in Finance and Investments with London School of Business and Finance, an MSc – Finance with Geneva Business School and a Chartered Banker MBA, with the Bangor University, in Wales. She is also a Harvard Business School (Executive Education) graduate, having completed a General Management Programme in 2019. 

In 2011, she participated in a South Africa – France government exchange programme involving South African young professionals across different sectors. 

As part of her master’s degree, Nangamso completed a primary research on BRT Efficiencies, using Johannesburg’s Rea Vaya BRT as an area of study, the results of which contribute to her work and sector strategic direction at the DBSA. 

In 2016, Ms Maponya represented DBSA in the Women in Transport Awards, in which the organisation won the Best Performing Organisation in Transport, mainly for the deals she had originated and executed; the banks contribution in the transport sector; and the involvement/ development of women professionals in executing its mandate. 

She was then invited to a panel of judges for this Annual National Women in Transport Awards and to the Advisory Board of Annual Africa Transport Evolution Conference, as well as the Africa Rail Conference. 

Nangamso is currently serving as an independent Chairperson of Sizwe Medical Fund Investment Committee and an Advisory member of the Tiger Brands ESD Fund Investment Committee.  She is also a member of the Board and Audit & Risk Committee of Piotrans (Pty) Ltd, a Phase 1A Bus Operating Company of Rea Vaya BRT in Johannesburg. 

She previously served on the Board of Trustees of the Gauteng Partnership Fund (GPF), was a member of their Fund-Raising Committee and a chairperson of the Audit and Risk Committee; as well as on the Board of Tafari Capital.

Mr. Uthman Obafemi Shitta-Bey is an articulate and resourceful transport economist professional working for the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) as the Deputy Director – Corporate & Investment Planning, with over 15 years’ experience in in government transport sector policy & strategy (policy, planning,

financial, regulatory & institutional reforms in rail mass transit development, bus services, water & non-motorized transport), public transport investment planning & public-private partnerships, research & development, travel demand & financial modelling and environmental & social safeguards.

Prior to joining LAMATA in October 2004 as a Senior Specialist, he worked in various capacities at manufacturing, banking and research institutions between 1989 and 2003. He graduated from the University of Ibadan in 1987 with BSc (Hon.) Economics (2:1) and later obtained MSc Econometrics & Forecasting from the London Guildhall University in 1998.

He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), and the Nigeria Economic Society (NES). He has attended several management courses, workshops and conferences in Nigeria and abroad, including the Lagos Business School (LBS), World Bank, University of Groningen-The Netherlands and Institute of Public Private Partnerships (IP3), Washington DC, USA.

Working in close collaboration with United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) and International Transport Development Policy (ITDP), both based in Nairobi-Kenya, Mr. Shitta-Bey coordinated the delivery of the Lagos Non-Motorized Transport (NMT) policy for Lagos State in October 2017.

In recognition of efforts for promoting the NMT policy in Lagos, LAMATA received the Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative (TUMI) award from the Federal Republic of Germany’s Ministry of Economic Cooperation & Development (GIZ), in May 2018.

The Lagos State Governor finally approved the Lagos NMT Policy a fortnight ago.

Jean-François Habeau, is the Executive Director of the Global Fund for Cities Development (FMDV), an International Alliance providing financing solutions to local governments.

With his 15 years of experience working with Central & Local Governments from all over the world, he has extensive expertise in local finance and local investment, including on project preparation, PPPs, Climate Finance and Smart technologies’ impacts and has a strong experience in working with Public entities and Financial & Technical partners. Before joining FMDV, he has worked within Local Government: at the City of Antananarivo for 4 years, running the Institute of Training and Studies of Antananarivo and was advisor of the mayor of the City of Antananarivo (currently the President of Republic) on urban projects and international affairs.

FMDV is the leading organisation providing financing solutions to Local Governments. Its operational activities consist in organizing appropriate environments and instruments on a regional, national or local scale for local finance and investments. It also facilitates the connection between Local Governments and financial and technical partners to ensure an integrated and sustainable development of their urban development. It also promotes and encourages innovative and inspiring solutions by organising workshops, International Conferences, trainings, publications and study tours.

Fatima Arroyo-Arroyo is a Senior Transport Specialist at the World Bank, based in Dakar. She is also the acting Pillar Lead of Urban Mobility in the Sub Saharan Africa Transport Policy  Program (SSATP).  She supports the urban mobility agenda in Africa in West and Southern Africa regions. Before joining Africa region, she supported the urban transport and urban railway agenda in Latin-America and East Asia. She holds a Master´s in Civil Engineering from École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées and Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. She also holds a Master in International Business Administration.

Current Position

Jacob Mamabolo, 50, was appointed on 29 May 2019 as the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Public Transport and Road Infrastructure.

Key Responsibilities

As MEC for Public Transport and Road Infrastructure, Mamabolo is tasked with improving mobility and accessibility, develop (freight & public) transport, and socio-economic infrastructure that assists residents to participate meaningfully in the economic and social activities. Its vision is to develop an integrated, sustainable transport infrastructure that promotes the accessible, safe, and affordable movement of people, goods, and services.

Biography

Jacob Mamabolo was born on 10 March 1969. He has a passion for education and knowledge. His qualifications include a Senior Diploma in Teaching, a degree in law (B. Proc), and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration. He is also a registered Ph.D., Public Administration student with the University of South Africa.

Previous positions

Before his current appointment, Mamabolo was the MEC for Infrastructure Development. In 2014 he was appointed as MEC for Human Settlement and COGTA, a position he held until 2016.

Mamabolo has worked as a civil servant for over 10 years, starting as an Office Manager for the former Deputy Minister of the Department of Correctional Services. He also worked for the Department of Home Affairs as a Parliamentary Liaison Officer and rose through the ranks to become the Chief of Staff.

Mamabolo was also appointed Project Manager of the Home Affairs Turn-Around Strategy which is recognised as one of the best practice models in the public sector.

He was also head of the Home Affairs 2010 Soccer World Cup Project. Following his success in the World Cup, he was then appointed Chief Director responsible for Ports of Entry. He later joined the Department Public Works as head of Change Management, supporting the Turn-Around Strategy in the National Department of Public Works.

Political participation

Mamabolo’s political consciousness emerged at an early age informed by the harsh political and economic circumstances of the time. Restless and decisive, he took a decision to become a student activist and served as President of the South African Student Congress (SASCO). He also served as National Co-ordinator of the Young Communist League Steering Committee which later gave birth to the Young Communist League in 2003.

After completing high school Mamabolo enrolled and studied teaching. His leadership and activism could not go unnoticed. He was elected as the President of the Student Representative Council (SRC) while studying at Mokopane Teachers College. This paved the way for him to take up leadership roles within the teachers’ union – South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu).

