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.