Shapers Podcast

Take a listen to my thought-provoking conversation with Sarah Arnot Mulhern, who I would describe as a polymath. She is an author and has extensive experience as a business coach, currently coaching notable listed CEOs.  In our discussion, Sarah shares her views on organisational resilience, diversity, leadership and narcissism in the workplace among other things. #FindYourFocus #RielMalan #SarahA...

I speak to Ronen Aires, an African pioneer in the re-discovery of psychedelics. These ancient compounds have been part of human existence and medication for thousands of years. Yet it has fallen out of favor over the past 60 years. Currently, the use of psychedelics in the treatment of multiple disorders is receiving renewed focus from both alternative health practitioners and medical research ins...

Ian Fuhr's name is synonymous with one of South Africa's most recognized brands, Sorbet, a chain of beauty salons that he founded in 2004. But his tireless work in building businesses based on fairness and equality is his greatest passion.

Riël Malan talks to Richard (Kiki) Fernandes, CEO of East-African-based Marginpar Floriculture, producer and exporter of flowers from three African countries. His empowering-, people-centric approach made Marginpar globally competitive and established a culture that serves as an example of what investment in people can achieve in Africa.

Riël Malan talks to Styli Charalambous, CEO & publisher of South Africa's leading news organization, The Daily Maverick. The Daily Maverick is credited (among many other things), to have broken the key state capture stories that catalyzed the Zondo Commission of Inquiry and leadership changes underway in South Africa.  Between Styli Charalambous & Branko Brkic, they lead a fearless group of die-ha...

Kelly Chibale's life unfolded like a movie script. Although success was not apparent at the start of his life. The conversation details his struggles and how he overcame the many setbacks on his way to the top of his profession in early-stage drug discovery. His life is an example of what education can do to the future of Africa's young population. This is the second part of a 2-part discussion, a...

Kelly Chibale's life unfolded like a movie script. Although success was not apparent at the start of his life. The conversation details his struggles and how he overcame the many setbacks on his way to the top of his profession in early-stage drug discovery. In this in-depth discussion, he discusses perseverance and his philosophy for success, and his vision for Africa to play a much larger role i...

Andy du Plessis is the CEO of  FoodForward, the largest food-redistribution program in South Africa. At a time when South Africa is reeling from the effects of the Covid-19 crisis, Andy and his organization's mission has never been more relevant. With more than 30 million people estimated to be in food distress at the moment, they distribute more than just food, they distribute hope to many that h...

Louise van Rhijn's organisations Symphonia for South Africa and Partners for Possibility focus on working with school principles and business executives, by placing them in partnership relationships to lift the general level of management in schools. She challenges both sides to "cross the boundary" - to move out of their comfort zones and work in a closer partnership to create the education futur...

Matt Brown is the definitive "restless soul". He has travelled and lived across the world, and while doing this, started not less than 10 businesses by the time he hit 40. In 2015 he "fell into podcasting", at that stage an unknown medium in mainstream circles. Fast forward to 2020, Matt has become a household name to many, with more than 200 episodes and 1m downloads of his podcast, "The Matt Bro...

South Africa's education system is broken. We know this from the graduation statistics that surface year after year. But we also know this from the unemployment rate - and specifically youth unemployment rate of more than 50% at the end of 2018. Not only is our economy in trouble, but our youth also seems unemployable after finishing school with no hope of further tertiary studies. John Chambers,...

Allan Gray recently passed away. Leaving not only the largest fund manager in Africa as a legacy, but also two foundations he started with Anthony Farr. The leadership legacy that these two foundations will leave, will live on for generations to come. The approach taken,  and the impact that these two foundations will have on Africa is not well known and explained in this conversation with Anthony...

Vusi Thembekwayo is at the top of his game as a sought after speaker on leadership & entrepreneurship topics. I caught up with him in Johannesburg, where his other business, My Growth Fund, is based and about to launch a great business training initiative into townships. Vusi is a master of clear and thought-provoking thinking. He is starting to play a significant role as an opinion former to many...