He is also the Provincial Secretary of the South African Communist Party (SACP), and a Provincial Executive Committee member of the African National Congress. Mamabolo has extensive public service and leadership experience accumulated over many years both in senior management positions and political activism.

Hiten Parmar is an executive, thought leader and industry expert extending over 15 years in profession. He currently leads as Director of the national electric mobility programme in South Africa delivering to multi-stakeholder engagements across the public and private sector, both locally and internationally.

His enabling, facilitating and mobilizing roles span across government lobbying; industry engagement; enterprise development and thought leadership. Hiten also serves as liaison for multiple sector related forums within South Africa, as well as internationally.

Sheila Watson is Deputy Director at the FIA Foundation, a UK-based Charity which is committed to promoting safe sustainable mobility across the world.

She is also Executive Secretary to the Global Fuel Economy Initiative, which seeks to support the development of fuel economy policies across the world. An economist, with many years experience as an advisor and consultant, her most recent role was as Senior Special Adviser to the UK Labour government at the Department for Trade and Industry, The Privy Council, the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Foreign Office. During the 10 years she spent at the heart of the UK government, she specialised in a range of environmental and resource protection issues from sustainable farming and food production to international climate security. Her former roles include Deputy Director of the Centre for Local Economic Strategies, and Policy Researcher at the Institute for Fiscal Studies. Sheila has an Honours Degree from the University of Oxford, and an MSc in Economics from Birkbeck College, London.

Sheila is married, with 3 sons, and lives in London.

Mr Bodom MATUNGULU is Expert in Railway system and Urban Transport (BHNS, Metro, tram, urban train …) of Ecole National de Pont et Chaussée Paris tech and Civil Engineer of the Polytechnic Faculty of the University of Kinshasa.

Currently, he is technical adviser in charge of transport infrastructures (railway and road) and urban transport in the office of the special adviser of the Head of the state in charge of investments.

He has a good knowledge of the transport infrastructure sector of DRC, for having worked and assumed several functions in the development and implementation of the structuring transport infrastructure projects in DRC as part of the project of China-DRCongo infrastructure Program, regional integration with ECCAS and AfDB as well as in the development of the National Integrated Transport Master Plan of DR Congo “PDNIT”.

Judith Owigar works at the intersection of women, mobility and technology. Judith  Owigar works in UN-Habitat as a Smart Cities Consultant. In her capacity, she designs,  plans, and implements projects and supports using her knowledge on ICT as a driver of  urban prosperity. She is a co-founder of Akirachix Association, a non-profit that nurtures  young women to create technological solutions and the founder of JuaKali Workforce  Limited, an online micro-jobs platform that connects skilled manual labourers in Kenya’s
informal sector with short-term employment. She also serves on the board of the  Swedish Program for ICT in Developing Regions (SPIDER).

She has worked as a  researcher with Clear Outcomes, Wuppertal Institute and the International Labour  Organisation (ILO), and a team lead with International Telecommunications Union (ITU)  and UN Women for the African Girls Can Code Initiative.

Judith is part of the East African Acumen Fellows program and an International Focus  fellow. She has been recognized with the Anita Borg Change Agent Award by the Anita  Borg Institute for Women and Technology. This was in recognition of the work that  Akirachix has done to promote women and give them a voice using science and  technology. Judith holds a Masters in Applied Computing and Degree in Computer  Science from the University of Nairobi.

A project officer working in the Kenya component of the Advancing Transport Climate Strategies (TraCS) Project. The project funded by the Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety’s International Climate Initiative is being implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in cooperation with the State Department of Transport.

Living and working in Nairobi means I experience the challenges facing mobility, which are similar to many African cities. From this perspective, I enjoy my work because it provides me the opportunity to contribute towards sustainable transport solutions for my city.

Mr. Lebogang Shaun Mhlanga, is a transport specialist with 13 years’ experience in public administration, transport planning and analysis, national budget and policy analysis for the Transport sectors across all modes i.e. Maritime, Aviation, Rail and Road subsectors. 6 of the years were obtained in a public entity of the Department of Science and Technology (DST)’s Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in the Smart Mobility, Transport System and Operations as a Senior Researchers. The other 7 years were gained plying trade for the National Department of Transport and National Treasury’s Public Finance responsible for assessing budget proposals and reviewing service delivery trends in national government department of transport and its respective public entities. 

Mr. Mhlanga is passionate about transforming South Africa’s integrated public transport network of mobility system in support of achieving social justice and positive sustainable development outcomes. Professionally, he has been extensively involved in major public transport reform projects that include the rationalization of subsidized inter-provincial commuter bus contracts, the development and update of the Gauteng household travel records in 2019/20, as well as modernization, transformation and integration of the minibus taxi industry into the broader public transport formal system since 2016.  

Mr. Mhlanga is contributing as a thought leader participation in the SATC transportation conference publications, and is a student moderator for transport economics 3rd year students at the University of North West. He has great passion for responding to critical challenges and the need for tackling urban pollution, enabling inclusive mobility, transformation, socio-economic development, liveable cities, and energy scarcity using transportation as a fundamental tool to redress social justice in transport systems. He has leadership experience in public transportation planning, and management; and has strong relations with transport and mobility stakeholders across the built environment.

Mr Mhlanga holds a Master’s in Sustainability (Transport planning) obtained from Leeds  University (United Kingdom) at the Institute for Transport Studies (ITS); a Bachelor of Science in Transport Economics obtained from the North West University and an Honours Degree in Transport Economics from University of South Africa.  

Henry Kamau is a director and founder of Sustainable Transport Africa (STA), an NGO based in Nairobi. STA is currently involved in introducing electric mobility and supporting infrastructure to the region. Prior to this, STA was involved in programs on introducing lead free petrol and low sulphur diesel fuels in the region followed by cleaner vehicles with working emissions control systems supported by policy on emissions standards and vehicle inspection, maintenance and testing programs. STA was also involved in advocating for policy changes in vehicle taxation to shift from a capacity based system to a CO2 based system in the region which would also improve on the fuel economy of vehicles in the region.

STA also contributed towards Kenya’s Transport NAMA at COP21 which was a proposal for Battery Electric BRT buses for Nairobi. Henry Kamau is an Automotive Engineer with a BEng (Hons) in Vehicle Design (Mechanical) Engineering at the University of Hertfordshire (UK) and BEng (Hons) in Vehicle Body Design from Fachbereich Fahrzeutechnik (Germany) and has previously worked with vehicle manufacturers in Europe and vehicle assemblers in Africa as well as toured vehicle manufacturer sites in South Africa and Egypt.

Fulu Mandane is head of dealer relationships for Absa Vehicle and Asset Finance’s Gauteng and Limpopo region – a portfolio that locates him at the coalface of sustainable partnerships between the vehicle retail market and asset finance.

