Wits Business School

13/10/2026

The best conversations at a conference don’t only happen on the stage, they happen in the aisles, over coffee, and in the candid exchanges between minds working toward the same goal.

Day 2 at the African Review of Economics and Finance Conference at Wits Business School brought together scholars, industry leaders, and policy minds to unpack a crucial theme: "Owning the Ground Beneath Our Feet: Resource Sovereignty, Monetary Independence, and the Architecture of African Wealth."

From rethinking how we manage our vast resources to discussing long-term leadership, knowledge sovereignty, and local innovation, the energy in the room was grounded, forward-thinking, and unapologetically hopeful.

Take a look at the faces, connections, and moments behind the discussions.

Which topic from this year’s theme do you think needs the most urgent focus across the continent? Let’s chat in the comments!

13/10/2026

A wind or solar farm is coming to your town. What should you and your community actually expect from it?

In this week’s episode, Mulilo Energy’s Abey Tau breaks down local benefit in practice: jobs, procurement opportunities for small businesses during construction and operations, and community funds that flow back into the area.

But there’s a catch. Opportunity isn’t automatic. Communities and local businesses need to be ready to take it up.

New episode out Tuesday on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Link in the comments.

13/10/2026

The African Review of Economics and Finance Conference 2026 is underway, and you can join us online!

We're livestreaming the conference, bringing you the conversations, insights, and ideas shaping the future of research and academia in Africa.

Watch the livestream here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8o0CesJNJE

Tune in and be part of the conversation!

African Review of Economics and Finance - AREF Conference

12/10/2026

The AREF conference 2026 kicked off this morning with our PhD and Early Career Researcher Forum. We held interactive and highly informative sessions on what it takes to become an independent scholar in Africa, navigating early academic life, and a conversation with journal editors on the process from doctoral research to publication.

Thanks to our seasoned academics around the continent for sharing their experience and wisdom on the various panels, our expert moderators, and our delegates who have embarked on the road to academia. We trust you left the sessions inspired and equipped for PhD excellence!

We also welcomed the opportunity to network with our colleagues from the Wits Crucible Centre For Entrepreneurship.

07/10/2026

Ahead of the main programme of the annual African Review of Economics and Finance (AREF) Conference 2026, Wits Business School hosts the PhD and Early Career Research Colloquium on Monday, 12 October. ​​

The colloquium supports young African academics as they move from doctoral researcher to independent scholar. Doctoral and early career researchers present their work and receive structured feedback from senior scholars. They also hear from journal editors on turning research into publishable scholarships, and explore how research based in Africa can speak both to African realities and to wider academic debates.​

We are proud to be hosting such an important colloquium in support of our future African scholars.​

Register here: https://l1nq.com/q4gxm0j​

07/10/2026

Congratulations to Wits Business School alumna Advocate Nontokozo Setiba, named one of the 2026 South Africa Forty Under 40 Award recipients in the Banking and Finance category.​​

Adv Setiba completed her Master of Management in Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation (MMENVC) at WBS. ​

She serves in Regulatory Advocacy at Standard Bank Group, working at the intersection of financial regulation, geopolitics and strategic advisory. In this role she engages multilateral bodies, including the World Economic Forum, on the bank's behalf. She is also a PhD candidate in Applied Data Science at the University of Johannesburg.​

Reflecting on her journey, she says: "I genuinely believe that the intellectual rigour, strategic thinking, and entrepreneurial lens the programme cultivated in me have been foundational to my career and to this recognition.”​

Congratulations, Adv Setiba. We're proud that you carry Wits with you on your journey.​

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06/10/2026

Congratulations to Wits Business School (WBS) alumna Sibongile Ngwenya, newly appointed Managing Executive: Talent & Culture at Vodacom South Africa! 🎉

Sibongile brings 18 years of experience across Absa, the South African Revenue Service (SARS), M-Net and MultiChoice - most recently as Group Executive Head of Talent Management at MultiChoice.

She now leads the talent and culture agenda for Vodacom South Africa, Vodacom Group's largest market. Her role covers how the business attracts, develops and retains people, and how it builds its leadership pipeline and workplace culture.

Sibongile holds a Master of Management in Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation from WBS, which lets her combine people leadership with commercial thinking.

We wish you every success in your new role, Sibongile!

29/09/2026

We are thrilled to be participating in the World Academic Summit 2026 hosted by the University of Cape Town from 29 September to 1 October.

This is the first time that the Summit is taking place on African soil, bringing together global leaders in higher education, research, and policy to explore how universities shape fairer, more sustainable, and future-ready societies.

Wits University is represented by Chancellor Dr Judy Dlamini, one of the guest speakers, who is joined by our Prof Jones Odei-Mensah, WBS academic director and Prof Boris Urban, discipline lead in Entrepreneurship.

Our team is augmented by Dr Medupi Lamola, WBS marketing and communication manager, and Senteni Nsibande, programme manager who have enjoyed interacting with colleagues from the AACSB and Indonesia’s Iligan University of Technology, Mindanao State University, among others.

Looking forward to an inspiring few days sharing insights on future-ready leadership, universities as agents of change, co-creating resilient societies through global collaboration, and how higher education leaders can harness the opportunities of an AI-driven industrial revolution.

24/09/2026

Heritage Day is a chance for us to come together, share stories and celebrate the cultures and traditions that make us who we are.

At WBS, our diversity is our strength. Every one of us brings a different heritage, history and way of seeing the world, and that's exactly what shapes how we lead. Traditional attire on, we celebrated the many cultures that make up our community.

Because the best leaders never forget where they come from.

Happy Heritage Day, from all of us!