Day 1:  27 November – Academic Conference

Time

Session

08h30-09h00

Welcome & Registration 

09h15-11h15

1st Conference Session

Upstream Options for an efficient energy mix: The envisaged role of oil and gas in the Just Energy Transition

11h30-13h30

2^nd Conference Session

Energy Modelling

14h15-16h15

3^rd Conference Session 

Skills and Capacity Development for Just Energy Transition

Day 2: 28 November – Main Conference

09h00-09h30

Welcome and Registration 

09h30-11h00

Opening Session

Overview of Energy Market Developments in India and South Africa

11h15-12h30

First Technical Session

Efficient Energy Systems – The future energy mix and energy efficiency initiatives 

13h30-15h00

Second Technical Session

Grid Renaissance – The future of energy infrastructure

15h15-16h30

Third Technical Session

Energy Financing 

Professor Maurice Radebe is the Head and  Director of Wits Business School. An experienced energy industry executive, he previously served as Executive Vice President of Sasol Limited, responsible for Sasol’s energy business globally. Prof Radebe started his career with Shell before taking on the role of CEO of Exel Petroleum, the first black-owned oil company in South Africa. Following the merger of Exel with Sasol in 2003, Prof Maurice joined Sasol Oil and spent the following 16 years with Sasol, managing several successful global joint ventures. Prof Radebe was a member of the Sasol Oil board for 14 years, and served as chairman for ten years. Passionate about leadership development, he is also the founder and chairman of the Unleashing Leadership Potential (ULP) Foundation. Prof Radebe holds an MBA from Wits Business School, and a certificate in General Management from Harvard University. 

Dr David Phaho is the Director of the African Energy Leadership Centre at WBS. He started his undergraduate studies at the University of Cape Town (UCT). This has led to several qualifications including a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Chemistry in the United States as a Fulbright Scholar. He joins Wits Business School from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) where he has been employed since 2020. At CPUT David held the portfolio of Deputy-Vice Chancellor responsible for Research, Technology Innovation, Postgraduate Studies, Partnerships, and Internationalization.

Mr Ebbie Haan is an Independent Oil and Gas Executive who is based in the Netherlands has extensive global executive experience in multi-national companies including Royal Dutch Shell plc, Sasol Group, and Maersk. He has over a period of 40 years gathered experience in the oil & gas and energy industry including 26 years working for Royal Dutch Shell on global projects. The overseas postings include Sultanate of Oman, the United States, Malaysia, Gabon, and Algeria. Ebbie moved to Sasol Group in South Africa in 2008 to run its global upstream oil & gas business.  He brings strategic insights into Oil and Gas Upstream Leadership, Energy transition, Renewable energy, Asset Management, Exploration, New Business Development, Mergers and Acquisition, Oil and Gas development and production operations, Safety/Health/Environment, Organisational Design and Transformation, Stakeholder engagement, Integrated Gas Value Chains as well as Sustainability.  He currently serves as a non-executive Director on the boards of Lumika Renewables, AP Møller Capital EMIF II and Coöperatief W.A.

Unathi Magida is a seasoned executive and strategic leader specialising in Transformation, Public Relations, and Stakeholder Relations. Her expertise was honed through impactful tenures at Vodacom SA and Engen Petroleum, where she spent 10 and 12 years respectively. During this time, she played a pivotal role in establishing and institutionalizing key business and community transformation initiatives, corporate affairs strategies, and stakeholder engagement frameworks.

Prof Rod Crompton started the African Energy Leadership Centre at Wits Business School after over 40 years in the energy and chemical fields in various African countries. Previous experience includes 11 years as a full-time board member at the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) and seven years as the Deputy Director General at the Department of Minerals and Energy where he was responsible for hydrocarbons and energy planning. He has also worked at the Department of Trade and Industry and was managing director of the Minerals and Energy Policy Centre. Prior to joining Wits he ran Crompton Consulting. Whilst at the AELC he has provided consulting services to Deloitte, Department of Economic Development, FTI Consulting, Sasol, Webber Wentzel. Rod has served on the boards of several companies and is currently a non-executive Director at Eskom, Africa’s largest electricity utility. He is also on the boards of the South African National Energy Association (SANEA) and the South African Association for Energy Economics (SAAEE).