A seasoned and dynamic professional, Fulu’s career trajectory since joining Absa in 2008 has seen him rise through the ranks assuming senior roles in the key areas of personal loans, taxi industry finance and relationships with major OEMs. He has also served at Ford Credit. Fulu spearheaded Absa’s involvement in the establishment of BAIC Automotive and BAIC Financial Services in South Africa.

He is passionate about development. This is reflected in the taxi portfolio where he was instrumental in the development of Zola Taxi Rental, the first taxi industry owned dealership. He also led the formulation of a taxi rental product as well as various taxi development funds in collaboration with minibus manufacturers to encourage lending to taxi operators.

Fulu holds various qualifications in banking and business and is an MBA candidate at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Iman Abubaker is the Urban Mobility Project Manager for WRI Africa, specifically working on improving livability of cities through integrated and equitable planning and safer street design. She works in coordination with city governments, local and international partners such as the Bloomberg Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS), to support and research on sustainable and low carbon transport solutions. Currently, Iman is leading several projects in the African region including road safety projects and transit data and mapping in African cities.

Dr Deon Cloete is the Lead of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) Futures Programme. He is a systemic change, innovation and transformational futures specialist working on re-imagining complex systems change. He is an experienced facilitator of large-scale change, and strategic foresight interventions with a focus on ‘systems change curation’ for just transitions. He also currently serves as a research associate at the Centre for Complex Systems in Transition, Stellenbosch University.

Valerie is currently the National Coordinator of UNIDO’s Economic Empowerment of Women in Green Industry (EEWiGI) Project for South Africa. This is part of a global programme which seeks to promote the participation of women as professionals, leaders and entrepreneurs through gender integration in green industrialisation, one of the focus sectors in South Africa being Road Transport.

She has extensive leadership experience in the areas of Sustainability, Climate Change, Energy and Stakeholder Management, having played a pivotal role between the Private Sector and Government in strategic advocacy and implementation of various related programmes and projects at the National Business Initiative. She has received numerous awards included The Women in Energy Award for Energy Efficiency from the then Department of Energy in 2017.

She has also worked as Senior Advisor to UNIDO’s projects which included Industrial Energy Efficiency, Low Carbon Transport and the Global Clean Tech Innovation Programme. She is currently pursuing a Masters in Management of Energy Leadership (MMEL) at the Wits Business school.

Edem Foli currently serves as the Programme Manager for the national uYilo e-Mobility Programme – a multi-stakeholder collaborative programme, initiated by the Technology Innovation Agency, focused on enabling, facilitating and mobilising electric mobility in South Africa. Edem graduated with her MBA degree, in 2018, at Nelson Mandela University’s Business School where she developed an interest in entrepreneurship and management of technology.

She also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Management (Marketing) and a Bachelor of Social Science degree from the University of Cape Town. Edem has 15 years’ experience in various business development roles within the private sector, including managing projects for NGOs.

Lyflone is a project administrator focused on project implementation with an educational background in information systems.  I have  4 years of experience in data management.  Currently, I work with The University of Nairobi C4Dlab under projects. I joined the TUMI team that works with startups to advance sustainable mobility projects.

Kirtida qualified with a National Higher Diploma in Polymer Technology and has been involved in the local plastics industry since 1989 whilst still a student.  Working as a lab technician to fulfilling the role of Quality Assurance Manager were all in the early stages of her career. She then went onto working as a Technical Trainer for three years before becoming self-employed as a consultant for almost 10 years.  Her current role as Training Executive began at the end of 2011.  She completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Design Thinking and Innovation in 2019 through the collaboration of prestigious international institutions boasting a distinction in Strategy in Innovation. She has delivered many papers ate various conferences on a range of topics.

She is the founder of KONECTA a company that builds wireless networks and platforms to gather big data and drive value added services.  KONECTA provides free WIFI while creating a platform for Brands to engage with their customers. She merges her passion for brand development, marketing & consumer engagement with technology assisting brands, government and companies transform into the digital era.

She hosts a Tech feature unpacking 4IR on Umhlobo Wenene FM in Xhosa.  She is also a senior advisor on Digital Transformation for Institute of African Royalty and Head of 4IR Strategy for AIDO International Network.

• Board member of Internet Society(ISOC) – Gauteng Chapter
• Member of the Chartered CIO – Council (SA)
• Named as Mail & Guardian 50 Powerful Women in SA 2020
• Named as one of South Africa’s Inspiring Fifty Women in STEM for 2019 by Embassy of Netherlands
• Standard Bank TopWomen Awards Finalist 2019

Kriya Gangiah is undoubtedly one of South Africa’s most diverse media personalities. Blessed with a healthy dose of the so-called X-factor, leading lady good looks, and a work ethic like no other, Kriya is fas becoming a force to be reckoned with.

The vivacious presenter, actress, MC and businesswoman has come a long way since presenting Craz-E on eTV in 2009. Currently a presenter for Mela on SABC 3 and Super Sport, it is easy to see why Kriya is both loved and respected in the industry.

To add to an already impressive resume, Kriya is also a Digital Brand Specialist, proving she is more than just a pretty face. Her extensive experience in both the corporate space and the entertainment industry has earned her the title of Infotainment Specialist.

Even with more than enough reason to boast, it is remarkable how humble and grateful Kriya is. Her enthusiasm and gratitude about her career are infectious, as she remains grateful to get paid to talk.

Ben is the Co-Founder and CEO of Generation.e which is a unique and impactful business which blends audiences and experiences to inspire transformation to smarter mobility for the creation of better connected and sustainable societies. This is achieved through epic adventures, thought leader summits and experiential public awareness campaigns. Before the world of electric vehicles and smarter mobility, Ben contributed to the fast growing solar industry during the birth of DEWA’s Shams Dubai Program.

He engaged in wider clean technology and climate change issues, quickly learning the key to engaging people was to excite them! Ben set up the first ever commercial electric vehicle road trip in Dubai in 2017. This quickly expanded across the Middle East and Europe, and by the end of 2019 the event was launched in South Africa. In 2020 Ben and the Generation.e team are taking things to the next level and will launch EVRT Dubai 2020 which is positioned as the World’s Greatest Electric Vehicle Road Trip.

In addition to the road trips, Ben has set up a B2B summit called ‘Smarter Mobility’. Smarter Mobility Africa was launched in South Africa in 2019 and in March 2020 Smarter Mobility World will be launched in Dubai. To date: 7 electric vehicle road trips complete, 8 mobility conferences and summits, 45+ charging points installed, 1000+ electric vehicle test drive experiences and event attendance from senior level government, business, industry leaders, influencers, and the general public. The initiative is making huge impressions.

