26 September 2017- Business Leadership South Africa’s (BLSA) new leadership team continues to take shape with the appointment of Mr Thulasizwe (Sizwe) Mbele as Head of Strategy with immediate effect.

This follows the appointment of Mr Bonang Mohale as CEO in June, and Mr Themba Maseko as Communications Director in August.

“The appointment of head of strategy has been critical to sharpen the implementation of our recently launched contract and integrity pledge” says Mr Mohale. “In Thulasizwe Mbele, we have someone who brings drive, passion and energy to that process”.

Mbele joins BLSA after a stint as Chief Operations Officer at Grocat BV/ TDM Petroleum, part of the Afgri Group. Prior to that, he was Business Opportunity Manager at Shell South Africa from February 2015 to February this year and before that, he was Business Projects Executive from July 2010, also at Shell SA. Mbele has also served as Fuels Marketing Manager at Shell Africa, responsible for strategy and investment decisions in over 34 African markets. His fuel industry career, which started in March 2000, has also taken him to Chevron SA and Caltex Oil SA. As part of Future Leadership Forum (at Caltex Oil), Mbele spent valuable time at San Ramon, California, US.

Mbele holds, a bachelor of social sciences degree (in marketing and economics), economics honours, a post graduate diploma in business management from the (now) University of KwaZulu-Natal. He also, completed a certificate in finance and accounting from Wits. Mbele also graduated with MBA degree, specialising in corporate finance, advanced valuations, international business strategy, investment finance and scenario planning at GIBS. Mbele has solid background in marketing, strategy formulation to execution, stakeholder engagement and negotiations. He has a practical experience in business modelling, business turnaround, investment decisions and divestment. “It is a great pleasure to join a progressive organisation like Business Leadership South Africa that actively seeks to create a more inclusive, transformative and empowering South Africa” said Mbele. “I have been encouraged by the vocal, participative voice of BLSA in the challenges faced by our country”.

BLSA represents 80 of South Africa’s largest businesses and multinational companies. BLSA recently signed a Contract with South Africa and launched an Integrity Pledge through which it aims to create jobs, develop black executive leadership and combat public and private sector corruption.

“I truly believe that we are in the process of assembling a stellar team to take the BLSA’s vision and mission forward,” said Mohale. “I am excited by these developments.”