Gil Oved is the co-founder of the creative council, an iconic business that he co-created over the scope of the last 18 years from only an idea and recently sold to Publicis, the well known French Multi-National. Gil is probably publicly best known for his role as one of the sharks in the hit TV series, Shark Tank. He will be starting 2019 in his new venture LLH Capital - a Permanent Capital Vehic...

I am finishing this first season of Shapers, Makers, Builders & Breakers with a conversation with an extraordinary young man, Taps Mugadza. His life story reads like a movie script. Abandoned on steps of an orphanage when he was just 2 days old, he lived through a trying childhood where the little stability he had was taken from him a number of times. Over his formation years, he discovered he had...

This was the first episode of the podcast series aired in February 2019. Being the first episode in the series, I do believe that it did not receive enough attention and is worthy of a re-release. It was filled with tremendous life lessons and learning. Themba remains one of the most inspiring young business leaders in Africa and South Africa today. Themba Baloyi is a textbook example of what dete...

Today is woman's day in South Africa. And my guest is a woman who is boldly opening new frontiers through the radical digital transformation of her family business, Associated Media Publishing. A company that her mother started three decades ago, and one that she has been leading for the past few years. Very few industries have experienced the extent of the disruption that publishing has experienc...

Keet van Zyl is the co-founder of Knife Capital. The leading South African venture capital firm specializing in the funding and scaling technology businesses. Knife had its origins in Mark Shuttleworth's "Here Be Dragons" Fund. Keet has a wealth of VC and startup experience. He writes and tweets extensively. Our conversation covers a great many topics and is a great resource for any established en...

Over the course of the past ten years, Gareth Ackerman engineered a massive corporate overall and turnaround of South Africa's largest retailer, Pick 'n Pay with an entirely new senior leadership team. PnP's turnaround and the Ackerman family's repositioning of their business and family interests serve as a textbook example of a family-business generational transition, as well as the evolution of...

Musa Kalenga is a prime example of a new wave of digital entrepreneurs in Africa. In his concentrated and highly successful career, he managed to distinguish himself not only as a free-thinking entrepreneur but he also fitted in stints at some of the leading digital corporates as a trailblazing and transformative digital leader. These included positions at Nedbank & Facebook Africa. He has started...

Riël Malan talks to Nyimpini Mabunda, who left a highly successful corporate career for the uncertainty of the entrepreneurial world. We talk to him about his journey and how he planned and executed his "escape" from corporate life. His story is instructional to any corporate employee dreaming about rowing his own boat in an entrepreneurial venture.

Dr Michael Mol is no stranger to most South Africans. His face graced our small screens for 12 years in one of the most successful travel & lifestyle programs Top Billing - a show that is still running today. But Michael is a man of many talents - he's a physician, he is an accomplished MC & media personality, and a master public speaker. And for the last number of years, he's been working hard to...

Allon Raiz is "a collector of entrepreneurs." He has built, in the words of The Economist, "the only true business incubator on the African continent". And he has done this without any government assistance. Over 19 years, he has incubated 12500 businesses, of which over 500 are currently in his Raizcorp program. These businesses maintain an average revenue growth rate of 41 %, and 238% profit gro...

There are few examples of successful African technology companies. In this episode, Riël Malan talks to the CEO's & co-founders of 3 tech startup companies based in Cape Town (South Africa) that has passed the 1000 day mark are gaining significant traction in the local and international markets. They discuss their journey with its highs and lows, how they identified their respective opportunities,...

Ntombi Langa-Roys grew up in exile with a father that was actively involved in coordinating the struggle against apartheid. She sat around the table with her parents with many noteworthy struggle leaders as a child, while they debated the strategies and solutions to bring about change in South Africa. Over the years, this foundation guided Ntombi to play the guiding role that she plays on various...