An episode focusing on Ben’s work and the Emirates EVRT was broadcast on the highly renowned show, Robert Llewellyn’s Fully Charged Show and other exposure across mainstream media includes The Economist, Sky News Arabia, CNBC, CNBC Africa, Dubai Eye, Gulf News, Forbes, Emirates 24/7 and The National. Ben has an instinct for seeking opportunity, taking action and being at the forefront of this rapidly growing industry. His determination has led to commendable growth and positive impact through his business in its four years of operations: Over 85 partners secured, over 10,000 followers and 60+ million impressions generated through social media.

Kriya Gangiah is undoubtedly one of South Africa’s most diverse media personalities. Blessed with a healthy dose of the so-called X-factor, leading lady good looks, and a work ethic like no other, Kriya is fas becoming a force to be reckoned with.

The vivacious presenter, actress, MC and businesswoman has come a long way since presenting Craz-E on eTV in 2009. Currently a presenter for Mela on SABC 3 and Super Sport, it is easy to see why Kriya is both loved and respected in the industry.

To add to an already impressive resume, Kriya is also a Digital Brand Specialist, proving she is more than just a pretty face. Her extensive experience in both the corporate space and the entertainment industry has earned her the title of Infotainment Specialist.

Even with more than enough reason to boast, it is remarkable how humble and grateful Kriya is. Her enthusiasm and gratitude about her career are infectious, as she remains grateful to get paid to talk.

Ben is the Co-Founder and CEO of Generation.e which is a unique and impactful business which blends audiences and experiences to inspire transformation to smarter mobility for the creation of better connected and sustainable societies. This is achieved through epic adventures, thought leader summits and experiential public awareness campaigns. Before the world of electric vehicles and smarter mobility, Ben contributed to the fast growing solar industry during the birth of DEWA’s Shams Dubai Program.

He engaged in wider clean technology and climate change issues, quickly learning the key to engaging people was to excite them! Ben set up the first ever commercial electric vehicle road trip in Dubai in 2017. This quickly expanded across the Middle East and Europe, and by the end of 2019 the event was launched in South Africa. In 2020 Ben and the Generation.e team are taking things to the next level and will launch EVRT Dubai 2020 which is positioned as the World’s Greatest Electric Vehicle Road Trip.

In addition to the road trips, Ben has set up a B2B summit called ‘Smarter Mobility’. Smarter Mobility Africa was launched in South Africa in 2019 and in March 2020 Smarter Mobility World will be launched in Dubai. To date: 7 electric vehicle road trips complete, 8 mobility conferences and summits, 45+ charging points installed, 1000+ electric vehicle test drive experiences and event attendance from senior level government, business, industry leaders, influencers, and the general public. The initiative is making huge impressions.

An episode focusing on Ben’s work and the Emirates EVRT was broadcast on the highly renowned show, Robert Llewellyn’s Fully Charged Show and other exposure across mainstream media includes The Economist, Sky News Arabia, CNBC, CNBC Africa, Dubai Eye, Gulf News, Forbes, Emirates 24/7 and The National. Ben has an instinct for seeking opportunity, taking action and being at the forefront of this rapidly growing industry. His determination has led to commendable growth and positive impact through his business in its four years of operations: Over 85 partners secured, over 10,000 followers and 60+ million impressions generated through social media.

Gaylor Montmasson-Clair is a Senior Economist at Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS). He leads TIPS’s work on Sustainable Growth. Gaylor is also a Research Associate at the University of Johannesburg’s Centre for Competition, Regulation and Economic Development (CCRED). He holds two Master’s degree, respectively in International Affairs from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques (Sciences Po) of Grenoble, France, and in Energy and Environment Economics from the Grenoble Faculty of Economics, France.

Gaylor has been working on green economy issues for more than 10 years and has carried extensive research on the transition to an inclusive green economy from a developing country perspective, with a focus on policy frameworks, industrial development, just transition and resource security. Prior to TIPS, Gaylor worked at the French Ministry of Economy and Finance as well as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Mike MABASA is a Transport Economist by training with a considerable business background in the aviation industry.  He currently serves as Chairman of the Air Services Licensing Council, a Government regulatory body that is responsible for economic regulation of the Aviation sector across the Republic of South Africa.  Mike also served in many other capacities such as Chairman of the Board of Air Traffic Navigation Services (ATNS) and a member of the International Air Services Council.  Before joining NAAMSA, Mike worked in senior executive positions for a number of blue-chip multinational corporations such as Heineken International, Diageo, Rio Tinto and Japan Tobacco International.  He also served in Government as a spokesperson and a Ministerial Advisor to the late Dr. Dullah OMAR in his capacity as Minister of Transport.  As a philanthropist in his own right, Mike’s purpose is about “Impacting People” at every level and in everything he does.

Gaylor Montmasson-Clair is a Senior Economist at Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS). He leads TIPS’s work on Sustainable Growth. Gaylor is also a Research Associate at the University of Johannesburg’s Centre for Competition, Regulation and Economic Development (CCRED). He holds two Master’s degree, respectively in International Affairs from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques (Sciences Po) of Grenoble, France, and in Energy and Environment Economics from the Grenoble Faculty of Economics, France.

Gaylor has been working on green economy issues for more than 10 years and has carried extensive research on the transition to an inclusive green economy from a developing country perspective, with a focus on policy frameworks, industrial development, just transition and resource security. Prior to TIPS, Gaylor worked at the French Ministry of Economy and Finance as well as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Mike MABASA is a Transport Economist by training with a considerable business background in the aviation industry.  He currently serves as Chairman of the Air Services Licensing Council, a Government regulatory body that is responsible for economic regulation of the Aviation sector across the Republic of South Africa.  Mike also served in many other capacities such as Chairman of the Board of Air Traffic Navigation Services (ATNS) and a member of the International Air Services Council.  Before joining NAAMSA, Mike worked in senior executive positions for a number of blue-chip multinational corporations such as Heineken International, Diageo, Rio Tinto and Japan Tobacco International.  He also served in Government as a spokesperson and a Ministerial Advisor to the late Dr. Dullah OMAR in his capacity as Minister of Transport.  As a philanthropist in his own right, Mike’s purpose is about “Impacting People” at every level and in everything he does.

A Chartered Global Management Accountant with extensive banking, financial services and partnership development experience across Retailer, Motor Manufacturer, Mobile Operators and Fintec industries.

He has been with Absa Bank Ltd for more than 20 years, starting as a student teller whist studying BCom Econometrics.  He has been responsible for customer profitability modelling, strategic partnership Development and headings up strategy for Consumer Banking and Vehicle Finance.

Outside Absa he is active in promoting the advantage of Toastmasters, career mentoring and integral coaching.  In his leadership capacity he served on the Africa Regional Board of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA).

