Henley INSETA participants graduate
Caroline Da Silva of FSB (left) with recipients of the top Action Learning Project award Thabani Msibi, Lwando Sangcozi, Lulu Mkhize, Katleho Matoba and Michael Khumalo.
At the INSETA graduation at Henley Africa, keynote speaker and Henley alumni Themba Baloyi said South African businesses have a unique opportunity in the challenges they face. Lessons can be learnt and skills acquired that are not common in most other countries. Mr Baloyi is founder and CEO of Discovery Insure.
He said it is often a business person’s aim to find a spectacular solution to a problem. “But to do something spectacular, many cumulative, day-by-day activities need to be done well. It is from this approach that we produce something spectacular,” he said.
“It is also important to be aware of the risks involved in a venture and prepare. Know when to ask for help and have passion in what you do. Based on this, there is no reason why South African businesses cannot be successful in the global landscape.”
INSETA is the Insurance Sector Education and Training Authority led by Sandra Dunn as chief executive officer. “INSETA’s goal is to grow the pool and quality of scarce and critical skills in the insurance sector, enhancing the sector and supporting the country’s transformation,” she said.
The year-long INSETA programme is run in association with Henley Africa and focuses on empowering insurance professionals to develop their skills in leadership, governance and management.
79 participants graduated from the programme. Participant Glenda Ireland Low, Business Insurance Manager at Indwe Risk Services, said, “Henley Business School provided us with the platform and common denominators that taught and empowered us to work together to arrive at and achieve common ground. This facilitated us to move forward in our management roles within our various industries and careers.”
“The Green Agenda programme made me aware of how important it is to include and implement structures and disciplines. Not only in the way we as individuals think and behave in our personal capacities, but also in the way we conduct and structure business, commerce, manufacturing, research, development. If we do not include the Green Agenda in our personal and business lives – we will not survive,” she said.
“Credit and thanks must be given to Henley Business School for embodying issues within their curriculum that not only empowers us to be efficient in our respective careers but for which that grooms us to be holistic and complete,” she said.
Speaker at the event Frank Magwegwe said he moved from unemployment and homelessness in his twenties to become segment chief executive at Momentum Retail and is the founder of Inspire Belief, a non-profit organisation dedicated to enriching the educational opportunities in disadvantaged communities in South Africa. He said employment provides dignity and education is the only way to fight the challenges in SA.
Mr Magwegwe story begins as a barman at the age of 20 in a small town in the Eastern Cape. In an effort to escape poverty and fulfil his dream of going to university he decided to relocate to Johannesburg in search of opportunities.
He told INSETA graduates that he struggled to find a job and became homeless in Johannesburg’s Park Station for nine months. This was until he started selling vegetables on the streets. Later, through spending time reading in public libraries, he applied to Wits University to study actuarial science.
He received a full bursary which started his journey to his successful career. It was at this time that he decided to give back to society and started Inspire Belief.
