Theme: Defining Climate Solutions

Defining Climate Solutions | Countdown is a bold, global movement to find ways to rapidly shift to a world with net zero greenhouse emissions and tackle the climate crisis. Communities, schools, universities, businesses, nonprofits, and city representative offices are invited to participate. Understanding that now is the time to take back power on climate, TED works with incredible networks to ignite ideas, showcase solutions, and drive action locally.

UNISA Main Campus
Preller St, Muckleneuk
Kgorong Building, Function Hall
Pretoria, Gauteng, 0002
South Africa

Asson R Esmie

Experienced Professional with a demonstrated history of working in the Insurance industry. Skilled in Sales, Marketing, Public Speaking, Real Estate Management, and Construction. A strong business development professional with a desire to help other businesses grow. With an Associates Degree in Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications from Vector Technology Institute & ITT Technical Institute.

Bonolo Vilane

Sales & Logistics Director

Bonolo Vilane is a creative enthusiastic, high achiever with 4 years in the field of logistics. A graduate of the University of Johannesburg. Passionate about helping the customer realize their pain points. Recognized for sales leadership, consistent business growth, providing customers with strategic vision and forging solid relationships. team builder, talent developer, coach, driven focused and resilient.

Cheryll Stewart

Cheryll Stewart is the Managing Director of GEN Jamaica. She was also Global Ambassador of the International Business Innovation Association – the local representative in Jamaica (InBIA – formerly the National Business Incubation Association, NBIA) In this capacity she had responsibility to increase awareness of the association, to expand the cadre of professionals who support entrepreneurial development. As the founding President of the Caribbean Business Incubation Network (CBIN), a group of Business Development Professionals across the Caribbean, this group facilitates the networking and developmental support among Caribbean Partners. She has received Undergraduate and Graduate Degrees from Nova Souteastern University, a facilitator Lean Start-Up Business Model Canvas Bootcamp for Entrepreneurship programmes, professional certification in – Business Analysis from Duke University, Lean Six Sigma-Green Belt, other productivity improvement tools, Human Resource Development and Business certification. In her current capacity as an entrepreneur and consultant, she provides a variety of tech solutions and business advisory services to businesses locally and overseas. A former lecturer in Marketing, Consumer Behaviour, Compensation Management and Human Resource Development – University College of the Caribbean (UCC), University of the West Indies (UWI), and Exed Community College. Miss Stewart is an entrepreneur and Business Incubation professional, who has experience the ebb and flows in business operations. She is also: a former director of the Courtney Walsh Foundation, a not for profit organization utilizing cricket as an intervention tool in prisons and for street boys; Former Vice President Membership, Vice President Marketing for the UTech Alumni Association, during which she was a member of the team which conceptualized and implemented the UTech Alumni Hall of Fame; and has held positions as President of the St. Cecelia Prepatory where she was responsible for the development of the chess club to improve students’ academic performance.

Dr Denise Nicholson

Denise is a native of Jamaica, West Indies who migrated to Mount Vernon, New York as a teenager. She became a teenage mother who overcame many obstacles as she worked towards becoming an entrepreneur and is a graduate of Pace University. Dr. Nicholson helps women create better lives and discover their true inner voice through therapeutic storytelling

Dr Grabiel Okello

Founder of African Centre for Clean Air & Cambridge University Research Fellow

Gabriel joined CISL in July 2020 as Research Associate. Gabriel is a research active expert with vast experience in renewable energy, air pollution assessment and human exposure science. He is interested in human exposure science with specific interests in the health effects of air pollution and interventions relating to automobile exhaust emissions, biomass fuel smoke, second-hand smoke and emissions from industries. Gabriel is passionate about promoting evidence-based policies and citizen science to reduce human exposure to air pollutants in outdoor, indoor and workplace settings. His research aims to encourage the uptake of air pollution measures and to strengthen knowledge surrounding public health benefits due to cleaner air in all settings; thereby building capacity around the use of air pollution information in healthcare to help manage patients with respiratory disease and multimorbidity.

Dr. Katina Lang-Lindsey

Director & PI of the Opioid Impacted Family Support Traineeship & MSW Apprenticeship Program. Area of Specialization and Interest includes the following: Medical social work, chronic disease research, social work with chronic kidney disease patients, transplantation, peer education, disease management, behavioral intervention, health care disparities among minority groups, and mental health. I write about ways to improve people's lives impacted by chronic disease. I write about how peer intervention can improve quality of life. Also, I write about the impact of disease on health outcomes and provide for living a full life on purpose with disease

Ebube Olivia Akueme

Ebube Olivia Akueme is a dedicated and enthusiastic individual. She possesses excellent interpersonal skills and confidently communicates the concept of becoming a better you, concisely and articulately, at all levels. She believes in setting one’s priorities in the order of God first, family next, followed by work. She is a delightful speaker and intelligent lifestyle coach. With over 12 years of experience as a coach, she knows that one can succeed with focus, discipline and doing the right thing. Ebube constantly inspires and encourages people to become their best selves in every aspect of their lives, be it in their relationships, finances, health, work/career or spirituality. This is an ability she has often expressed from her childhood. She expresses these through speaking and writing (articles and books).

