Zipporah Maubane

About Zipporah Maubane

Zipporah Maubane is Head of Communications & Advocacy at the African Union Development Agency (AUDA‑NEPAD), advancing Agenda 2063 through narrative strategy, institutional reputation and multi‑stakeholder advocacy. With close to three decades across infrastructure, technology, FMCG, energy and logistics, she previously served as CMCO (Africa & Middle East) at Zutari and Group Executive: Marketing at Altron, with earlier roles linked to The Coca‑Cola Company, BP, Sasol and DPD (UK). She is Founder & MD of Digital Ascent Ltd, supporting executives and SMEs with digital presence. Guided by a people‑first ethos, she views communications as the connective tissue of development: how institutions ‘show up’ shapes confidence, collaboration and investment. Her work centres on human‑centred storytelling that honours African dignity, reframes outdated stereotypes and translates policy into accessible narratives that move decision‑makers.

Key message

Communication is connective infrastructure. How institutions show up through narrative, reputation and stakeholder engagement determines whether they attract confidence, capital and cooperation, or lose all three. Authentic African stories do not just deserve to be told. They make opportunity visible and investable. In an era of AI-generated content and synthetic narratives, the organisations that lead with credibility are those that govern their voice, not just amplify it.

Speaking topics and expertise

• Shifting the Narrative: Making Africa Visible and Investable
• Communications as Infrastructure: Mobilising Partnerships that Deliver
• From Policy to Publics: Storytelling that Moves Capital and Collaboration
• Women
• Talent and the Future: Building Executive Visibility that Matters
• Inform. Empower. Inspire.: The Internal Communications Framework for Organisations in Transformation
• AI
• Trust and the Authentic Voice: What Communications Leaders Need to Govern
• Not Just Use
• Leading Through Change: How to Communicate Acquisitions
• Restructuring and Retrenchments Without Losing Your People