Adv Ebrahiem Hendricks is a seasoned legal professional with a solid academic and professional background who is dedicated to driving transformative change in the energy sector. Holding a BA (Law), an LLB, an LLM, and an MBA, Ebrahiem is in the final stages of a PhD at the University of Cape Town’s Mineral Law in Africa research unit focussing on the energy transition and energy justice. With extensive expertise in the legal, risk, compliance and governance domains, Ebrahiem serves as a General Counsel, leveraging strategic leadership and innovative solutions to address complex challenges and champion sustainable energy transitions. In addition to professional endeavours, Ebrahiem shares knowledge and insights as a part-time lecturer at the University of Cape Town and Stellenbosch University Business School, contributing to the development of future leaders in law and business. Ebrahiem's passion for strategic foresight, coupled with a commitment to innovation and sustainability, continues to make a meaningful impact in the energy sector and beyond.

Mr Henry Gilfillan is the Integrated Energy Practice Leader at AIA. Henry holds an Honours degree in Accounting Science (BCompt Hons) from the University of South Africa. He has 20 years’ experience in finance, strategy, business development and regulatory engagement in the energy and chemical industries. He held senior positions in the areas of strategy, regulatory engagement and business development at South Africa’s leading energy and chemicals company. During this time, he successfully led several multi-disciplinary teams on projects ranging from scenario and strategy development to the development of gas supply options for South Africa. Henry is passionate about the energy transition and the significant opportunities it holds for the Africa region. He believes that this transition holds the potential to re-position the region and provide an engine for economic development. Henry was most recently the Vice President of Strategic Intelligence at Sasol.

Mr Craig Morkel is Chair of the Gas Economy Leadership team of the South African Oil and Gas Alliance (SAOGA). He is also the Chief Executive Officer of iKapa Energy, an energy and water projects developer. Craig served as a member of Parliament from 1999 to 2009, during which time he served on the then Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Minerals and Energy.

Justin Schmidt, based in Johannesburg, is currently a Executive: Sectors Manufacturing, Renewable Energy and Transport Logistics at Absa Group. Justin Schmidt brings experience from previous roles at Absa Group, Barclays Africa Group Limited and Absa. Justin Schmidt holds a 2006 - 2007 BComm (hons) in Investment Management at University of Johannesburg. 

Dr Seven Mathetsa is a Senior Lecturer at WBS. He holds a BSc Natural and Environmental Sciences (UJ), BSc Honours and MSc-Environmental Management (UNISA), Postgraduate Diploma in Energy Leadership and PhD in Environmental Studies and (Wits University). Dr Mathetsa’s research interest lies within the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus within the discourse of climate change and how the supply of these key resources can be sustained through formulation of integrated policies and systems thinking approaches.

Dr Justice Chihota is a Senior Researcher at the Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies (CRSES) Stellenbosch University.  He obtained his B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Cape Town in 2011, 2015, and 2019, respectively. He currently serves as a Senior Researcher at the Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies (CRSES), where he has worked since 2019. Dr Chihota’s expertise spans distribution network planning and operations, with a strong focus on load modeling, network design, and expansion planning. A central theme of his research is the integration of distributed energy resources (DERs) into distribution networks, particularly within the context the ongoing energy transition. His work directly supports the development of the electric power sector, helping municipalities to manage the complexities of DER integration and the shift toward more sustainable energy systems.

Prof Harro von Blottnitz is the Director of Energy Systems Research Group in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Cape Town. His research expertise is in Sustainable development; resource flows; environmental systems analysis; waste management; sustainable consumption; biogas, life cycle assessment, and renewable energy. He holds several engineering qualifications including a Doctorate in Engineering (Dr.-Ing.) from RWTH Aachen in Germany. Prof von Blottnitz is an elected Fellow of the South African Academy of Engineering (SAAE). 

