Durban University of Technology (DUT) Business School hosted a Masterclass at the Coastlands Hotel in Musgrave on 13 and 14 June 2023. The sessions were facilitated by Mr Kaplan, from the DUT Entrepreneurial Studies and Management department. The presentations were hybrid allowing participants to join online, while majority of the Master of Business Administration (MBA) students attended the face-to face sessions. The Masterclass was designed to give MBA students an opportunity to benefit from experience and skills shared by industry leaders and subject matter experts, rather than a themed event. These sessions were an opportunity to empower the MBA students so they can contribute to a better tomorrow for their communities and society and the institutions and industry that they represent. As an outcome, it was hoped that participants would be in a position to develop their own blueprints as a way forward.
The session opened with the Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations at DUT, Mr Zwakele Ngubane, the first guest speaker. He discussed strategic corporate communication and focused on the DUT ENVISON2030.
Dr Luleka Mkuzo, a DUT alumni, received a round of applause for her inspiring story. Dr Mkuzo the founder and director of URGLOBAL Mentoring Network (NPC) shared her journey from corporate executive to finding purpose through improving the lives of the people in her village. The Mobile Rural Technology Park (MRTP), which promotes mobile technology classes in rural schools and communities. Her initiative has won her many awards and she recently visited the Apple Park in California, United States of America where she was announced as one of two African Apple Ambassadors. According to Dr Mkuzo, “A society will survive and will succeed when you are able to thrive as a group, not forgetting our individuality.”
Msinga reared and bred, Mr. Marc G.G Alcock has been at times a shebeen owner, political activist, community worker and African adventurer, and more recently the founder of Mina Nawe Marketing, a leading marketing agency. His talk focused on the Rise & Scale of Informal Economies, GG believes that South Africa’s economic growth and employment opportunities will come from the informal sector and the faster growing gig economy.
Prof FG Netswera, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Management Sciences spoke about the leading emerging market economies, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Professor Netswera, is also the director the South African BRICS Think Tank.
The chief executive officer of Retailability a group that owns and operate Edgars, Legit, Style, Beaver, Canoe and Keedo, Mr. Norman Drieselmann graced the stage and discussed how the company acquired Edgars that was in business rescue. He shared critical insights into business acquisitions.
Dudu Zwane, a seasoned Marketing and Commercial Executive, a DUT Alumnus and a GIBS MBA graduate imparted golden nuggets that challenged the MBA class to think beyond the convention and lead lives with a kindred entrepreneurial spirit. Dudu shared her corporate expertise and uniquely eye-opening experiences from her travels to over 15 developing economies. She advocates that the key to converging Africa towards other continents lies in the willingness of Africans to alter their way of thinking by using education as an enabler to transforming spaces and communities around them.
The founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Power Patch Partners and Advisory, Mr Desan Pillay shared ideas and information on the gig economy. His discussions focused on design thinking which follows a logical, systematic way of thinking to solving real life problems.
Ms Nestene Botha, Co-founder at Exploretech shared the rise to her success in business and her presentation was based on Cultivating Ecosystems of Growth: Collaboration as the Key to Thriving in the Morden Business World. Nestene encouraged the MBA students to consider doing collaborations with businesses and brands.
Mr Shahil Maharaj, the managing director of Planet54 Group ended the two-day event by delving into the power of innovation and the profound impact of youth-driven development. Shahil emphasized that to be market leaders in the future, businesses must adapt, understand and iterate, in order to launch faster in the e-commerce space. He also spoke on his passion for developing the youth when the company partnered with the DUT and the Wholesale and Retail SETA in launching the first E-retailer Academy in South Africa, where thirty young entrepreneurs were put through and incubator programme.
One of the guest speakers, Ms Dudu Zwane, hailed the workshop as incredible and insightful. She congratulated the team for hosting a great workshop. The same sentiments were shared by all the participants.
Pictured: MBA students
Sibahle Ngcobo and Lethukuthula Ngubane