George has been on a journey through the eye of the storm of “the automotive digital revolution”. An architect of change and the driving force be-hind AutoTrader’s successful transition from a traditional print business into a digital giant and clear market leader in its category, being at its helm since 2007.

Mienie is an active thought-leader and experienced blogger (georgemienie.co.za), who has been published in a number of prominent magazines, newspapers, online publications and has appeared as a guest on numerous television shows in South Africa.

He has a solid social media presence on all major social networks (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram) and reaches and influences not only the motoring public but also car dealers with industry insights, trying to push and drive the motoring economy of South Africa forward.

He has innovated the process of giving car dealers accurate minute by minute demand, supply and pricing data – Providing “live market data” and believes in People leadership and mentorship of his team.

Using influence in his leadership style, he is allergic to dictators and invests heavily in growing people because at the end of the day, the world is made up of people, not computers!

Ben is the Co-Founder and CEO of Generation.e which is a unique and impactful business which blends audiences and experiences to inspire transformation to smarter mobility for the creation of better connected and sustainable societies. This is achieved through epic adventures, thought leader summits and experiential public awareness campaigns. Before the world of electric vehicles and smarter mobility, Ben contributed to the fast growing solar industry during the birth of DEWA’s Shams Dubai Program.

He engaged in wider clean technology and climate change issues, quickly learning the key to engaging people was to excite them! Ben set up the first ever commercial electric vehicle road trip in Dubai in 2017. This quickly expanded across the Middle East and Europe, and by the end of 2019 the event was launched in South Africa. In 2020 Ben and the Generation.e team are taking things to the next level and will launch EVRT Dubai 2020 which is positioned as the World’s Greatest Electric Vehicle Road Trip.

In addition to the road trips, Ben has set up a B2B summit called ‘Smarter Mobility’. Smarter Mobility Africa was launched in South Africa in 2019 and in March 2020 Smarter Mobility World will be launched in Dubai. To date: 7 electric vehicle road trips complete, 8 mobility conferences and summits, 45+ charging points installed, 1000+ electric vehicle test drive experiences and event attendance from senior level government, business, industry leaders, influencers, and the general public. The initiative is making huge impressions.

An episode focusing on Ben’s work and the Emirates EVRT was broadcast on the highly renowned show, Robert Llewellyn’s Fully Charged Show and other exposure across mainstream media includes The Economist, Sky News Arabia, CNBC, CNBC Africa, Dubai Eye, Gulf News, Forbes, Emirates 24/7 and The National. Ben has an instinct for seeking opportunity, taking action and being at the forefront of this rapidly growing industry. His determination has led to commendable growth and positive impact through his business in its four years of operations: Over 85 partners secured, over 10,000 followers and 60+ million impressions generated through social media.

Jane Akumu is currently the Africa focal at the UN Environment on promoting cleaner mobility programs. She joined UN Environment in 2004 and has been working towards environmentally sustainable transport in Africa mainly through the introduction of cleaner fuels and vehicles. She was instrumental in the leaded petrol phase out campaign in Sub-Saharan Africa. Today, Jane Akumu is partnering with stakeholders in the Africa region to introduce lower sulphur fuels concurrently with cleaner, more fuel efficient vehicles strategies as a means to reducing vehicle emissions and help address climate change.

Prior to joining the UN Environment, she worked for the Government of Kenya, first at the Ministry of Finance and National Planning on international trade issues, and then at the Ministry of Energy as head of the Petroleum Monitoring Unit and was responsible for petroleum policy, standards, pricing and supply management.

She has a good network of diverse partners and stakeholders in the environment, energy and transport areas in Africa, as well as experience in supporting policy development in countries. She has been involved in various studies in the region on air quality management, health and financial benefits of cleaner mobility.

Jane Akumu holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Nairobi and a Master of Arts degree in Economics from Carleton University in Canada.

George has been on a journey through the eye of the storm of “the automotive digital revolution”. An architect of change and the driving force be-hind AutoTrader’s successful transition from a traditional print business into a digital giant and clear market leader in its category, being at its helm since 2007.

Mienie is an active thought-leader and experienced blogger (georgemienie.co.za), who has been published in a number of prominent magazines, newspapers, online publications and has appeared as a guest on numerous television shows in South Africa.

He has a solid social media presence on all major social networks (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram) and reaches and influences not only the motoring public but also car dealers with industry insights, trying to push and drive the motoring economy of South Africa forward.

He has innovated the process of giving car dealers accurate minute by minute demand, supply and pricing data – Providing “live market data” and believes in People leadership and mentorship of his team.

Using influence in his leadership style, he is allergic to dictators and invests heavily in growing people because at the end of the day, the world is made up of people, not computers!

Kim is building electric motorcycles taxis for the mobile underserved in our African cities starting with Nairobi, Kenya. A growth hacker at heart and an engineer by profession, Kim has 2 years’ experience in the Kenyan motorcycle taxi industry and a long-standing entrepreneurial record. As a pioneer in the e-mobility space, he is involved in pushing policy and reliable tech into the Kenyan mobility market.

Wim Elshout is ABB’s Group e-Mobility Solutions Area Manager for Latin America, Africa, Middle East and the Asia Pacific since January 2017. In his role he is responsible for business development, project execution and service of ABB’s e-Mobility solutions for electric cars, buses, and trucks in his region.

Wim is responsible for ABB’s technology partnership with the fast growing e-Mobility Service Providers and vehicle OEMs in ABB’s emerging and overseas e-Mobility markets. Together with these partners Wim introduced the first endto-end charging solutions for electric vehicles in these markets, overcoming critical challenges presented by next-generation charging demands.

Wim grew up in the Oil and Gas industry where he spend 20 years of his career in various service and business development roles in the US, Asia and Europe. After 20 years in the industry, he decided to make the change to contribute to the energy transition and the change in global mobility.

Featured as an ESI Africa Power and Energy Leader in 2019 and named Africa Utility Week’s 2018 Outstanding Young Leader in Energy, Dr. Rebekah Shirley is the Chief of Research at Power for All. Her research explores integrated energy planning and innovations for sustainable power systems at the electric mobility and agriculture nexus. She works in sub Saharan Africa, South Asia, and in Small Island States. Rebekah’s work with energy companies, civi society, and government stakeholders has driven energy strategy at the local and national levels, and she has won grants from institutions such as the Department of Energy, the Mott Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation that support her research. Rebekah earned her PhD from the Energy and Resources Group at the University of California, Berkeley where she also obtained her MSc. Energy and Resources and a MSc. Civil Engineering. Rebekah was previously a University of California Chancellor’s Fellow and is now a Visiting Research Fellow at Strathmore University, where she mentors students, designs graduate curricula, and supports local research capacity development. A proud Caribbean American, Rebekah now lives in Nairobi, Kenya.