Prof Saritha Sudharmma Vishwanathan (Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad) works as an Assistant Professor at the Department of Environment Engineering and Department of Earth Systems Engineering, Kyoto University in Japan. She represents IIMA (India) on the Integrated Assessment Modelling Consortium (IAMC) Scientific Steering Committee (SSC). She serves as the co-chair of the Scientific Working Group (SWG) on National Scenarios under the aegis of the IAMC. Her research addresses questions pertaining to energy, water, environment and climate change. Currently, her three key research themes are national modelling and scenarios (energy, industry, transport, buildings, agriculture, GHG emissions, air pollution, water, land, SDGs) ; socio-technological transitions (energy, industry, urban systems); and climate justice (energy, coal, power, industry). The methodological approach includes integrated assessment modelling, stakeholder engagement, quantitative and qualitative assessment. 

Dr Farai Mlambo holds a strong academic background with several qualifications. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Computer Science (2023 - Present) at the University of Johannesburg, focusing on Probabilistic Machine Learning - Uncertainty Quantification with Deep Learning. He also holds a PhD in Mathematical Statistics (2015 - 2019) from Nelson Mandela University, where his thesis focused on Wavelet Theory Application for Economic and Financial Time Series. He received the Best Paper Award at the European Simulation and Modelling Conference (2019) and the Innovation Doctoral Scholarship Award from the National Research Foundation.

Professor Dawid E. Serfontein currently serves as a Professor in Nuclear Engineering in the Unit for Energy and Technology Systems (UETS) at the North-West University.  His research focus areas are in the technical, economic and policy aspects of energy and in the prevention of nuclear weapons proliferation, on which he published five articles in the international Nuclear Engineering and Design journal. He has also reviewed Government’s Integrated Energy Plan (IEP) and Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). The core of these reviews was Dawid’s cost simulations for different power plants under various model input assumptions, including different Weighted Average Costs of Capital (WACC%) and different external costs, which he also published at the International High Temperature Reactor Conference (HTR-2014) in Weihai, China. The aim of his techno-economical studies is to help South Africa and indeed the world to reduce the cost and the environmental and societal impact of electricity production by creating optimal power plant mixtures to suit the needs of each specific country.

Ms Marista Fey is a Lecturer with the AELC at WBS. She has extensive experience driving performance improvements and business transformations in the energy and chemicals sectors globally. She has held key leadership roles, orchestrating strategic, operational, and cultural shifts to enhance business performance and to transition to a lower carbon economy. She will be supporting work on delivering a just energy transition, and equipping leaders to drive sustainability and promote low carbon energy.

Dr Presha Ramsarup is Director at the Centre for Researching Education and Labour at the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. Her research work focuses on  learning pathways for sustainable development and sustainability and her work is focused on skills for a just transition. She lead the South African National Green Skills Programme and led the skills chapter for the Presidency on the South African Just Transitions Framework. She is leading several research programmes focusing on Just Transitioning and the impact on the world of work within Southern Africa. She has a deep interest in the role of Vocational Education and Training in Africa within the transition.

Ms Mokgadi Modise is currently employed as the Director of SARETEC at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT).  SARETEC’s area of focus is primarily specialised training for artisans and technicians for the renewable energy industry for Wind and Solar with the focusing on training within the African Continent in particular SADC.  Ms Modise has been in the field of Clean Energy for over a decade, 18 years to be precise, being responsible for Renewable Energy, Energy and Energy Efficiency and Climate Change in her former work with the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (former Department of Energy). In addition, Ms Modise has extensive knowledge in the field of Environmental Engineering with specialisation in Regulatory issues, Project Design, Conceptualisation, Execution and Management in Energy and Water Resources Infrastructure, Energy (Renewable Energy) and Climate Change.  

Khetsiwe Dlamini-Mtiyane's is Skills Development Manager at the Energy & Water Sector Education Training Authority (EWSETA). Her career spans over 13 years in the private and public sectors in the finance and regulatory environment. The key areas of her experience over the years are Sector strategic planning and implementation, Portfolio Management, Stakeholder Engagement and Management, Strategic Projects, Policy Development and Analysis, Financial Management as well and Sector event planning and delivery.  MS Dlamini’s passion for sustainable economic development in South Africa and Africa has guided her career towards serving in the public environment. Her areas of interest are investments in alternative energy, energy-efficient infrastructure development and innovation to drive South Africa’s Just Transition.  As an Energy Specialist in the Energy and Water SETA, she has led the Energy Sector strategic planning and implementation as well as strategic projects to ensure that the SETA responds to government policy and plans for the Just Transition that takes into consideration climate change, National Development Plan, UN Sustainable Development Goals and Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan. As an Acting Personal Banker at Absa Private Bank, she managed a portfolio to ensure a comprehensive niche banking experience for clients by managing multiple stakeholders within the entire product coverage.

