Gillian Anderson

Gillian Anderson, a co-founder of SAYes, is an actress and writer. She has starred in numerous films and is best known for her role in The X-Files. Gillian supports numerous charities, including Artists for a New South Africa, Treatment Action Campaign, Buskaid and Neurofibromatosis, Inc.

Scott Sommers

Scott Sommers is an experienced leader in the service industry, having spent more than 25 years in various leadership roles across BPOs and corporates.  He is currently based in Seattle, WA and is employed at Expedia Group as the Sr. Director for Market Operations across the Americas, where he leads teams responsible for helping lodging partners find success on Expedia Group’s platforms. 

Prior to joining Expedia Group, he spent 15 years with Amazon which brought him to Cape Town where he launched the Amazon employer brand to the African continent.  During his time in Cape Town, Scott became an avid advocate for SAYes through both being a mentor and supporting the leadership team in expanding its vision.

Rahla Xenopoulos

Rahla Xenopoulos, a published author, studied drama in education at the Market Theatre Laboratory. In 2009, Random House published her first book, A Memoir Of Love And Madness. In 2012 Penguin published her second book Bubbles. Her third book TRIBE, with Umuzi, Penguin, was published in September 2015.

Rahla facilitates writing workshops for children in Soweto, Johannesburg and Khayelitsha, Cape Town and is also on the board of Short Story Africa.

She has extensive experience in education and in counselling marginalised children, and gives talks on mental health and empowerment. She was one of thirty-four women profiled in The Power Within Companion.

Rahla now lives in New York with her husband and three children.

Jean de Villiers

Jean de Villiers has been a celebrated leader in South Africa’s rugby and sports communities for years. He was named team captain of the Springboks South African national rugby team in 2012, South African Player of the Year in 2008 and is the most-capped centre in Springbok history. His legacy and success is attributed to his perseverance and determination in the face of injury and adversity.

Jean is now a dedicated philanthropist and youth advocate and believes in the power of mentoring to combat inequality and develop the leaders of tomorrow.

Phuti Mahanyele-Dabengwa

Phuti Mahanyele-Dabengwa is the Executive Chairperson of investment holding company, Sigma Capital. She is the former CEO of Shanduka Group, from 2004 to 2015. Prior to that, she was the Head of the Project Finance South Africa business unit at the Development Bank of Southern Africa and Vice President at Fieldstone, an international firm specialising in the financing of infrastructure assets.

Ms Mahanyele is involved in a number of activities with youth in her personal capacity. She mentors young professionals and supports students, and is involved with the “Dignity Day” programme which is led by Young Global Leaders of the World Economic Forum, focusing on reinforcing the values of dignity in young people. She is also an honorary member of the Golden Key International Honour Society and Patron of Bosele Foundation.

Ms Mahanyele has won many awards, among them “Most Influential Woman in Government and Business” by Financial Services (2009), “Leading Africa Woman in Business of the Year” (2012), a “Distinguished Achievement” by The Douglass Society (2013) and in 2014 she was awarded both the Platinum Award by Motlekar Holdings BBQ and the Forbes Woman Africa Business Woman of the Year.

In May 2016 she became a member of the Rutgers University Hall of Distinguished Alumni, and in the same year the President of Rutgers University awarded her with the Outstanding Alumni Award. The Wall Street Journal counted her among one of the “Top 50 women in the world to watch”.

Ms Mahanyele was awarded “Top in Project Finance” (2003) by the Association of Black Securities & Investment Professionals (ABSIP), and was selected as a Global Young Leader in 2007 by the World Economic Forum.

She holds a BA Economics from Rutgers University, USA, and an MBA from De Montfort University in Leicester, UK. In 2008 Ms Mahanyele completed the Kennedy School of Government Executive Education program ‘Global Leadership and Public Policy for the 21st Century’ at Harvard University. She is Director of Blue Label Telecoms Limited and is on the board of Comair Limited, Reunert and is also on the advisory board of Stellenbosch University. She chairs the Bain Academy which supports professionals in corporate Africa.