Cobus Stander
Chief Operating Officer / Comedian, IQbusiness

Cobus Stander is a highly qualified and experienced professional with a strong background in accounting, financial management, and executive leadership. With more than 24 years of work experience, he has demonstrated expertise in operations, efficiencies, integration, and acquisitions. He holds a B Com Accountancy degree and a B Com Hons Certificate of Theory in Accounting (CTA), and he is a Chartered Accountant (CA) registered with the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA).
Currently serving as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of IQbusiness, Cobus is responsible for enhancing operations and driving efficiencies within the organisation. He has played a key role in the successful integration of four newly acquired subsidiaries, contributing to the overall growth and success of the company. Additionally, he leads business optimisation efforts across the entire IQbusiness.

Cobus has held key roles in his career, including Chairman of the Risk and Audit Committee at the Windybrow Council of the Arts and Chairman of the Risk and Audit Committee at the Medical Services Organisation (MSO) until 2015. In addition, he provided advisory services to H&M Engineering and Parm Garay’s Board and Chairman in 2021 and 2022, playing a crucial role in their strategic decision-making processes.
With his extensive experience, strong financial acumen, and commitment to excellence, continues to make significant contributions to the business landscape. He is recognised for his leadership, operational expertise, and financial management skills, all of which have enabled him to drive growth and success in his various roles throughout his career.

Sarah Toms
Keynote Speaker
Chief Innovation Officer, IMD Switzerland

About her session: Breaking New Ground in Education with GenAI

The International Institute for Management Development (IMD) is a small, yet elite, business school in Switzerland that is reimagining education through GenAI-enabled learning journeys and a new class of interactive games and tools. Sarah Toms, Chief Learning Innovation Officer, is leading IMD’s award winning efforts in this space using the principles of a lean, tech startup. Successful proof of concepts is scaled quickly, meaning that IMD is able to double down on its mission to be the most innovative and impactful business school on the planet. Sarah will take you on the journey that IMD has been on since early 2023 in the GenAI space and will share the exciting vision for the future of education.

Bio: Sarah Toms is Chief Learning Innovation Officer at IMD where she leads the Learning Innovation and AI strategy. Sarah previously co-founded Wharton Interactive, an initiative at the Wharton School that has scaled globally. A demonstrated thought leader in the educational technology field, she is fuelled by a passion to find and develop innovative ways to make every learning environment active, engaging, more meaningful, and learner-centric. Sarah is an AWS Education Champion, and has been on the Executive Committee of Reimagine Education for 8 years. She has spent more than 25 years working at the bleeding edge of technology, and was an entrepreneur for over a decade, founding companies that built global CRM, product development, productivity management, and financial systems. In addition, Sarah is coauthor of The Customer Centricity Playbook, the Digital Book Awards 2019 Best Business Book.

Odile Moreau
SAFe® Strategic Advisor and SPCT, Scaled Agile

About her session: Unleashing the Flow in your Teams and ARTs

Abstract: In this practical talk, Odile Moreau, SPCT and Strategic advisor for Scaled Agile Inc., will demonstrate how to combine Flow metrics and Flow accelerators to unleash the teams and ARTs capabilities to relentlessly improve their delivery of value.

Bio: Odile has 20+ years of experience helping profit and non-profit organizations in the fields of IT Service Management, Business Information Management, and Software Engineering across Europe. Over the last 10 years, Odile has been helping leaders and teams adopt Lean and Agile values, mindset, principles, and practices at scale. Currently, Odile is part of the ESG Leadership team, leading the Carbon Footprint initiative at Scaled Agile.

Working as a Strategic advisor, SAFe instructor, and consultant, Odile loves inspiring people and helping them develop the necessary skills, competencies, and behaviours in order to take the first step in improving and changing the way they work. By combining deep matter expertise with the ability to coach on behaviour and leadership, she has proven to be a highly effective advisor for large organizations.

Born and raised in France, after spending 27 years abroad (mainly in the UK and The Netherlands) she is now based in Paris. When Odile is not working you will probably find her exploring the world, immersing herself in local history, culture, cuisine, and arts.