Mr Greg Bean is the Executive Director, Gutierrez Energy Management Institute at the Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston. In this position, he is responsible for energy-related curriculum, student experiential learning, research, industry events and industry outreach at Bauer. He is also the Faculty Director of the Master of Science in Global Energy Management Degree Program and an Adjunct Faculty member. His teaching and research focus is on the transition to a sustainable energy system. Greg has over forty years of energy-related experience in industry, management consulting, and higher education.

Dr Silas K. Mulaudzi has substantial experience in the energy sector (renewable energy, energy efficiency, Just Energy Transition) in South Africa. He has served in in all spheres of government in management positions and also in the academic institutions. Dr Mulaudzi vast experience gained in various institutions that are Department of Energy, City of Tshwane, Western Cape Provincial Government, University of South Africa, and he occupies a Specialist position responsible for Sustainable Energy at the South African Local Government Association and a Lecturer: Energy at the African Energy Leadership Centre at the Wits Business School.

Professor Maurice Radebe is the Head and  Director of Wits Business School. An experienced energy industry executive, he previously served as Executive Vice President of Sasol Limited, responsible for Sasol’s energy business globally. Prof Radebe started his career with Shell before taking on the role of CEO of Exel Petroleum, the first black-owned oil company in South Africa. Following the merger of Exel with Sasol in 2003, Prof Maurice joined Sasol Oil and spent the following 16 years with Sasol, managing several successful global joint ventures. Prof Radebe was a member of the Sasol Oil board for 14 years, and served as chairman for ten years. Passionate about leadership development, he is also the founder and chairman of the Unleashing Leadership Potential (ULP) Foundation. Prof Radebe holds an MBA from Wits Business School, and a certificate in General Management from Harvard University. 

Dr David Phaho is the Director of the African Energy Leadership Centre at WBS. He started his undergraduate studies at the University of Cape Town (UCT). This has led to several qualifications including a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Chemistry in the United States as a Fulbright Scholar. He joins Wits Business School from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) where he has been employed since 2020. At CPUT David held the portfolio of Deputy-Vice Chancellor responsible for Research, Technology Innovation, Postgraduate Studies, Partnerships, and Internationalization.

Nthato Minyuku has over 20-year executive experience in public policy management as well as external and government affairs in the oil & gas, power and grid utility, energy technology, energy technology, maritime and urban development sectors.

• She has held leadership positions at Eskom, Shell South Africa, the Presidential Infrastructure Coordination Commission (PICC), the South Africa Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), the World Bank, the South Africa Petroleum Industry Association (SAPIA) and the South Africa Liquid Fuels & Petroleum Charter Council. 

• Her experience spans key markets in Southern and East Africa, West Africa, North Africa and the Middle East.

• Nthato is an advocate for catalyzing infrastructure modernization and localization in African and Middle East developing and emerging markets through energy partnerships, sector reforms and utility-scale investments.

Sh. Prabhat Kumar, High Commissioner of India to South Africa  is a seasoned executive and strategic leader specialising in Transformation, Public Relations, and Stakeholder Relations. Her expertise was honed through impactful tenures at Vodacom SA and Engen Petroleum, where she spent 10 and 12 years respectively. During this time, she played a pivotal role in establishing and institutionalizing key business and community transformation initiatives, corporate affairs strategies, and stakeholder engagement frameworks.

Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa is a highly respected South African politician and academic, currently serving as the Minister of Electricity and Energy, a position he assumed on July 3, 2024. Previously, he held the same portfolio from March 6, 2023, to June 19, 2024, as Minister of Electricity. Dr. Ramokgopa boasts an impressive academic record, with a PhD from the University of Pretoria, Master's degrees in Public Administration and Business Leadership from the University of Pretoria and the University of South Africa, respectively, and a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Durban Westville. Career highlights include: Minister of Electricity (March 6, 2023 - June 19, 2024); Head of Investment and Infrastructure Office and Head of Infrastructure South Africa in the Office of the President; Professor of Practice, University of Johannesburg, School of Public Management, Governance and Public Policy; Gauteng MEC for Economic Development, Agriculture, and Environment; Executive Mayor of Tshwane (2010-2016); CEO, Metropolitan Trading Company and Johannesburg Market; Deputy Chairperson, Board of Trade and Investment in Limpopo.

Sh. Manohar Lal Khattar, Minister of Power, Government of India has been the chief minister of Haryana for two consecutive terms since 2019.  Khattar and his cabinet ministers resigned on March 12, 2024, and he was replaced within hours by BJP state president and Kurukshetra MP Nayab Singh Saini as the CM. As the BJP effected a change of guard in the state ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, it ended its four-and-half-year alliance with the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) led by Dushyant Chautala.Khattar then successfully contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Karnal constituency of Haryana.An RSS man, Manohar Lal Khattar, toiled on the ground to build the organisation for the last four decades till Prime Minister Narendra Modi handpicked him to lead the first BJP government in Haryana in 2014. The 70-year-old bachelor, known for his simple lifestyle and clean image, has earned himself the reputation of a tough taskmaster with a no-nonsense approach while working behind the scenes in key positions in BJP and is admired for his organisational skills. However, it is his proximity with Modi, who himself was a pracharak for Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), that catapulted him to the Chief Minister’s post. The man, whose parents worked as labourers and who once wanted to be a medico, has become the first Punjabi chief Minister of Haryana and the first non-Jat leader to occupy the post after 18 years. Known for his political acumen, Khattar played the role of a master strategist and successfully led many electoral campaigns for his party, the latest being the 2014 Parliamentary elections in Haryana as chairman of the Election Campaign committee. It was in 1996 when Khattar was actively working in Haryana, that he first began working with Modi, who was then in charge of the state. In 2002, Khattar was given a lot of Jammu and Kashmir as the state’s election in charge. Coming from a humble agricultural background, his family arrived in Haryana from Pakistan post-partition. They settled at Nindana, a village situated in Haryana’s Rohtak district. To survive, his father and grandfather took up odd jobs as labourers, finally saving enough to start a small shop. Khattar was born in Nindana in 1954

Ms Priscillah Mabelane, Chairperson: the National Transmission Company of South Africa (NTCSA) previously served as Executive Vice President: Energy Business at Sasol, where she was responsible for the production, distribution and sales of gas as well as distribution, marketing and sales of liquid fuels. She joined Sasol from BP Southern Africa (BPSA), where she was Chief Executive Officer. Directly prior to this she was Retail Operations Director for BP UK’s retail business and preceding this she was BPSA’s Chief Financial Officer for four years. Priscillah has broad international leadership experience and a solid corporate track record of successfully leading and enabling transformation in large functions and operations in both United Kingdom and South Africa. She has served as Non-Executive Director on the Board of South Africa-based Standard Bank Group Limited and Vodacom (Pty) Ltd. Priscillah is a member of the Advisory Board of WBS.

Mr Radhakrishnan Sarangapani is Head of Business Development (both domestic
and International) and also Consultancy Wing in NTPC Ltd. He is responsible for strategic decision making in both conventional as well as new, innovative and path breaking business opportunities for the organization.
He holds a B.E (Control & Instrumentation) from Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, Patiala, MTech in Computer Science & also an alumnus of IIM, Lucknow.

Mr Abhitabh Rawal is Additional General Manager of International Operations Division of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, India. His career spans 15 years in International Operations: Business Development, Marketing, Contracting & Project Execution, and 14 years in Production, Engineering & Planning functions, Strategic Planning, Budgeting & Monitoring; Enterprise Risk Management; Speaker at various national & international level conferences; Faculty for training programs for senior executives.

