MTN Business: Changing the world one bit at a time

MTN Business Leading CEO Council achieves what it set out to accomplish

Nothing can take the place of experience, but if the talented youth of today continue to learn and grow from the knowledge and wisdom of its current leaders, a great future lies ahead for South Africa. This is the sentiment that came out of the MTN Business Leading CEO Council that took place in Oubaai from 29 October – 31 October 2010.

Now in its sixth year, the annual Leading CEO Council is designed to develop solutions to improve the quality of leadership in South Africa and is the only platform dedicated to addressing the leadership crisis by bringing together three generations of the country’s smartest thinkers including 24 top businessmen and women, 24 protégées and 4 specifically selected matriculants.

Says Angela Gahagan, Managing Executive at MTN Business; “Spending a weekend with like-minded people allowed for the opportunity to really openly debate how to improve the quality of leadership locally. It is a really special experience when 24 leading CEO’s – all giving of their precious time – provide individual experiences and context to meet a common cause.”

Over the course of the weekend, protégés and mentors discussed important business issues such as corporate social impact and sustainability as well as ethics and best business practices. Additionally, conversations around essential qualities of great leaders in the workplace were high on the agenda, along with how to recognise and hone the abilities of successors, and how leadership skills must evolve as the world changes.

“It was refreshing to meet the protégés who have an appetite for change in this country and who made no excuses to harness the enormous potential sitting in the room with them. Each protégé gathered as much information as possible and I believe learnt a great deal, which in itself makes an event of this nature worth every cent spent – ultimately to maintain leadership legacies for generations to come!”

Concludes Gahagan; “In addition to the business element, we also had the opportunity to engage with each other during more informal and fun activities. I personally enjoyed the sporting challenge. Pure strangers join together to complete the task with a competitive team spirit – it’s exactly how the business industry should be.  As catalysts for change, MTN Business is proud to have hosted such a successful and meaningful event and we look forward to continuing our discussions and building relationships going forward as well as once again sponsoring next year’s event.”