Zahier Bagus 
Head of Project Management office, JSE

About his session: From Chaos to Choreography: The Unlikely Dance of Our LPM Evolution

Join us for a captivating journey through the evolution of the JSEs – lean portfolio management (LPM) practices. Strap in as we explore a history marked by dramatic shifts—from the chaotic days of “whoever screams the loudest gets heard” to the harmonious symphony of civility and collaboration.
In this talk, we’ll delve into the highs and lows of our LPM journey, from the raucous mosh pit of command-and-control management to the uplifting rhythms of teamwork and shared goals. Witness the transformation from a frenzied rave of gaming the system to a sophisticated jazz club, where thoughtful consideration of the greater good guides our decisions.
While there are still areas for improvement, our journey represents a quantum leap in our thinking, behaviour, and approach to leadership. Experience the transition from chaos to cohesion as we navigate the twists and turns of organizational growth. Get ready to put your hands up in the air, groove to the beat, and embrace the sweet sounds of collaboration at the JSE.
Take advantage of this opportunity to learn from our experiences and discover how embracing civility, listening, and considering the greater good can improve organisational culture. It’s a journey you won’t want to miss!

Bio: Get ready to embark on an exhilarating journey through the dynamic career of Zahier Bagus—a seasoned Agile Coach, Scrum Master, and Cloud Broker extraordinaire! With a colourful blend of experience spanning the realms of IT transformation, program management, and leadership, Zahier brings a unique perspective to the table that’s as captivating as it is impactful.

Experience
With a stellar track record at prestigious institutions like the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), Standard Bank and DHL Express, Zahier has honed his craft, spearheading transformative change initiatives and navigating complex landscapes with finesse. From managing portfolios and driving agile transformations to leading cloud strategies and coaching teams, Zahier’s expertise knows no bounds.

Highlights
• At the JSE, Zahier led the charge in building a new Agile PMO and driving an organisation-wide Agile transformation, revolutionising how work gets done.
• With a knack for fostering collaboration and driving change, Zahier has earned accolades for his leadership, teamwork, and unwavering commitment to excellence.

Key Functions
Enabling project delivery, APMO operations, risk management, financial control, portfolio management, and more—Zahier’s skill set is as diverse as it is impressive.

Education
Armed with an MBA in Leadership, Innovation, and Change, an undergrad in politics, and a host of certifications and technical expertise, Zahier is seasoned with Agile and IT transformation.

Personal Details
When he’s not busy revolutionising the world of IT, Zahier can be found indulging in his passions for cycling, running, and CrossFit. As a devoted family man and co-founder of Lil Choices, he’s committed to making a positive impact both inside and outside the boardroom.
Join Zahier Bagus on a journey of innovation, empowerment, and transformation—a journey that promises to inspire, enlighten, and leave you craving more.

Teaser for the JMJ panel

This project involves over R1 trillion in assets and 5.6m customers. It is up against a political battleground, organised crime syndicates, drug lords and human trafficking. It needs to rebuild infrastructure, establish security, tackle some of the most challenging social issues, generate commercial opportunities, leverage education and harness creativity. The programme timeline will last 30 years and requires an estimated investment of R600bn. It is a super connector ecosystem with partner organisations including Anglo American, Nandos and IQbusiness, with support from Wits University, Absa, Standard Bank, Microsoft, Investec,and many more. If successful, it will result in re-establishing the social fabric and value of Africa’s largest economic hub, harnessing the latest in digital capabilities.

Jozi My Jozi is a movement for the people.. by the people .. that is inspired by our constitution to help bring hope and instill pride back into our city. Meet the CEO of Jozi My Jozi, Bea Swanepoel and the creative genius Melusi Mhlungu in a panel discussion as they explain why Geshido is core to their approach, hosted by Adam Craker, CEO IQbusiness and himself, a founder and director of Jozi My Jozi.