Mr Parchant Goyal  has a distinguished career in the mining industry, spanning over three decades. He embarked on his journey in the field of mining in 1993, after completing his bachelor’s degree in 1992. From 2000 – 2008, Mr. Parshant spent his time building a successful career in the Mining Industry working as Superintendent of Mines (E5, MCL) at Mahanadi Coal Fields Limited and later joining Jindal Group in Odisha as Deputy General Manager (DGM). In 2011 Mr. Parshant relocated to South Africa to take on the role of the CEO and Business Development Head at Vandana Global in which he was responsible for negotiating and acquiring new Coal and Iron Ore projects and in 2012 he was appointed as the General Manager/Project Director for Jindal Africa Investment (Pty) Ltd in Tete, Mozambique. He managed a substantial investment of US$300 million and a workforce of around 800 employees and was elevated to the position of Associate Vice President/COO, MINES, Jindal Africa in South Africa in 2014 where he orchestrated the transformation of the South African Anthracite mine, Kiepersol, into a profitable business. Between 2016 to present Mr. Parshant has embarked on an international ventures, relocating to Kazakhstan as the Director of Production and Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of the Coal Division at ArcelorMittal where his leadership was pivotal in achieving a remarkable 22-month period fatality free in one of the most challenging mining projects worldwide, transitioning to Romania as the Technical Advisor for Mining (Australia) & Head of Raw Materials (Europe) for Liberty Steel Group where he sourced diverse raw materials and ferroalloys, with a total value of €1.7 billion. Mr. Parshant Goyal is now currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the Jindal Group in South Africa, where he oversees mining and power plant projects in South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, and Malawi. Mr. Parshant Goyal is known for his vision, leadership, and strategic acumen and has a proven track record of successfully leading complex projects in diverse geographical locations, making him a respected figure in the global mining industry.

Mr Johnny Dladla  has over 30 years of experience in engineering, procurement, and commissioning of electricity and renewable energy projects. He is the founder of JMD Energy Resources, focussing on renewable energy investments, developments and advisory services. He is a Professor of Practice in the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment at the University of Johannesburg (UJ). He is assigned to the Centre for Food, Energy and Water Systems Nexus with a focus on the Just Energy Transition, AgriTech and Processing Research Programs. Previously held senior executive roles and directorships, at BHP Billiton Holdings & BHP Coal Energy in South Africa. His extensive career includes over two decades at Eskom, where he managed various divisions and established critical power purchase agreements with major industry stakeholders. He served as CEO of Eskom Enterprise, Rotek Engineering. In 2017 he served as an Interim Group CEO at Eskom Holdings. 

Dr. Yatindra Dwivedi is a leading HR expert with an experience of 34 years out of which 31 years in the PowerTransmission sector. A visionary, dedicated and result oriented professional who has delivered consistently excellent performance in a dynamic business environment. Focused on deliverance through Innovation and Agility. Having experience of 30 years in HR excellence in Power Transmission in various areas, be it Recruitment, Manpower Planning, Policy, Capacity Building etc.

Having ~33 years of HR experience in POWERGRID (30 Years) and HINDALCO INDUSTRIES (3 Years). Delivering results consistently in dynamic business environment of Regional Head Quarters of Patna & Nagpur and at Corporate Centre.; Designed First Human Resource Information System in POWERGRID; Started HR Outreach Programme for feeling the sense of the organization and rolled out many policies such as PRATIPHAL (Reward and Recognition), Transfer Policy, Initiatives to support families of deceased employees etc.; Leading change management for Digitization of HR and instrumental in rolling out of HCM module in ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning).; With strategic Manpower Planning & deployment, restructuring, manpower rationalization, re-designation, re- training & redeployment, Company’s revenue became 4 times while manpower remaining constant during last 10 years.i

