July 2018 – You can’t afford to ignore this talent

The Global Headhunting Firm for Africa

If you’re an employer that’s battling to fill critical skill vacancies, you need to work with a headhunting firm that uses “high-touch” and not just “high-tech”.

In an age of artificial intelligence and automation, it’s the building of face-to-face candidate relationships that determine success. And Homecoming Revolution has built hundreds of face-to-face relationships with African professionals across the globe. Read more below.

July was an incredibly busy month. Be sure to check out our Out & About, In the News and Executives on the Move sections below.

We’ll be in London and Dubai next month, get in touch if you have any critical skills you would like us to look out for.

Have a great month ahead.

Onwards & Upwards

The Homecoming Revolution Team

Salma Ingabire has been appointed Country Director for Visa Rwanda.  She is responsible for the general management of all aspects of Visa’s local business including business strategy, business development, portfolio management and matrixed management of functions, to ensure alignment with global and regional strategies, government officials, Central Bank and other regulatory institutions, people leadership and compliance and control.

Salma says the opportunity to grow Visa’s Rwanda business is incredibly exciting.

“This position offers an amazing opportunity to be a part of a forward-thinking and innovative multinational. I look forward to playing an instrumental role in helping the organization realize its goals in East Africa.”

Prior to joining Visa, Salma worked as a Chief Operating Offer for AC Group, a company providing tailor-made smart transport solutions.

During her career, she has also worked for fintech company Wari SA, global telecommunications company Airtel, and commercial bank Banque Populaire du Rwanda.

She is currently completing her MBA through the UK’s Oxford Brookes University.

Nigerian Female – Marketing Director – Consumer Goods
South African EE Male – Country Consumer Channel Manager – Technology
South African EE Female – Head of Corporate Communications & Branding – International Trade & Development
Kenyan Male – Senior Finance Executive – Banking
South African EE Female – Group HR Director – Financial Services
Kenyan Male – Country Head – Telecommunications
South African EE Female – Business Development Manager – Telecommunications
Senegalese Male – Head of Francophone Africa Sales – Fintech
South African Female – Analytic Consultant – Private Equity
Nigerian Female – VP Strategic Partnerships – Information Technology
South African EE Female – GM Marketing & Intelligence – Marketing & Advertising
Kenyan Male – Country Lead – Pharmaceuticals
South African EE Female – Executive Personal Assistant – Financial Services
Kenyan Female – Strategic Accounts Manager – Global Payments
South African EE Female – Senior Insights & Data Analyst – Consumer Goods
Rwandan Male – General Manager – Information Technology
South African EE Male – General Manager – Non Profit Organization
Nigerian Female – Sales & Marketing Lead – Pharmaceuticals
South African Male – Senior Software Analyst – Transportation
Nigerian Male – Consulting Partner – Technology
South African EE Male – Senior Systems Analyst – Banking
Angolan Male- Senior Sales & Business Development Manager – Oil & Gas
South African EE Female – HR Business Partner – Food & Beverage
Kenyan Male – Global Finance Controller – Consumer Goods
South African Male – Head of ICT – Information Technology
Ethiopian Female – Programme Manager – Education & Culture
South African Male – Business Development Director – Environmental Services
Kenyan Male – Strategic Relations Lead – Education Management
South African Female – Digital Marketing Executive – Technology
Rwandan Male – IT Product Manager in Technology
South African EE Female – Chief Community Operations Officer – Renewable Energy

One of the main issues explored at the summit was how to equip candidates with the skills they will require for the future world of work.

“Within the next five to ten years, over one-third of skills (35%) that are considered important in today’s workforce will have changed, according to the World Economic Forum. Industries are being rapidly disrupted by advancements in technology, automation and artificial intelligence. This means employers need to actively ensure they recruit and retain talent equipped with skills considered essential for the future such as complex problem solving, creativity, critical thinking and emotional intelligence. These skills are future-proof because they can’t be automated,” comments Faye.

In the face of this rapid change, Homecoming Revolution is placing increased emphasis on its global face-to-face relationships.

“You won’t get a full understanding of a candidate’s raw, authentic self via a desktop search or social media.”

Tessendorf says what sets Homecoming Revolution apart is its extensive network and face-to-face relationships with over 19000 African professionals across the globe.

“We focus on flying both locally and internationally to meet pools of talent across various sectors including Fintech, FMCG, Management Consulting, Banking, Advisory and Financial Services. Matching candidates to a position purely based on their skillset is outdated. We adopt a holistic approach, and headhunt candidates factoring in emotional intelligence, culture fit and adaptability.”

Homecoming Revolution is going to be in London and Dubai next month, if you have any critical skills you would like us to look out for get in touch.

The 2018 Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture was delivered by former US President Barack Obama in Johannesburg. Every year since 2003, global leaders have used the lecture to raise topical issues affecting South Africa, Africa and the rest of the world. The lecture took place on 17 July, a day before Nelson Mandela International Day, and was held at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium. About 15 000 people attended.