Celicia Muregess
Talented Agile Consultant, specialising in SDLC Delivery Management, +Onex

About her session: Don’t be afraid to venture into the unknown

Let’s shatter the notion that an Agile Practitioner’s sole duty is to educate, execute and support agile methodologies. These confining beliefs only stifle our ability to truly make a difference. Journey with me as we embrace the courage to explore uncharted territories, unlocking the potential to make meaningful impact beyond delivery boundaries.

Bio: With over 16 years of dedicated expertise in the Information Technology realm, Celicia boasts more than 8 years of specialized experience within the Agile landscape, serving as a versatile Scrum Master, Scrum Master Lead, and Coach. Her professional journey has traversed diverse sectors including Banking, Software Solutions, Technology, and Consulting. Celicia has spearheaded the introduction and orchestration of Agile methodologies tailored to the unique environments of esteemed entities such as IsoMetrix, Internet Solutions, Nedbank, and FNB. Not only has she championed these methodologies but also mentored fellow Scrum Masters, nurturing a culture of continuous improvement.

Teresa Strydom
Agile Practice Lead, Liberty

About her session: An Agile journey – how to re-ignite again and again.

This talk will focus on an insurance company’s Agile Transformation Journey and some of the lessons learned.
As a company that has gone through various incarnations of Lean and Agile we had to learn how to build on Agile foundations rather than restarting. We also had to work out how to scale our Agile approach. We chose the SAFe®️ framework and have launched a Solution Train and several independent Agile Release Trains.
During our journey we were lucky enough to work with internal and external Agile Coaches, Scrum Masters, Release and Solution Train Engineers as well as Product and Program Managers. The knowledge, experience, mindset, influence, and support structures that these people brought was crucial to our success.
Our training approach evolved from only external training to a combination of using external vendors, building in house capability, and having partnerships with various training and coaching companies. Training, followed up by Agile Coaching, has created Agile Champions at all level of the organisation.
Our focus has always been and remains a changed mindset and not just to do Agile. This continuous process of Change Management and Agile Coaching is re-ignited with every change in leadership or organisational structure change.
It is our hope that sharing practical examples of our journey would help conference delegates and their companies on their own journey.

Bio: Agile enthusiast and change agent passionate about humanising the workplace experience. With a background in software development leadership, I specialise in organisational transformation through coaching collaboration, trust and continues improvement.
As a certified Agile Coach, SAFe Practice Consultant and MBA graduate I work with teams and leaders to foster a culture of agility and innovation, enabling them to deliver incremental value to their customers.

Adam Craker
CEO, IQbusiness

About the Panel Discussion – Geshido® in Action: Transforming Johannesburg Through Partnership and Innovation

Jozi My Jozi is a movement for the people.. by the people .. that is inspired by our constitution to help bring hope and instil pride back into our city. Meet the CEO of Jozi My Jozi, Bea Swanepoel and the creative genius Melusi Mhlungu in a panel discussion as they explain why Geshido is core to their approach, hosted by Adam Craker, CEO IQbusiness and himself, a founder and director of Jozi My Jozi.

Bio: Adam is the CEO at IQbusiness, the largest independent management consulting firm in South Africa. He is an ardent lobbyist for government and business collaboration. Most recently, both the COBRA Consortium and the COBRA (Covid Business Rescue Assistance) Initiative, were conceptualised and initiated by IQbusiness, Schindlers Attorneys and Engaged Business Turnaround on 19 March 2020. COBRA was established as a social enterprise (NPO) offering pro bono services to South African businesses in distress. Through a structured business rescue process, COBRA co-ordinates bank, government and stakeholder support. Adam has forged strong partnerships between IQbusiness and various NGOs and social enterprises such as: SmartStart, Tomorrow Trust, Harambee and Partners for Possibility. Some other milestones encouraging shared prosperity for all include the creation of the GROWTH.co.za forum and accompanying annual research report that identifies 5 key pillars for growth. Under Adam’s leadership, IQbusiness has won the coveted 2018 Conscious Companies Award. IQbusiness is making a positive impact in ESD and other areas with Adam’s “End the #NationalShutUp” campaign, his work with the Presidential CEO Initiative and the establishment of the National Mentorship Movement. Recognition of IQbusiness as a Certified B Corporation positions Adam and his team as leaders in a new social narrative. Previous companies and positions: Super Group (COO), Dimension Data (Group Executive), Merchants (Pty) Ltd (MD), Accenture (Associate Partner), British Gas (Market Analyst). Adam is a member of the Young President’s Organisation, a Fellow of the Institute of Directors and the President of the IMD Alumni Club of South Africa.