Dr. Remeredzai Joseph Kuhudzai is the Founder of Electric Drive Africa (EDA), a Pan African Platform promoting the adoption of electric vehicles across the continent. Over the past 2 years he has been travelling across the continent and collaborating with stakeholders to raise awareness on electric vehicles. He is also an Author at CleanTechnica, one of the World’s top sites for Cleantech news and electric vehicles.

At university he explored materials with applications in the energy space ending up doing a PhD involving the study of radiation damage in High Temperature Gas Cooled Nuclear Reactors. He has since transitioned to work in the solar and storage industry and his love for batteries has driven him to obsess about electric vehicles. He is also the Head of Innovation for Distributed Power Africa, a market leader in innovative solar energy solutions. We have operations in Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Shantha Bloemen is founding director of Mobility For Africa, a social enterprise start up, wants to bring the electric vehicle revolution to ordinary people, especially women in rural Africa, by providing transport solutions that are reliable, powered on green energy and committed to bringing positive disruptive change to the way people move. The start up is testing the use of a cargo tricycle, the Hamba, an off grid battery swapping model in rural Zimbabwe along with different user models to prove sustainability and scalability. She has a master’s degree from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and an honors degree in History from University of Western Australia.

Kriya Gangiah is undoubtedly one of South Africa’s most diverse media personalities. Blessed with a healthy dose of the so-called X-factor, leading lady good looks, and a work ethic like no other, Kriya is fas becoming a force to be reckoned with.

The vivacious presenter, actress, MC and businesswoman has come a long way since presenting Craz-E on eTV in 2009. Currently a presenter for Mela on SABC 3 and Super Sport, it is easy to see why Kriya is both loved and respected in the industry.

To add to an already impressive resume, Kriya is also a Digital Brand Specialist, proving she is more than just a pretty face. Her extensive experience in both the corporate space and the entertainment industry has earned her the title of Infotainment Specialist.

Even with more than enough reason to boast, it is remarkable how humble and grateful Kriya is. Her enthusiasm and gratitude about her career are infectious, as she remains grateful to get paid to talk.

Ben is the Co-Founder and CEO of Generation.e which is a unique and impactful business which blends audiences and experiences to inspire transformation to smarter mobility for the creation of better connected and sustainable societies. This is achieved through epic adventures, thought leader summits and experiential public awareness campaigns. Before the world of electric vehicles and smarter mobility, Ben contributed to the fast growing solar industry during the birth of DEWA’s Shams Dubai Program.

He engaged in wider clean technology and climate change issues, quickly learning the key to engaging people was to excite them! Ben set up the first ever commercial electric vehicle road trip in Dubai in 2017. This quickly expanded across the Middle East and Europe, and by the end of 2019 the event was launched in South Africa. In 2020 Ben and the Generation.e team are taking things to the next level and will launch EVRT Dubai 2020 which is positioned as the World’s Greatest Electric Vehicle Road Trip.

In addition to the road trips, Ben has set up a B2B summit called ‘Smarter Mobility’. Smarter Mobility Africa was launched in South Africa in 2019 and in March 2020 Smarter Mobility World will be launched in Dubai. To date: 7 electric vehicle road trips complete, 8 mobility conferences and summits, 45+ charging points installed, 1000+ electric vehicle test drive experiences and event attendance from senior level government, business, industry leaders, influencers, and the general public. The initiative is making huge impressions.

An episode focusing on Ben’s work and the Emirates EVRT was broadcast on the highly renowned show, Robert Llewellyn’s Fully Charged Show and other exposure across mainstream media includes The Economist, Sky News Arabia, CNBC, CNBC Africa, Dubai Eye, Gulf News, Forbes, Emirates 24/7 and The National. Ben has an instinct for seeking opportunity, taking action and being at the forefront of this rapidly growing industry. His determination has led to commendable growth and positive impact through his business in its four years of operations: Over 85 partners secured, over 10,000 followers and 60+ million impressions generated through social media.

Kriya Gangiah is undoubtedly one of South Africa’s most diverse media personalities. Blessed with a healthy dose of the so-called X-factor, leading lady good looks, and a work ethic like no other, Kriya is fas becoming a force to be reckoned with.

The vivacious presenter, actress, MC and businesswoman has come a long way since presenting Craz-E on eTV in 2009. Currently a presenter for Mela on SABC 3 and Super Sport, it is easy to see why Kriya is both loved and respected in the industry.

To add to an already impressive resume, Kriya is also a Digital Brand Specialist, proving she is more than just a pretty face. Her extensive experience in both the corporate space and the entertainment industry has earned her the title of Infotainment Specialist.

Even with more than enough reason to boast, it is remarkable how humble and grateful Kriya is. Her enthusiasm and gratitude about her career are infectious, as she remains grateful to get paid to talk.

Ben is the Co-Founder and CEO of Generation.e which is a unique and impactful business which blends audiences and experiences to inspire transformation to smarter mobility for the creation of better connected and sustainable societies. This is achieved through epic adventures, thought leader summits and experiential public awareness campaigns. Before the world of electric vehicles and smarter mobility, Ben contributed to the fast growing solar industry during the birth of DEWA’s Shams Dubai Program.

He engaged in wider clean technology and climate change issues, quickly learning the key to engaging people was to excite them! Ben set up the first ever commercial electric vehicle road trip in Dubai in 2017. This quickly expanded across the Middle East and Europe, and by the end of 2019 the event was launched in South Africa. In 2020 Ben and the Generation.e team are taking things to the next level and will launch EVRT Dubai 2020 which is positioned as the World’s Greatest Electric Vehicle Road Trip.

In addition to the road trips, Ben has set up a B2B summit called ‘Smarter Mobility’. Smarter Mobility Africa was launched in South Africa in 2019 and in March 2020 Smarter Mobility World will be launched in Dubai. To date: 7 electric vehicle road trips complete, 8 mobility conferences and summits, 45+ charging points installed, 1000+ electric vehicle test drive experiences and event attendance from senior level government, business, industry leaders, influencers, and the general public. The initiative is making huge impressions.

An episode focusing on Ben’s work and the Emirates EVRT was broadcast on the highly renowned show, Robert Llewellyn’s Fully Charged Show and other exposure across mainstream media includes The Economist, Sky News Arabia, CNBC, CNBC Africa, Dubai Eye, Gulf News, Forbes, Emirates 24/7 and The National. Ben has an instinct for seeking opportunity, taking action and being at the forefront of this rapidly growing industry. His determination has led to commendable growth and positive impact through his business in its four years of operations: Over 85 partners secured, over 10,000 followers and 60+ million impressions generated through social media.