Nomathemba Kgorane is a highly accomplished professional with over 16 years of experience in the energy and petrochemical industries, primarily with Sasol, South Africa. Currently serving as a Principal Specialist in Market Development, she has played a pivotal role in driving Sasol's energy transition initiatives, notably in Southern Africa. Her expertise extends to program management, demonstrated by her leadership of the Vaal Energy Transition Industrial Cluster, a significant multi-sector collaboration involving government, industry, and the World Economic Forum (WEF). This collaboration focuses on achieving net-zero targets in the Vaal region. Nomathemba’s career showcases a diverse skillset spanning production and design engineering, integrated business planning, strategic execution, digital transformation, and business development. She is adept at forging strategic partnerships, conducting thorough market research, and expertly navigating complex negotiations. Her leadership in several high-profile projects, including Sasol’s participation in the inaugural African stopover of the Energy Observer (a hydrogen-powered vessel) and the South Africa Green Hydrogen Summit, highlights her commitment to sustainable energy. Her achievements demonstrate a strong understanding of business needs, a dedication to driving transformative initiatives, and a proven ability to consistently deliver impactful results. Nomathemba holds a Master of Science in Chemical Engineering (University of Witwatersrand) and a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (University of Cape Town).

Dr Tripta Thakur is Director General, National Power Training Institute (NPTI), apex body of Ministry of Power, Government of India. She was earlier Head and Professor, Electrical Engineering Department at the National Institute of Technology, MANIT-Bhopal, India. She is a graduate in Electrical Engineering with Masters degree in Power Electronics from IIT-Kanpur, and has a PhD from IIT-Delhi. She has been recipient of several awards such as Commonwealth Research Scholar at University of Dundee (2005-2008), UK, Commonwealth Academic fellow at Durham University Business School (2014), UK, COFUND Senior researcher at Durham University Business School (2016), Visiting Faculty at Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok (2010), technical member for International Electrotecnical Commission (IEC), SEG4 Group, ISGF (MoP) working group member etc. She has teaching and research experience of 28 years, and has nearly 100 publications to her credit. She has also been a consultant for evolving a possible Common South Asian Electricity Markets. She has done various consultancies for Distribution companies in India. 

Professor Imhotep Alagidede is a metaeconomist with two decades of experience in development economics and finance, international policy analysis, strategic choices and planning, resource mobilisation and partnership building. He has offered policy advice through cutting edge research (Ethiopia’s tax reform; Nigeria’s parallel exchange rate regimes; Ghana’s public debt crisis and fiscal constraints; South Africa’s over bloated financial sector; corporate restructuring in Germany; Zambia’s energy dilemma; Zimbabwe’s monetary system and value chain agriculture; African Continental Free Trade Area). These have made inputs to national development plans and enhanced the knowledge of policy makers on various economic themes. Imhotep has consulted widely for the International Growth Centre on exchange rate volatility and deficit financing; the African Development Bank on financial sector development and economic growth; the United Nations on commodity price dynamics and implications for developing countries. He founded AREF Consult, a world class training, research, consultancy and advisory network offering alternative pathways to economic development. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) report that resulted in the birth of the AfCFTA Secretariat in Accra is one of the key points of AREF Consult, in addition to beer tax reform in Ethiopia, ease of doing business in Nigeria, and cannabis value chains in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Executive Director, AREF Consult; Board Chairman, Gracecoms Institute of Technology; Non-Executive Director, African Journals Online; Board Chairman, Gnostic Agritech Limitless; Board Chairman, Meta Engineering and Construction Corporation; CEO, Nsawkaw Mystery Farms; President and Chancellor, Nile Valley Multiversity. 

Omar Vajeth has been active in the Power and Infrastructure sector for more than 27 years. He is currently a Principal Corporate Relations Officer at the African Development Bank. Previous roles included leading the creation of the Southern African Power Pool’s project Advisory Unit, which was mandated to develop regional projects across the Southern African Region.  Earlier he led Barclays Africa’s Power Utilities and Infrastructure sector advisory and coverage. During this time, he concluded transactions across Africa in technologies such as renewable energy, coal, hydro, gas, HFO in addition to various advisory roles. After Barclays Africa Omar has spent time working with international utilities and South African investors on PPPs in South Africa and the coal baseload program. He has also advised firms on Black Economic Empowerment ("BEE") Private Equity Transactions in South Africa in the Power Sector. Early in his career, he worked at Eskom where he was the capital investment manager for the Transmission group. He has also worked at the National Electricity Regulator and Accenture. Omar holds an MBA, Law and B.Sc. Elec Eng degrees.