Bea Swanepoel
Program Manager – Anglo American

Bio: Bea Swanepoel is a partner in Professional Procurement Partners (PPP), currently leading projects for Anglo American’s Corporate office.
Bea has more than 25 years’ experience in the mining industry, from leading finance departments to managing a capital growth portfolio. During her years in the mining industry, Bea held several senior positions including that of Finance manager, Business Manager for a Category A project and Capital Portfolio Manager. Since joining PPP, Bea has focused on implementing supply chain and contract management processes in various businesses, Managing cooperate projects for Anglo American, and leading the Jozi my Jozi movement as Acting CEO.
Bea’s passion for Johannesburg is due to growing up in the city, and her focus on improvement and installing hope for the residents of Johannesburg is due to a deep connection with people and the desire for a better future for the youth of South Africa.
Bea is a qualified Chartered Global Management Accountant.

Nkuli Mbundu – Tech Executive & Former MMC for Economic Development

Nkuli is a technology executive with over 25yrs experience in tech consulting and business leadership across the African continent.

Nkuli is currently Lead Executive, Government Business at Liquid Intelligent Technologies, a subsidiary of the Cassava Group of companies and a Pan African technology organization operating in 32 countries.

He has held leadership roles in leading multinational organizations including Vodacom, EMC2, Sun Microsystems, Ericsson and Cisco Systems.

Prior to the role at Liquid Intelligent Technologies, Nkuli was an elected councilor in the City of Johannesburg Council. He is former Member of the Mayoral Committee and political head for the Department of Economic Development for the City of Johannesburg under the Multi-Party Government. The portfolio includes the Joburg Property Company, Joburg Market, Joburg Tourism Company and the Metro Trading Company. In this role Nkuli played a pivotal part in efforts to transform the city’s economic prospects. Some of his. Achievements include passing in council of the Informal Trade Policy, implementing the digital informal trade permit system, establishing the city’s job seekers database, empowering over 80 SMME’s with programs in financial management and concluding a grant funding agreement that would result in 5,000 jobs created in the innercity among others.

Nkuli’s expertise is in Business Transformation, Sales Leadership and General Management in the areas of Data Management, Analytics, AI, Cloud and Telecoms and has run successful sales organizations across the continent.

In his personal capacity is a Social Activist, Volunteer in the JoziMyJozi movement, Coach and Mentor to young South Africans, whom he believes desperately need guidance in ethics and leadership skills to direct the future of the country into a positive path.

Nick Manterfield
Managing Director: CIO (Absa CIB)

About his session: You are never done getting better at Ways of Work

1. Why change ways of work?
2. Making “How We Work” a strategic organisational imperative
3. How we organize ourselves
4. How we build products
5. How we measure improvement
6. How we align
7. How we show up

Under each of these sections I’ll talk to the journey we have been on over the last few year – where we were, where we are now, and where we want to get to next, with some lessons / learnings.

Bio: Nick is an experienced technology executive, with a career working in Corporate and Investment banks. Prior to joining Absa CIB in 2008, Nick worked at Morgan Stanley in London and New York. Nick’s career at Absa has seen him in a range of roles, and he is currently the Chief Information Officer for CIB, which includes accountability for the Absa’s Payments technology. Having started his career as a software engineer, Nick still enjoys the daily challenges of technology problems, but is also passionate about driving cultural change around how we build and deliver software to create value for clients. Nick holds a BSc in Chemistry and an MSc in Management Science from the University of Warwick.