H.E. Dagmawit Moges Bekele was appointed as Minister of Transport of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in October 2018. After studying for her BA in Public Administration and Development Management (PADM), she worked as a Graduate Assistant Lecturer at Addis Ababa University (A.A.U). She acquired her MA in Public Management and Policy (MPMP) from the same department and university. She worked as a General Manager of Kolfe Keraneyo Sub-City of A.A City Government and then served as Micro and small Enterprises Development Bureau Head of A.A city Government. Subsequently she worked as a Deputy Bureau head of Addis Ababa City Government Trade and Industry Bureau then a Deputy Bureau head of Addis Ababa City Government Capacity Building Bureau.

Before her current post she has served as a Deputy Mayor and Communication’s Affaires bureau head of Addis Ababa City Government, Cabinet member of the City Government and Board Chairperson of Addis Ababa Mass Media Agency Board. H.E. Dagmawit Moges is a Cabinet member of FDRE and a Member of House of People’s Representatives of Ethiopia (HoPRE). She is a Board chairperson of Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA), Woldiya University and Ethiopian Postal Service Enterprise. She is also a Board member of Ethiopian Airlines, Ethiopian Petroleum Enterprise, Investment board member and Public Private Partnership (PPP) board member.

Janene Tuniz is a Project Coordinator for the UN Environment’s Share the Road Programme based in Nairobi, Kenya. The Programme, which forms part of the Sustainable Mobility Unit, aims to create benefits for the environment, road safety and accessibility by working with governments and other stakeholders to prioritize investment in infrastructure for people that walk and cycle. Her work is focused on Sub Saharan Africa and involves researching and prioritising the needs of vulnerable groups and engaging with stakeholders to adopt and/or implement low greenhouse gas and sustainable transport strategies.

Janene holds an LL.M. in Law and Sustainable Development from the University of Milan and a Bachelors of Law from the University of Pretoria.

Chris joined the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy as a full-time staff member in 2008 after being involved as a consultant since 2004, focusing on transport projects in Africa and India. In Cape Town, Accra, and Johannesburg, he assessed the impacts of proposed BRT systems on greenhouse gas emissions. More recently, Chris has been involved in projects in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Jharkhand, covering areas such as bus rapid transit, street design, parking management, and transit-oriented development. Chris has been involved in a number of TOD projects, including the Local Area Plan for Ahmedabad’s Central Business District, an updated TOD policy for BRT corridors in Pimpri Chinchwad, TOD planning efforts for Chennai’s metro and suburban rail networks, and TOD elements in Nashik’s new Development Plan. Chris now leads ITDP’s initiatives in Kenya, Uganda, and other African countries.

Before joining ITDP, Chris worked for the Transportation and Land Use Coalition (now Transform) in Oakland; the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, also in Oakland; the City of Berkeley’s Planning Department; Meyer, Mohadddes Associates, Los Angeles; and Delin Consult in Accra. Chris received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in environmental policy from the Earth Systems Program at Stanford University.

Elleni Ashebir (WRI Africa), Manager for Cities and Urban Mobility Program in Addis Ababa, responsible for the overall management of Ross Center for Sustainable Cities WRI Africa work, including engaging with government and development partners.  Elleni has diverse experience in Ethiopia’s urban development sector and has worked with national, regional, and city-level government, as well as local communities and vulnerable groups to help ensure cities pursue socially equitable, environmentally sustainable, and economically viable development. Elleni is leading UNEP/UNDA project to support the Ethiopian government’s investment in NMT infrastructure and promote walking and cycling. Elleni is an Urban Planner by profession.

Sean is a researcher in the Centre for Transport Studies within the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Cape Town. His broad research focus is how transport planning, urban development and public finance intersect in cities of the Global South. He has a particular interest in the evolution of transport planning as a practice, in African cities, and how the associated institutional transitions can be accelerated. For the duration of his doctorate, he is embedded within the City of Cape Town’s Transport Directorate through a knowledge transfer programme. The programme is funded by Mistra Urban Futures and forms part of their global research agenda: Realising Just Cities. In addition to his base within the Centre for Transport Studies, he was asked to join the African Centre for Cities, which provides an opportunity for transdisciplinary, mixed methods approaches to transport research.

He has been an external research partner to UN Environment’s Share the Road programme over the past seven years, working mainly in African and Latin American contexts on the development of non-motorised transport programmes and policies. His other non-academic work has focused primarily on the climate change adaptation of African transport systems and the future of transport planning in African urban environments.

Marah Koeberle is coordinating the e-mobility and circular economy portfolio of Siemens Stiftung. She is based in Munich, Germany and  has nine years of professional experience in consumer markets in East Africa; market entry consultation for German and international companies. She managed and initiated partnerships and projects in vocational training, waste management, mobility, consumer goods and food processing in different African countries including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Ghana.

I am very passionate about mobility issues in African cities. I find it unfortunate that most African cities are designing and implementing very expensive, irrelevant and (kind of) destructive solutions to address our current mobility challenges. African cities, for instance, are particularly still lucky because of the huge walking population, with mostly pathetic walking infrastructure. Regarding my passion for orderly and planned physical development for sustainability, vitality and inclusiveness is no secret anymore, particularly to those who have worked and interacted closely with me, in my country Uganda. Having studied urban planning at undergraduate level, I realized what an opportunity I had to contribute towards Uganda’s sustainable urban development. And that’s my goal. Urban and regional planning has a big implication on the development of any country because of its spatial effect on efficiency, equity, conservation of the environment and meaningful use of scarce land resources.

I have, overtime, realized that our spatial challenges majorly arise from an uncoordinated land use and mobility planning. There is also a real need for investing in attitude change and getting our priorities right. Being in academia, I find myself always seeking to link theory and practice in order to make an impactful contribution to our societal growth. This calls for a strong and reliable network of professionals and partners. My professional skills and attachment have been greatly enriched by the several international fora I have been exposed to, both as a participant and a keynote speaker; all about this subject. I have also been lucky to engage and work with researchers, consultants, planning experts, politicians and policy makers here and abroad. I am glad I always have the ability to simply communicate complex urban development matters to an array of stakeholder

Stefanie Holzwarth is an Associate Specialist in the Urban Mobility Team at UN-Habitat. She is trained in urban planning and has been working on sustainable mobility projects for more than 5 years, providing technical advice, knowledge and advocacy to governments around the world. Previously she worked in an urban development project at GIZ. Stefanie is a passionate cyclist and regularly participates in Open Streets Activities or Critical Mass Events to create awareness of pedestrians’ and cyclists’ rights to shared urban roads.