Mr Ashutosh Kumar is a graduate in Economics Honours and holds professional qualification of Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) from CFA Institute, USA. Mr. Ashutosh Kumar joined SBI as Probationary Officer in 2001 and has held various positions in different verticals of the bank across India, Singapore and South Africa. His previous major assignments include:DGM (B&O) in Jaipur Circle; Regional Manager in Maharashtra Circle; AGM & Head at Industrial Area Branch, Aurangabad; Head, Central Treasury Marketing Unit (CTMU) at Global Markets, Mumbai; Chief Dealer, Derivatives at Global Markets, Mumbai; Manager at PPR department, Head Office, Mumbai; AVP, Trade Finance & Business Development, Singapore Branch. Mr. Ashutosh Kumar has served as Non-Executive Director on the board of Sterling Bank Ltd, Nigeria in the past and is currently serving as Non-Executive Director to the board of Sterling Financial Holdings Company PLC, Nigeria. Mr. Kumar is also inducted as Executive Committee member of CII-IBF (SA) representing Financial Sector. 

Mr Amith Singh  Amith is the Head of the Energy Finance business unit within Nedbank CIB. He is chartered accountant with a Master’s degree in international financial accounting. Amith has been transacting in the energy sector for about 2 decades concluding a large number of deals in the African continent. Amith has a deep understanding of the African power sector and has been an integral part of Nedbank’s successful energy team who is positioned to be a leading financier in this ever evolving African energy finance sector. Nedbank Energy Finance is one of the largest dedicated team of Professionals dedicated to the African Power sector and has been successful in funding Power Projects in Africa.

Keith Webb, Senior Investment Banker, RMB, is an Exco member of Rand Merchant Bank’s Infrastructure Sector Solutions team with over 16 years’ experience in the sector. The team specializes in structuring and arranging debt and mezzanine investments in the Energy and Infrastructure sectors across Sub-Saharan Africa. Over the past year Keith has led the team’s approach to Private Power with over 1,500MW and $2bn of transactions closed. Prior to joining RMB, Keith spent 8 years advising multinationals on their corporate and investment strategies in Africa. Keith has his BSc (Mechanical Engineering), HDip in Engineering Management from Cambridge University and his MBA from Kellogg School of Management, Chicago.

Hon’ble Mahesh Kumar is an Indian Foreign Service Officer of 2008 Batch. He joined as Consul General of India, Johannesburg on 14 January 2023. He studied in Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi for his M.Phil in European Studies. Mr. Kumar also holds an MA (Politics with Specialization in International Studies) degree from School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. After joining Indian Foreign Service, he served in Indian Missions in Brussels, Tel Aviv, New York in various capacities. He was the Representative of India in the State of Palestine.

At the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi, he worked in XP Division, ED Division and AMS Division. Mr. Kumar is married to Mrs. Dimple Bhamboo. They have two sons.

Mr Sunil Kapur  has been with the Tata Group, an Indian conglomerate for the past 32 years.  Sunil is based in South Africa as the President, Africa region, of the Tata Power Company Limited since 2013.  Previously, he was the Executive Director, New Business Development for Tata Africa Holdings Limited.  Sunil has been responsible for the business and investments made by Tata Power and Tata Africa in 13 countries in Africa. Development and implementation of the Itezhi Tezhi Hydro Power project in Zambia.  The project is a joint venture with ZESCO, the Zambian Power utility.  The plant boasts of 99.85 % availability and approx. 75% PLF.

Shri Awdhesh Kumar Yadav belongs to Central Power Engineering Services (1999 Batch) and is presently serving as CHIEF (ENGINEERING) at CENTRAL ELECTRICITY REGULATORY COMMISSION, INDIA since June 2022. He started his professional career as an engineer in BHEL(1999) and subsequently joined Central Power Engineering Service at Central Electricity Authority in 2000. In CEA have been associated with transmission planning , various off line grid function in the Regional Power Committees , Tariff Based Competitive Bidding of Transmission projects etc  In CERC has been involved in formulation of various regulations like General Network Access, Indian Electricity Grid Code, RLDC Fees and Charges, Tariff Regulation 2024-29 etc and determination of tariff of thermal power projects , hydro power projects and transmission projects. He is an Electrical Engineering graduate from MMMEC Gorakhpur (1997).