Matthew Harvey
Agile Delivery Chapter Lead, ShopriteX

About his session: ShopriteX! Ready, FIRE, Aim – Getting X done!

How ShopriteX Digitally Transformed, converted to Agile and implemented an Agile Enterprise Planning tool all at the same time and had huge success with Delivery and efficiency and resulted in us winning a Business Agility award even.
Will cover HOW we did it, WHAT we did, and great failures and lessons learnt, and the main part will cover what’s NEXT in terms of Agile 3.0!
Will cover all the above elements in a simple practical way that people will be able to take away and look to action to drive themselves into Agile 3.0 like the below:

• People Agility & Culture focus!
• Strategy Alignment with Teams
• Fail Fast and FailFoward
• Use of VIRTUAL roles
• FeedForward concept
• Early adopter
• Early adoption of an Agile Enterprise Planning tool
• Combining Build & Run teams on the same journey
• Embraced Continuous Improvement
• What next’s for Agile 3.0

Bio: Matthew Harvey has vast experience in the retail industry, with a career spanning 37 years. He is now a certified SAFe®️ 4 Agilist and SAFe®️ 5 Release Train Engineer and has learned how to share practical skills on taking people and organisations on the Agile journey.
During his 17 years at Clicks, he gained valuable experience in-store and regional management and implementing space planning strategies. Matthew later spent 13 years as an independent contractor at Clicks. He excelled as a Senior Project Manager and successfully implemented a wide range of system and process projects, including their eCommerce project. In the last seven years, he has been a part of the Shoprite Group, where he served as an independent contractor Senior Project Manager on the SAP COR3 project and as a Business Delivery Lead for the Digital Transformation project. Matthew is currently the Release Train Engineer and Agile Delivery Chapter Lead at ShopriteX, where he has been for the last four years.

Siphiwe Moyo
Keynote Speaker
Founder & Managing Director, Paradigm People Solutions

About his session: Psychological Empowerment: Unleashing Radical Ownership for High-Performance Results

Join Siphiwe Moyo, the acclaimed organisational behaviour specialist and keynote speaker, at GESHIDOCON for a transformative journey into the heart of high-performance culture. In this electrifying keynote, Moyo will decode the mysteries of human behaviour through the lens of behavioural science while championing Radical Ownership and Accountability with Zero Blame. Prepare to unlock your team’s full potential by unleashing psychological empowerment and overcoming disengagement once and for all.

Siphiwe aims to disrupt the status quo of Agile Practitioners at GESHIDOCON. In this electrifying keynote, Moyo will lean into the power of GESHIDO—the art and science of getting sh*t done—by seamlessly integrating the principles of psychology and radical ownership. Say goodbye to convoluted models and frameworks; it’s time to ignite a relentless pursuit of results that truly matter. Prepare to be provoked, inspired, and equipped with practical strategies to unleash your inner GESHIDO warrior.

Key Takeaways:

1. Understanding the psychology of human behaviour: Gain invaluable insights from behavioural science to decode the drivers behind individual and team performance.
2. Radical Ownership and Accountability: Embrace a culture of accountability where excuses are replaced with proactive solutions and blame is eradicated.
3. Unleashing performance through psychological empowerment: Learn how to empower individuals to take ownership of their roles, fostering a sense of purpose and engagement.
4. Overcoming disengagement: Discover practical strategies to re-engage disenchanted team members and reignite passion and commitment.

Approach: Siphiwe Moyo will captivate and empower attendees through a dynamic presentation that blends cutting-edge research, real-world examples, and actionable insights. With his signature blend of charisma and expertise, Moyo will challenge conventional thinking and inspire a paradigm shift towards Radical Ownership and Accountability. Prepare to leave GESHIDOCON equipped with the tools and mindset needed to foster a culture of high performance and psychological empowerment within your organisation.