Angel Jones (CEO of Homecoming Revolution)

Watch this space for the Amazing African Activist Afronaut Astronaut Eddie Ndopu and his lovely mum

Angel Jones & Samuel Mensah (Founder & CEO of KISUA)

Moky Makura (Deputy Director Communications Africa Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) & Buhle Makamanzi (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)

Angel Jones & Shaka Sisulu (Social Activist & TV & Radio Personality)

Althea Wicomb (HR Manager Africa AGCO) and Joshin Raghubar (Chairman & Founder of iKineo)

Linda Zama (Special Advisor to KZN Premier) & Angel Jones

The Future of HR summit brought key industry leaders together to celebrate excellence in the HR profession as well as tackled important trends impacting the industry.

Lee Naik (CEO Africa at Transunion) & Faye Tessendorf (Managing Director at Homecoming Revolution)	Paige dos Santos (Digital Lead at SAP) & Theto Mahlakoana (Business Day)	Colin J Browne (Culture & Employee Engagement Expert) & Faye Tessendorf
Absa Heads of Talent at the Future of HR Summit	Faye Tessendorf, Paige dos Santos (Digital Lead at SAP) & Max Armbruster (CEO at Talkpush)	Panel at the Future of HR Summit from L-R Paige Dos Santos (Digital Lead at SAP), Jamie Whittacker (Deputy CIO Discovery), Lee Naik (CEO Africa at Transunion), Max Armbruster (CEO at Talkpush) & Dylan Piatti (Chief of Staff Deloitte Africa)

The British Chamber of Business’ event at Ernst & Young focused on key insights from the next issue of the EY Africa Attractiveness Survey as well as introduced Wavespace™ – a physical, mental and digital place to help clients achieve radical breakthroughs.

Tresella Nayager (Henley Business School), Khosi Mtetwa (Recruitment Consultant at Homecoming Revolution), Rethabile Molisana (The Saxon Hotel) & David Dawson (CEO British Chamber of Business South Africa	Pieter Steyn (Director at Werksmans), Andre de Ruyter (CEO Nampak) & Warren de Klerk (COO Intrepid Capital)	Tandy Coleman (CEO Polyflor), Gavin Devine (MD at Oryx IT Solutions) & Herman Warren (Africa Director Economist Corporate Network)
David Dawson (CEO British Chamber of Business South Africa)	Itumeleng Matlou (Senior Associate Herbert Smith Freehills), Khosi Mtetwa & Sbusiso Maseko (Senior Associate Herbert Smith Freehills)	Gcina Dube (Recruitment Specialist at BASF) & Khosi Mtetwa

In honour of Mandela Day 2018, the Homecoming Revolution dedicated their 67 minutes to non-profit organization Kids Haven.

South Africa, Kenya and Mauritius have been ranked the three most innovative countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to the 2018 Global Innovative Index.
South Africa was ranked the 58th most innovative economy in the world and the most innovative in Sub-Saharan Africa. Following South Africa in the region is Mauritius (75), Kenya (78) and Botswana (91).

The annual index ranks 126 economies based on 80 indicators, ranging from intellectual property filing rates to mobile-application creation, education spending and scientific and technical publications. Click here to read the 2018 report.

“Time to listen, time to be true, time to go home”

Below is a poem written by South African expat Cat Cade who recently made the decision to return home in October after 14.5 years in London.

It’s time
South Africa is pulling me home.
Forever present in my heart, my head is filling with its presence.
Time to listen.
Time to be true.
Time to go home.

Cape Town? Small coastal town?
Somewhere by the sea where my spirit can fly free and frolic in the waves
as they kiss the sunburnt soil of my homeland…Read more.

“The move home gave me a career”

Yagazie Emezi is a highly acclaimed self-taught documentary photographer from Aba, Nigeria who left when she was 16 to live in the USA. She returned to Nigeria in April 2014 after a number of years abroad.

She began her journey in 2015 and has since been commissioned by Al-Jazeera, New York Times, Vogue, Newsweek, Inc. Magazine, TIME, The Guardian, Refinery29, Everyday Projects, and UNFPA. She has also been featured by British Journal of Photography, Huffington Post, Nieman Reports, Mashable, Feature Shoot, and Buzzfeed. In 2017, she was a participant of the World Press Photo Masterclass West Africa and is a contributor to Everyday Africa. We ask her about her motivation for returning home and how the decision has influenced her career and life…Read more.

“I felt I could contribute more to society”

Born to a Sierra Leonean/Ghanaian father and American mother, Cordie sold all of her belongings, cashed out on her retirement fund and showed up at Accra’s Kotoka International airport with 4 pieces of luggage ready to begin a new life in 2011.

Though raised in the United States, her father planted a love for Africa within her. After attaining a master’s degree in Communications, Cordie worked in that field in America with her career path eventually leading her to work for the United States Congress Committee on Homeland Security. Here, her passion for Africa was rekindled with intensity. Working for one of the most powerful organizations in the world was very humbling, but also very frustrating at times as a member of the African Diaspora, seeing many African countries not getting what they deserved…Read more.