2025 SPEAKERS

Tauqeer Ahmed is a Civil Engineering Professional with 18 years of experience in civil and port infrastructure research, planning, and design. He currently leads diverse senior engineering teams responsible for R&D, technical standards, professional development, and asset & energy...

Previously group chief financial officer of the City of Johannesburg, Reggie joined Gibela as chief financial officer in June 2018 with experience in finance that spans over 20 years. Reggie has held various positions, including group financial director at a financial services company. He has...

Pierre Cicion is a seasoned transportation professional with extensive experience in the rail industry. Currently serving as the Vice-President for the Middle East and Africa region at RATP DEV, Pierre brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the field of public transportation. With a strong...

Tobiyise Dhlamini is a dedicated Safety Specialist with extensive experience in the rail industry. Currently serving at Transnet Freight Rail, He is committed to ensuring the highest safety standards are upheld in all operations. With a strong background in risk management, compliance, and safety...

Mr. Luc  Fabry is the Trade and Investment Commissioner of Flanders Investment and Trade, the Trade and Investment Promotion Agency of Flanders Belgium and is based in Bryanston, South Africa (6 years).  His jurisdiction includes 12 countries of Southern Africa. His previous assignments were  in...

Manuel has extensive experience in the Instrumentation and Monitoring sector, with over 17 years of experience working on railway projects worldwide. With an academic background in surveying, he is currently completing his Master's Degree in Management and Sales at UNIR.

Willem Gous: Transforming Rail Networks through Entrepreneurial Thinking Willem Gous is a globally recognised speaker, trainer, and author with over 25 years of experience in the entrepreneurial field. His mission is to help individuals and organisations harness entrepreneurial thinking to drive...

Siyabonga Gule began his career as an Industrial Engineer at South African Breweries and Sasol, driving operational efficiency through continuous improvement initiatives and Lean Six Sigma methodologies. He later excelled at Transnet SOC Ltd., holding roles such as Senior Process Optimization...

Henrik Hololei is an economist by training and holds degrees from Tallinn Technical University and Aarhus University in Denmark. He held various positions in the Estonian Government Office between 1995 and 2004. He was mainly responsible for coordinating the work for the Estonian accession to the...

Nadège is the senior loan officer for South Africa and Zambia, after being the deputy head of mission of the regional representation for Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean at the European Investment Bank for the past five years. She worked in development finance at the Agence Française de...

Darryl Jacobs is an accomplished professional with extensive experience in the transportation and mobility sector. Currently serving as the Acting Head of Department at the Western Cape Mobility Department, Darryl is a strategic leader with a proven track record of driving innovation and...

Masanja Kungu Kadogosa, Director General - Tanzania Railways Corporation. Under his leadership, the Tanzania Railways Corporation has achieved significant milestones i.e. transformation of the rail industry in Tanzania with the Modernized Standard Gauge Railway. His strategic vision for the future ...

Zyd Khambule is a dynamic and visionary leader with a passion for driving empowerment and economic development in South Africa. As the Chief Executive Officer of SA Youth Economic Development, Zyd is dedicated to creating opportunities for young people to thrive in the ever-evolving business...

Khuthalani is an experienced presenter and facilitator.  She has a Gold Medal in Public Speaking from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), as well as several commendations in public speaking and interpretive reading through Toastmasters International.  This has allowed her to excel ...

Nthabiseng Kubheka is a seasoned transportation professional with a wealth of experience in the rail industry. Currently serving as the Country Director for South Africa at RATP DEV, Nthabiseng brings a unique blend of strategic vision and operational expertise to her role. With a proven track...

Junior Lechaba currently serves as the Rolling Stock Operation Executive (Acting) at Gibela Rail, having previously held the position of Head of Manufacturing for two years. Junior is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in manufacturing and quality management within the automotive and ...

Thembi Lekganyane is a seasoned professional with experience in the logistics, operations management, consulting and most recently in the rail industry. Currently serving as the General Manager of Strategy at Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager (TRIM), she has a strong background in strategic...

Advocate Michael Madiro is a legal luminary who seamlessly melds decades of legal expertise with a shrewd acumen for corporate strategy. As a seasoned politician, his leadership and ethical governance have solidified sustainable growth and regulatory excellence across myriad sectors. He is a holder ...