Bio: Siphiwe Moyo is a globally recognised thought leader, keynote speaker, and organisational behaviour specialist renowned for his ability to inspire transformational change. A Hall of Fame-inducted speaker and educator with a career spanning over two decades, Moyo has dedicated himself to decoding the complexities of human behaviour and empowering individuals and organisations to reach their full potential.

Biase De Gregorio, is a leading figure in the Agile and Lean communities in South Africa, bringing a touch of Italian flair and efficiency to his leadership style. His Italian heritage is a core part of his identity, infusing his work with a blend of passion, precision, and a no-nonsense attitude akin to a jazz musician fostering continuous improvement and collaboration.

As an Executive Partner and the head of the Agility practice at IQbusiness, De Gregorio has built and leads one of the largest teams of Agile consultants in South Africa, united by a common purpose of enhancing organizational agility through Lean and Agile methodologies. His influence spans across various industries, with a notable impact in financial services, where he has steered numerous large-scale Agile transformations.
Biase is renowned for his ability to “get shit done” through what he calls the GESHIDO – the Subtle Art of Getting S#!T Done. Under his dynamic leadership, IQbusiness has trained over 11,000 individuals in Agile practices, embodying his commitment to fostering a culture of continuous learning and excellence. His strategic vision and operational expertise have also paved the way for key partnerships, such as the collaboration with Scaled Agile Inc, AgilityHealth and SpryAgility, which aims to enhance Agile and Lean competencies and broaden the business agility community in South Africa.

De Gregorio’s approach to agility is marked by his focus on creating collaborative working environments and ensuring the strategic alignment of business and IT goals. His leadership has not only improved operational efficiency but also enabled organisations to become more responsive to market changes and customer needs. His contributions to the Agile community underscore his reputation as a thought leader in the field, continually pushing the boundaries of what is possible in business agility, all while embodying the spirit of “La Dolce Vita” in his professional endeavours.

Mnandi Gilliland
Agile Consultant, Coach and Trainer, IQbusiness

This workshop offers a deep dive into maximising Jira’s potential for Agile workflows. Learn the essentials of project setup, issue creation, and sprint planning. Explore the flexibility of Kanban and Scrum Boards, and master the art of creating personalised dashboards for actionable insights. Whether you’re new to Agile or a seasoned pro, this session equips you with the tools to drive efficiency and success in your Agile initiatives with Jira.

About Mnandi: Meet Mnandi, a people-loving enthusiast with a deep passion for simplifying complexities and nurturing thriving teams. Armed with a Masters in BCom Tourism Management, Mnandi stumbled into the Agile world and never looked back. Now certified as a SAFe Release Train Engineer and Advanced Scrum Master, she dedicates her days to facilitating, problem-solving, and spreading the Agile love.
Mnandi’s journey commenced in logistics, but the dynamic tech scene stole her heart in 2022. Since then, she’s been on a relentless quest for knowledge, soaking up everything Agile and beyond. Whether it’s engaging in discussions about Scrum principles, delving into the core values of Agile, exploring the intricacies of Kanban and SAFe, or sharing insights on agile coaching techniques, Mnandi is always up for a good conversation. Join her on the adventure as she invites you to explore the exciting world of Agile together.

Andre Deschodt
Navigating Team Design and Dynamics with Laser Precision

Join our Team Design and Dynamics Workshop to unlock the secrets of high-performing teams. Delve into the power of small, cross-functional teams and learn how to ignite their growth. Gain insights into change models and strategies to navigate organizational shifts seamlessly. Through interactive sessions and hands-on activities, you’ll leave equipped to lead your teams to excellence and thrive in dynamic environments. Don’t miss this chance to enhance your Agile practices and embark on a journey toward team success.

About Andre: Husband, father, and dedicated family man, I bring my passion for Agile and Lean principles to every aspect of life. As an Agilist, I thrive on transforming teams, organisational culture and systems into efficient, collaborative units. My journey is marked by a commitment to continuous improvement, seeking flow all around, from optimizing supermarket queues to elevating team dynamics.

Josh Chettiar
AI Lab – Lead Developer Consultant, IQbusiness

An exploration and demonstration of the capabilities of generative AI agents in project management scenarios. Learn how AI can help understand the evolution of projects under different scenarios and personas, as well as generate useful artefacts.

