LeadUP Podcast

Puno Selesho is a spoken word artist who has performed for presidents and celebrated companies, locally and internationally. In her capacity as a social entrepreneur, she established Harvest House Cr…

Sumarie Greybe, co-founder of insurance industry upstart Naked Insurance, graduated from the University of Pretoria with a BCom Honours degree in Actuarial Science. After leaving the corporate short-…

Prof Francis Petersen became Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria in October 2024, starting a new chapter in his already illustrious career in education. He was most recently R…

Clement Manyathela is known for asking tough questions of some of the biggest politicians and changemakers in South Africa and beyond. After completing his BA degree at the University of Pretoria in …

Tatjana Smith (formerly Schoenmaker) is a top South African female swimmer and University of Pretoria alumna (BCom Financial Sciences, 2020), who became a hero to millions throughout her country when…

Abdullah Verachia is CEO of The Strategists, Head of Faculty for Strategy and Sustainability at the University of Pretoria’s business school, the Gordon Institute of Business Science, and Programme D…

Sipho Ngwenya, formerly known as Psyfo, was a child star before becoming a household name playing Ajax on Generations. After a successful period as a musician, he received his MBA from the University…

Robyn Oates is a Sustainable Development Officer in the United Nations Secretary General’s Office in New York City. After completing her BCom Honours in Accounting Sciences at the University of Preto…

Munozovepi Gwata is the founder of Kukura Capital, and an entrepreneur passionate about teaching Africans about financial literacy. She completed her LLB at the University of Pretoria before moving t…

Professor Shakila Dada is the Director of the University of Pretoria’s Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Her work focuses on improving the lives of people with severe communicati…

Laurie Dippenaar is a South African millionaire, businessman, investor, and banker with a wealth of knowledge who co-founded the FirstRand Financial Group, which includes subsidiaries WesBank, FNB, a…

Ndavi Nokeri is now the third consecutive Miss South Africa to have graduated from the University of Pretoria. She received her Bcom Investment Management degree a few months before she was crowned M…

Carmen Reddy started her journalism career at TuksFM while studying at the University of Pretoria, and has since worked for the likes of 5FM, Primedia, eNCA, and Newzroom Afrika. She is currently a m…

Dr Anton Meyberg is a specialist physician and pulmonologist, working in clinical medicine as an ICU physician and intensivist at Linksfield Clinic in Johannesburg. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic h…

WeBuyCars was founded by two brothers and quickly became one of the biggest car-buying companies in South Africa. Faan van der Walt, one of the co-founders, has learned a lot about success on this jo…

Known as ‘Mr Deadline’, Dr Perekeme Mutu moved to South Africa from Nigeria to pursue his studies, and worked multiple jobs – including as a security guard and a car washer – to fund his academic car…

Yolana Du Plessis-Martin, who is now an Engagement Manager at Deloitte Consulting in New York, was a promising young swimmer at the University of Pretoria’s TuksSport High School and its first Head G…

We kick off the second season of the podcast, which speaks to University of Pretoria (UP) alumni about their experiences of success, with Nozipho Tshabalala, CEO of The Conversation Strategist. Tshab…

Professor Tawana Kupe is not only Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria, but a big fan of the LeadUP Podcast! 

In this special episode to wrap up this first season of the podcast…

Deepa Sita is the Chief Financial Officer at Tiger Brands, after holding similar roles at the likes of Mondelēz and Makro. She grew up working in a family business that she then took over after her f…