Isabella Burczak is the Advocacy & Development Manager for the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the world governing body for cycling. She is responsible for the UCI’s initiatives and partnerships with regard to the promotion of cycling for all. Her responsibilities include collaborating with cities and regions, national federations, NGOs and cycling advocacy organisations worldwide to promote the growth of cycling as both a sustainable form of transport and healthy recreational activity, while developing strategies to ensure elite cycling can drive and inspire wider participation. Isabella previously worked for the International Olympic Committee, involved in the delivery of five Olympic Games between 2006 and 2016.

Mzikhona Mgedle, founder and managing director of Langa Bicycle Hub.

Mzkhona is passionate about community development and engaging the youth in community upliftment projects. This is why in 2020 the Langa Bicycle Hub was born

For five years, Mzi worked with Open Streets Cape Town (OSCT) where he learnt about the power of bicycles and community mobilisation. Throughout his years at OSCT, Mzikhona’s role included engaging with diverse stakeholders in various communities around Cape Town. This work often took place in complex environments with factious community dynamics, competing for interest and limited resources.

Now he intends to carry over the expertise and skills he has gained, to Langa Bicycle Hub. The dream for the hub is to be a home for all non-motorised transport needs, including bicycles, wheel-chairs and electric bicycles.

Mzikhona is committed to seeing more bicycles in Langa to promote non-motorised transport, contribute to the reduction of air pollution and combat climate change.

His passion for cycling goes beyond transport. Mzikhona is proud to have completed the 109Km of this year’s Cape Town Cycle Tour 2020. He also enjoys organising social bicycle rides to encourage others to join him in his mission to spark a cycling revolution in Africa.

Bruno Gutierres is Alstom’s Director of Mobility Orchestration within the ADM department since September 2019. Mobility Orchestration is a key growth pillar of the Alstom smart mobility strategy. It includes Mastria Solution, Operation analytics, Road ITS Solution.

Bruno founded the Airbus Bizlab on 2015, the first Aerospace Accelerator where startups and intrapreneurs were fostering innovation

Prior to that, Bruno was part of AirFrance Cargo for 6 years. His extensive knowledge of the air cargo market led him to Airbus where he initially created an oversized cargo service for the Beluga before moving on to other innovation projects.

Graduated from Toulouse Business School, he started his career as an entrepreneur and successfully founded two companies.

Victor is the Founder of Mzansi Aerospace Technologies, a start-up entity that is focused on training, advisory and technology in the field of unmanned aircraft system (UAS). Victor is also the founder of Mobility Centre for Africa, a non-profit company that is dedicated to advocating for and researching smarter mobility solutions.

Having worked on some transportation and aviation-related projects like the Ekurhuleni and Durban aerotropolis projects, Victor believes that building efficiencies in global travel requires improvements of the first and last mile of air travel. In 2016 Victor partnered with the University of KZN and KZN Government to establish the Aerotropolis Institute Africa to develop the next generation of aerotropolis experts in the continent.

Victor is passionate about digital transformation (popularly referred to as the 4th Industrial Revolution) of key industries like the aviation and transportation. When Victor founded Mzansi, he thought the industry was only about aviation. Little did he realise that drone technology is in just about every major sector of the economy, which includes agriculture, mining, construction, security, etc.

Victor serves as a co-convener of R & D Workstream of the ICASA’s 5G Forum, which is tasked with harnessing the IoT opportunities that this technology promises. Victor is also an executive committee member of the Commercial Unmanned Aircraft Association of Southern Africa (CUAASA), an industry body that is working with the SACAA and government to develop and promote the adoption of drone technology.

Victor studied B Comm at Wits, a Post-graduate Diploma in Management at UKZN and is has just finished his MBA studies at Wits Business School. As part of this MBA, Victor wrote his research article on the Effect of Shared Mobility on Private Car Ownership in South Africa.

Haya Douidri is the Vice President for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Superpedestrian. She leads Superpedestrian’s expansion across the EMEA region with their scooter shared program branded LINK. She has 10 years of experience in mobility, sustainability and innovation policies. In the past two years, she has worked with 30+ cities across Europe to usher in sustainable mobility solutions. Haya has a Masters degree in Sustainable Policy from Columbia University in the City of New York, and lives in The Hague with her husband, step daughter and two puppies.

Frederic is a Consultant at Neckermann Strategic Advisors. He holds an MBA from Imperial College London Business School and a Master’s Degree in Business Engineering from UMons. He supports companies in understanding how the Mobility Revolution will change their business. Frederic is the co-author of multiple smart mobility research reports and a contributor to the World Economic Forum. He is also a mobility guest lecturer at Universities, a writer @ Frederic-john.com and mentors mobility start-ups in London and Singapore and MBA students. He is fluent in French and English and also speaks some Spanish and Dutch.

Bruno Gutierres is Alstom’s Director of Mobility Orchestration within the ADM department since September 2019. Mobility Orchestration is a key growth pillar of the Alstom smart mobility strategy. It includes Mastria Solution, Operation analytics, Road ITS Solution.

Bruno founded the Airbus Bizlab on 2015, the first Aerospace Accelerator where startups and intrapreneurs were fostering innovation

Prior to that, Bruno was part of AirFrance Cargo for 6 years. His extensive knowledge of the air cargo market led him to Airbus where he initially created an oversized cargo service for the Beluga before moving on to other innovation projects.

Graduated from Toulouse Business School, he started his career as an entrepreneur and successfully founded two companies.

He loves championing unlikely alliances. He connects ideas, people and places – bringing together policy makers, professionals, civil society leaders and community groups to a collective understanding of common urban challenges and overlapping agendas. Professionally, he is an urbanist and a mobiliser. He helps build consensus, inspire action and bring ideas and concepts into reality. Personally, he is a defender (altruist), that’s driven to help his loved ones, and others, see the best in themselves and realise that they can be anything they want to be. He has always loved beautiful, organised and functional places. Today, he helps city leaders, urban enthusiasts and communities see possibilities and experiment with ideas.

His interest areas include Places for People, Health and Well-being in cities, Urban Futures and Urban Risks and Governance. He is increasingly intrigued by the science-urbanism nexus.

Tomaž Cigüt is an urban mobility expert at UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme).

He is a passionate environmentalist, working on tackling the climate crisis through the transformation of how cities are structured and how they function, and promoting a shift from personal vehicles to walking, cycling and the use of public transport. In his work he focuses on how the Sustainable Development Goals, the New Urban Agenda, and the 1.5°C stabilization pathway adopted in the Paris Agreement, can be followed-up upon and achieved through the changes made in the field of urban mobility. He strongly believes that efficient, convenient and affordable public transport increases the well-being of residents and reduces the inequality gap by enabling movement of the less advantaged and vulnerable groups (e.g. low-income earners, the elderly, the young, the disabled, and women with children), providing them with opportunities for personal growth and development.