About Josh: Data scientist. Senior Manager at IQbusiness and leader of the AI Lab. Certified Microsoft Azure Engineer Associate. Research Psychology Masters graduate (Wits)

Odile Moreau
SAFe® Strategic Advisor and SPCT, Scaled Agile

This 90-minute workshop will give the participants a practical understanding of Flow. In small teams, they will reflect on the six main Flow metrics and how they can be applied at Team and/or ART levels. Furthermore, the participants will delve into the eight Flow accelerators. Ultimately, they will define the first steps in building or improving their Flow strategy. This workshop is open to Scrum Masters, Team coaches, RTEs and SPCs.

About Odile: Odile has 20+ years of experience helping profit and non-profit organizations in the fields of IT Service Management, Business Information Management, and Software Engineering across Europe. Over the last 10 years, Odile has been helping leaders and teams adopt Lean and Agile values, mindset, principles, and practices at scale. Currently, Odile is part of the ESG Leadership team, leading the Carbon Footprint initiative at Scaled Agile.
Working as a Strategic advisor, SAFe instructor, and consultant, Odile loves inspiring people and helping them develop the necessary skills, competencies, and behaviors in order to take the first step in improving and changing the way they work. By combining deep matter expertise with the ability to coach on behavior and leadership, she has proven to be a highly effective advisor for large organizations.
Born and raised in France, after spending 27 years abroad (mainly in the UK and The Netherlands) she is now based in Paris. When Odile is not working you will probably find her exploring the world, immersing herself in local history, culture, cuisine, and arts.

Matthew Harvey
Agile Delivery Chapter Lead, ShopriteX

Will cover some best practices and tips of how to take a framework principle of Inspect and Adapt and scale it UP to a different level, covering different options and some very practical elements without losing the core essence of a retro or inspect & adapt event.
Then participants in groups will spend 20mins do their own I&A of the ideas and what else they would like to change or improve on.
Thereafter we will facilitate a feedback from each team and have a consolidated outcome that is VOTED on.

About Matthew: Matthew has been working in the retail industry for over 38 years and have gained a wealth of experience in various roles. Matthew spent 30 years at Clicks in a variety of roles allowing him to gain valuable experience in store & regional management and implemented their Space Planning capability. Additionally, he has spent 21 years as an independent contractor at Clicks & the Shoprite Group, as a Senior Project Manager and Business Delivery Lead. Currently he is the Agile Delivery Chapter Lead at ShopriteX, where he has been helping to digitally transform and implement Agile practices for the past five years. As a certified SAFe®️ 6 Release Train Engineer(RTE) and SAFe®️ 6 SAFe Practice Consultant (SPC), he has learned how to guide people and organizations on their Agile journey.

Alison Gitelson
CEO & Founder, CanBeeDone

In the world of investing, they say ‘past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results’. Nowadays in any business, what worked before – last year or maybe even last month – can no longer be guaranteed to give the same results – too many parameters will have changed, and each action changes the system.

How then do we make decisions and move forward in the face of enormous uncertainty?

We can limit risk by taking small steps, reviewing and adjusting (inspect and adapt). However, taking those small steps still requires courage.
And there are other times when bigger, bolder steps are required; when taking them enables us to take advantage of new opportunities emerging from this new, less predictable world with all its unknowns and ambiguities.

Many of us are accustomed to being cautious and yet through focused practice we can become more comfortable, more confident, and more courageous in stepping into uncharted waters.

In this participatory, experiential workshop you will:

• Understand why we are understandably reluctant to jump into the new and unknown
• Increase adaptiveness and actively increase your comfort with ambiguity
• Grow your ability to take decisions and move forwards in the face of uncertainty

Your experienced facilitator, Alison, will guide you through the process, making each step both fun and impactful.