Funmi Okonweze

Chartered Accountant + Relationship Coach + Author

Funmi Okonweze’s journey as a relationship coach began when the breakdown of her own marriage over a decade ago, led her down a path of extensive research and coaching to help her discover how to navigate the complexities of relationships. Her studies enabled her to acquire valuable insight and tools that contributed significantly to the restoration and transformation of her own marriage and inspired her soon to be released book: “Restore your Broken Marriage and Create Your Happily Ever After”. She is also proponent of relationship coaching as an important contributory factor to a successful marriage. Over time, Funmi has used her knowledge and experience to coach and advice couples struggling to make their marriages work, helping them achieve their relationship goals. Funmi is a Fellow of the Institute of Certified Chartered Accountants with over 2 decades of experience in Investment Banking. She lives in London with her husband of 25 years and their two children

Irene Chikobvu

Chartered Accountant

Chartered accountant CA(SA) at ABSA in their Regional Operations team. She has previously worked for KPMG, Sasol and in management consulting: Her work includes benchmarking DFI in South Africa against various other local and international DFIs. on the structure of their Strategy, business model & operating model. • Working with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) to develop their strategy for Sustainable reporting in the Africa Region. This includes identifying the benefit of ESG investments and the impact of sustainability within Africa. • Worked on a project in Ghana to help introduce private sector participation (PSP) into the electricity distribution and retail leg of an unbundled state-owned entity. This entails identifying the optimal PSP model, detailing the geographical segmentation for the PSP, understanding the impact of previous PSP implementations on the SOE’s KPIs through data analysis and preparing relevant content for DFI’s and other investors (i.e world bank)

Kayembe Gilles Ilunga

As an Associate Director at PwC South Africa, I work with a team of experienced consultants who help our clients generate ideas, reframe problems, and prioritize initiatives in a constantly changing environment. With a Master's degree in Digital Business from Wits Business School and 15 years of professional working experience in various industries, I have a strong background in consulting, digital, and data analytics. My passion is to create exceptional customer experiences that deliver material business outcomes and value. I am also a social entrepreneur and activist, who founded and directs Ilunga Wealth Management, a company that provides affordable rental properties for ordinary South Africans.

Nigel Wilcocks

He believes good design is now expected, not just a special treat. He thinks all companies regardless of size must focus on design to succeed in the digital world. In recent years he has been involved in the strategy, design, and delivery of digital projects, spanning the telco, fintech, and retail sectors. Nigel is passionate about creating user-centered experiences that delight customers while delivering strategic objectives that unlock value at every level. In his spare time, the design switch doesn’t turn off… He is an avid cook, and videographer, just like making stuff. He also enjoys spending time with my kids, drinking craft beer, and farting around with friends.

Noah Nicholson

Noah was born at 23 weeks with a spirit that was humble, courageous, and strong. Noah enjoys video games, drumming, swimming, football, and basketball, as well as spending time with his friends and family. He values his relationship with God, friends, and family, as well as his roles as a student, friend, brother, cousin, nephew, son, and grandchild. Noah takes pride in helping others and hopes to pursue a career as a first responder when he is older.

Prof Aaron Nsakanda

Professor, Supply Chain

Professor Nsakanda has moved the area of operations and supply chain management research to the next level with extensive contributions in industry and theoretical research in academia. A long-standing professor since 2001, his expertise is in mathematical modelling and discrete event simulations to find a quantitative basis for making optimal operational decisions within a business application.

Prof Marcia Mkansi

Head: Office of Graduate Studies & Research

Marcia Mkansi holds a PhD (University of Bolton) and is SAP certified. She is a consummate academic and a prolific innovator with the uniqueness of focusing on societal research and human capital development. She serves as an advisory board member of Africa Resource Centre (ARC), a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)- funded non-governmental organization, set up to be a a resource to the public health sector in African governments. Her university-industry alliances include, but are not limited to Kuehne Foundation, The Innovation Hub, and SAP skills Africa. She is a nominee for the top women Standard Bank and UN women projects, and a finalist under the research, innovation, and creative economy of the National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) – South32 awards. Her research activities on supply chain innovation have won numerous awards and reached the semi-finals of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) global solver challenge.

Sherwin Harris

Senior Vice President

Purposely endeavouring to power Africa Gas I Renewable Energy I Battery Energy Storage | Microgrids | Energy Efficiency Thought leader in the Gas, Cogen, LNG regasification, Renewable Energy, Battery Energy Storage, Hydrogen, Microgrids and Energy Efficiency sectors. My core competence lies in addressing reliability and security challenges and enabling cost-effective, sustainable energy solutions. Over the past four years, Sherwin Harris has led renewable, LNG, hydrogen, and hybrid projects for ENGIE across Africa. He started his career in 2003 as an engineer in training at Sasol's Gas circuit. Following this, he served as Senior Electrical Engineer at Sasol Synfuels and Senior Project Manager from 2005 to 2007. Over the course of 2008-2015, he was part of Sasol’s Business Transformation, Strategy Execution, and Programme Management.

Shirley Brown Danzy

Shirley Brown Danzy is an author, motivational speaker, and mindset coach based in Mississippi. She has a passion for helping people unlock the full potential of their lives for a broader tomorrow. She authored “The Power to Succeed, Unlock Your Life, Unlock Your Dreams,” which is all about empowering people.

Vernell Lamones

Former Flight Attendant and Avid Traveller

Vincent N Lindsey

Founder of VNL Ministries

Zethu Kunene

Chief Executive Officer

Zethu Kunene is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Green movement Energy and the Inventor of an innovative lignocellulosic-based fuel known as the Woodie. A young leader in the renewable energy sector who thrives on the willingness to stick with a bold course of action — an unconventional business strategy and a unique product-development roadmap — even as the rest of the world wonders why he zigs while others zag. Zethu Kunene understands that in an era of hyper-competition and non-stop disruption, the only way to stand out from the crowd is to stand for something special and meaningful.