Nyimpini Mabunda

About Nyimpini Mabunda

Nyimpini Mabunda is a global executive, turnaround specialist and best-selling author known for leading complex organisations across Africa. His story from rural Gazankulu to the CEO role inspires leaders to take charge of their careers, decisions and impact. Nyimpini Mabunda is President & CEO and Board Chair of Schindler Lifts South Africa and one of the continent’s most respected leadership voices. Born in Gazankulu, he rose from working in his family’s trading store to leading global multinationals across FMCG, telecoms, industrial engineering and financial services. His career spans Procter & Gamble, Nando’s, Diageo, Vodacom, GE and Schindler — where he led major turnarounds, market expansions and people-centred transformation initiatives across 14 African markets. He has chaired the US–South Africa Business Council, served as a senior advisor to Boston Consulting Group, and held multiple non-executive board roles. His best-selling book, 'Take Charge – Life Lessons on the Road to CEO', distils his philosophy of personal mastery, strategic clarity and inclusive leadership. Nyimpini is a sought-after keynote speaker known for his grounded presence, relatable wisdom and ability to translate complex leadership lessons into practical, actionable tools.

Key message

From a rural trading store in Gazankulu to the boardrooms of global multinationals, Nyimpini teaches leaders how to take charge of their careers, decisions and markets — combining sharp strategy with deeply human, inclusive leadership.

Speaking topics and expertise

• Take Charge – Life Lessons on the Road to CEO
• Winning – and Staying – in Africa
• Leading Turnaround & Digital Transformation with People at the Centre
• Just Transition: Digitalisation
• Energy & Inclusion
• Growing Others: Building the Next Generation of African Leaders

Achievements

- Former CEO – GE Southern Africa (14 markets) - Former CEO – Vodacom Consumer Business Unit - Former Managing Director – Diageo / Uganda Breweries - Led major turnarounds across telecoms, industrials and FMCG

Education

• Bachelor of Business Science, University of Cape Town • MBA – UCT Graduate School of Business • Executive Programmes – Harvard Business School & INSEAD

Talks and speeches

1) Take Charge – Life Lessons on the Road to CEO • How to design your career as if you are the CEO of your own life • Navigating corporate complexity with integrity • Lessons from P&G, Diageo, Vodacom, GE and Schindler 2) Winning – and Staying – in Africa • How multinationals succeed in African markets • Localisation, resilience and stakeholder management • Building high‑performance teams across cultures 3) Leading Turnaround & Digital Transformation • Turnaround frameworks for complex organisations • Digital inclusion vs digital disruption • How culture accelerates or kills transformation 4) Just Transition & Emerging Markets Leadership • Balancing growth, climate realities and social equity • Why digital inclusion and gender equity matter for strategy 5) Growing Others – Leadership Multiplication • Coaching, sponsoring and growing diverse talent • How leaders become multipliers, not bottlenecks

Delivery style

Grounded, strategic, story-driven, accessible, insightful, people-centred.

Why audiences listen

Nyimpini has lived the full arc — rural village to global CEO — and translates that journey into universally applicable leadership frameworks. • Real boardroom experience leading some of Africa’s most complex organisations • Strong Africa strategy & turnaround leadership expertise • Combines sharp strategy with accessible storytelling • Helps leaders build confidence, clarity and execution discipline • Speaks to both senior executives and emerging talent with equal resonance

What the talks address

• Turnaround leadership • Strategic clarity & organisational execution • Digital inclusion & just transition • People-centred leadership & culture transformation • Career acceleration frameworks

What participants will learn

• Practical leadership tools • New thinking on culture and transformation • How to navigate complexity with confidence • How to grow others and build winning teams

What audiences take home

• Clear frameworks • Renewed confidence • Practical next steps for personal and organisational leadership

Benefits for individuals

Confidence, clarity, leadership growth, career acceleration.

Benefits for organisations

Better leadership behaviour; stronger culture; sharper strategy & execution.