About Alison: Alison Gitelson of CanBeeDone is a maximizer, facilitator and growth enabler.
She combines over thirty years of technical and management experience (in healthcare, ICT, engineering, education, government and non-profit sectors) with a deep understanding of human behaviour.

Alison works with brave leaders and teams to unlock human ability; and to envision, strategize, and move, towards a better and sustainable way of doing business in a complex world.
When Alison isn’t facilitating sessions herself, she coaches and mentors others to become better facilitators and leaders.

Riaan Dempers
Agile Consultant, Coach and Trainer, IQbusiness

Digital transformation is surging. Leaders need to showcase the measurable value these tech investments bring to executives, stakeholders, and customers. We’ll be getting together to ideate and discuss external & internal success metrics to demonstrate the business impact of digital transformation.

About Riaan: Riaan has been an agile practitioner for nearly two decades with a software development and project delivery background. He completed his post graduate diploma in Digital Business to support his passion to unlock flow and maximise value in organisations in a digital age.

Melissa Subban
Curating and sustaining the energy to Get Things Done!

In our fast-paced world, achieving our goals and dreams often feels like an uphill battle. We find ourselves drained, overwhelmed, and lacking the energy to take action. But what if I told you that the key to accomplishing your aspirations lies not just in your actions, but in the energy you bring to them?

“Curating and Sustaining the Energy to Get Things Done,” will be a 90-minute workshop designed to transform your approach to productivity and achievement. As a people strategist and mind-body-energy practitioner, I’ve spent years exploring the intersection of personal energy and performance. In this workshop, I’ll share with you practical strategies, insightful techniques, and engaging activities to help you harness and sustain the energy needed to turn your goals into reality.

First, we’ll delve into the fundamental principles of energy management, understanding how our physical, mental, and emotional energies influence our ability to get things done. Through interactive discussions and reflective exercises, you’ll gain a deeper awareness of your own energy patterns and learn how to optimize them for peak performance.
Next, we’ll explore the power of intention setting and mindfulness in energizing your actions. I’ll guide you through mindfulness practices and visualization exercises to cultivate a focused and positive mindset, enabling you to approach tasks with clarity, purpose, and enthusiasm.
But energy management isn’t just about what happens within us—it’s also about our environment and interactions. We’ll discuss how to create environments that support your energy levels and foster productivity, whether it’s through optimizing your workspace or surrounding yourself with supportive peers or talking about things that excite and energize the individuals.

Throughout the workshop, we’ll engage in experiential activities aimed at revitalizing your energy reserves and breaking through energy blocks. From breathwork and movement to guided relaxation techniques, you’ll discover practical tools to recharge your batteries and maintain momentum even in the face of challenges.
Finally, we’ll explore strategies for sustaining energy over the long term. You’ll learn how to cultivate habits and rituals that nourish your mind, body, and spirit, ensuring sustained vitality and resilience on your journey toward success.
By the end of this workshop, you’ll walk away with a newfound understanding of how to curate and sustain the energy needed to accomplish your goals. Whether you’re striving for professional success, personal growth, or a balanced life, the principles and practices you’ll learn here will empower you to thrive in all areas of your life. (90 min Activity based)

About Melissa: Melissa Subban is a People Strategist who helps leaders create happy human experiences across a business value cycle.

Before beginning to change the world with HappyFactory, Melissa worked for over 18 years in the corporate world as a Change & Communications Manager, Service Delivery Manager, Program Manager & Learnership Coordinator.
After a successful career helping Business Strategy and Architecture with human centered design for customers, vendors, employees and internal stakeholders, Melissa now advises companies on how to create and implement people strategies, customer journeys and communication plans that focus on happy human experiences.

She gets to exude her inner fairy for a living! and enjoys painting, yoga and other mind-body-spirit practices.

Melissa is available for your employee program designs and private consultations on any creative business development.

Melissa has been seen in

• BNI Webinars and International Meetings
• Democratizing Entrepreneurship Workshops
• SEIFSA seminars
• APMG Events
• Transformation Legacy Webinars
• Women for Impact Sprint
• Living Consciously Talks
• HappyFactory Events