Mr. Sandile Magenuka Acting General Manager, Network Maintenance & Infrastructure Development   Sandile is currently the Acting GM responsible for network maintenance and infrastructure development at TRIM. He has 29 years’ experience working in engineering and project development...

Mr. Athanacious Makgamatha is the General Manager: Signalling and Telecommunications in the Strategic Asset Development (SAD) Signals & Telecoms (S&T) department at PRASA. Athanacious holds a master’s degree in computer systems Engineering and a master’s in business administration (MBA). As ...

Electronic engineer with a PhD in Operations Research (thesis on algorithms for railway traffic optimization). 30 years of experience in the Railway sector spent in R&D, Project Management, Bid & Sales management in Bombardier Transportation before he joined Wabtec on January...

Dr. Maximilian Matschke is the Managing Partner at Anura Partners, a boutique consulting firm specialised in logistics strategy.  Max started with consulting more than 15 years ago, working for blue chip companies already in his early 20s before joining McKinsey & Company in Germany focussing...

Sethunya Matsie is Certified Professional Ergonomist (CPE), accomplished Researcher, and proficient Safety Management Systems practitioner currently working for the Railway Safety Regulator. Matsie holds a Master of Science degree in Human Kinetics and Ergonomics from Rhodes University, 2 Bachelor...

Dr Buyiswa Mncono-Liwani is a seasoned Executive with more than 20 years management experience in all aspects of economic development and stakeholder management which includes localisation, government relations and advocacy, enterprise development and social investment in different industries. She...

Dr Emma Molobi is a Principal Engineer within Transnet Freight Rail, with over 13 years’ experience in the railway industry. Her expertise is in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering which ensures the quality, durability and performance of railway assets with particular focus on rolling stock...

Eng. Zaituni Nakonde is a professionally registered Civil Engineer with a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, a Master’s degree in Project Management, and an MBA. She brings over 15 years of experience in infrastructure development, specializing in the leadership and delivery of large-scale...

Adv. Michelle Phillips is the current Group Chief Executive of Transnet SOC Ltd and was appointed in this role effective 01 March 2024. She has 25 years' experience in Transnet, with a proven track record in business and operations improvement, especially in the port environment. In 2020, she...

HOWARD ROSEN C.B.E, M.A. (Oxon) Howard Rosen was born in 1955 and grew up in London. He studied law at Oxford University and qualified as an English solicitor in 1980. Post qualification, he worked until 1988 as an in-house counsel for international leasing companies. At the beginning of...

Mr Fulgencio Garrido Ruiz joined the EU Delegation to South Africa as Deputy Ambassador on 1 September 2023. Prior to his new appointment, Mr Garrido Ruiz worked in the European Commission as Policy Assistant to the Director General for International Partnerships, Mr    Koen    Doens...

Mehdi Sinaceur is a dynamic and results-driven leader with over 20 years of experience in the transportation industry. Currently serving as the Deputy CEO and Senior Vice-President of RATP DEV, a global leader in public transportation operations, Mehdi brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to...

I am a proficient professional mechanical engineer with over 10 years of technology management experience in the South African freight rail industry. I have grown and excelled in this multidisciplinary field, tackling exciting challenges and executing high-impact projects. I currently lead the...

David is a seasoned rail industry consultant and founder of Taylorail, specializing in private sector involvement in South Africa’s rail industry. With expertise in strategic infrastructure, David has, and is currently spearheading some of the region's foremost Private-Sector based...

Nelisiwe is a seasoned Risk & Safety Programmes Manager with over 20 years experience in railway safety and risk management, ensuring alignment with industry best practices and safety standards. She is passionate about leveraging technology for operational safety. At the Africa Rail...

Gcobisa is a enthusiastic ,skilled and experienced professional, she holds a National Diploma in Food Technology, a BTech in Quality Management, and an Honours Degree in Railway Operations Management. Joining Transnet in year 2012 as a Train Control Officer in the Cape and Iron Ore...

Franck currently serves as Commercial Executive at ArcelorMittal South Africa, a JSE-listed large Steel engineering and production company in Sub-Saharan Africa. In his role he oversees the company’s market analytics, commercial strategy, business development, customer...

Barry Wolmarans Vice President – Services Sub Sahara Africa (SSA), Wabtec Corporation Barry Wolmarans is the Vice President – Services Sub Sahara Africa (SSA) at Wabtec Corporation, where he oversees the services P&L for the Sub-Saharan Africa region. A results-driven leader with a proven...