About Shift

Shift Impact Africa assists organisations with understanding, embracing and leveraging the Shared Value concept as a strategic business framework to drive sustainability and achieve alignment to the SDGs.

Shift is a connect-scale-impact consulting firm that assists organisations with unlocking the power of a Shared Value sustainability strategy – one that is not only centered on social and environmental impacts, but also works for our clients AND benefits the communities in which they operate. We advocate strongly for business focus on profit with purpose, founded on the belief that business can create both economic value and value for society. We are a women-owned and run firm, and a team of diverse and driven Shared Value Social Impact and Sustainability consultants.

OUR FOCUS

Focus Shift

Shift Impact Africa assists companies to shift their thinking from a profit-only focus to profit with purpose; to address inequalities in society and develop strategies focused on sustainability and alignment to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

OUR NETWORK

Shift Impact Africa is the founder of the Shared Value Africa Initiative (SVAI) launched in May, 2018. The SVAI is the regional global partner of the Shared Value Initiative, which was launched by Harvard Business School Professors Michael Porter and Mark Kramer, in 2011.

OUR ADVANTAGE

Shift creates, builds, connects and orchestrates bilateral and multilateral engagements across borders where we, as a collective, can create and develop solutions for the people of Africa. We have extensive on-the-ground understanding of the African business landscape, backed by in-depth knowledge and experience of Africa’s societal needs.

Africa focused with a business network across the continent

Aggregate Impact value: economic, societal, environmental

Sustainability focused and Shared Value expertise

Alignment to the Shared Value Africa Initiative

Purpose Playbook Implementation Partner for Africa

MEET OUR TEAM

Our team of diverse motivated Shared Value advocates is driven by a passion for profit with purpose. Shift is a women-owned organization. Building a team of empowered, capable women is part of the Shift strategy.

The team is made-up of consultants that provide expert opinions, analysis, and recommendations to organizations or individuals, based on their own expertise. We work together with organisaitons to create and provide strategies to address challenges and improve performance.

TIEKIE BARNARDCEO, Founder & Shared Value Strategist

Tiekie Barnard is founder and CEO of the SVAI and Shift Impact Africa. The SVAI was founded by Tiekie’s passion and drive to make a difference and the realisation that business has the resources and the power to accellate change on our continent. The SVAI is striving to assist business on the Africa continent and to build the most impactful business network of companies pursuing profit with purpose.

Tiekie is the co-creator of the first ever Harvard aligned Shared Value executive training course and works closely with academic institutions across the continent such as Strathmore Business School, Africa Leadership University, Lagos Business School, University of Johannesburg, etc. She also heads up the team that annually verify the regional Shared Value Awards.

She is a member of the Vega School of Brand Leadership Advisory Board, Global Reporting Initiative, the Public Relations Institute of South Africa and the Enterprise Africa Network, ALM Advisory committee.

She is a qualified Shared Value practitioner, having successfully completed the Harvard Business School “Creating Shared Value” executive leadership training and she holds an Honours degree in Brand Leadership and Communications from the Vega School of Brand Leadership, among many other qualifications.

VUYO LUTSEKEDirector, Stakeholder Relations & Sponsorship

Vuyo Lutseke began her career working in publishing, rising from copy editor to deputy publisher. Over the years, her professional skills and life experience pulled her to the non-profit sector – a turn in career where she can apply her skills and passion towards affecting change in the world. As her career progresses, she looks forward to being part of a collective of African leaders who are able to strengthen the continent from within.

Vuyo graduated from the University of Cape Town with a BA in Cultural & Literary Studies and went on to get a certificate in Media Law & Ethics from Wits University.

Previously at Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital, Vuyo was part of a small team that made a big impact – galvanising different sectors of the global community to participate in this one-of-a-kind fundraising campaign to build the hospital, which opened in 2017.

As part of the SVAI/Shift team, she participates in taking social impact beyond philanthropy and into the more strategic focus of Shared Value – with the long-term view to changing the narrative around Africa to that of innovation and success, led by Africans.

In August 2020, she was appointed as a director of both the SVAI and Shift.

FATIMA COLLINSDevelopment Advisory & Impact Consultant

Fatima Collins is an independent Development Advisory and Impact consultant that has worked across various industries in four countries. Her experience over a 20-year career includes renewable energy for a World Bank project at the DBSA, corporate banking in Mumbai and socio-economic strategy and design. Recognizing that infrastructure development is a key driver for sustainable social and economic development, Fatima was instrumental in setting up the development advisory unit of a civil engineering business. Among her expertise, Fatima specialises in socioeconomic development strategy and implementation; enterprise development strategy; Corporate Social Investment strategy; project management; stakeholder management and integrated annual reporting.

Fatima is passionate about development on the African continent. She believes that conscious business strategies designed to address social issues profitably, will lead to sustainable communities that contribute to the growth and development of Africa. To this end, Fatima has a keen focus on impact measurement and impact investing. Fatima holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the Graduate School of Business, University of Cape Town and is a certified yoga practitioner.

MARIETTE DU PLESSISStrategic Business Consultant

MARIETTE DU PLESSIS has a varied background in business, marketing and programme development spanning more than 30 years. Most of her earlier career has been as journalist, editor and director across both print and digital media, spanning titles like Business Day, Finance Week, Management Report, Information Week and ITWeb. During her subsequent career as business consultant, she provided a range of strategic consulting and market development services to both private and public organisations like Datakor, Andersen Consulting, the National Africa Chamber of Commerce, the State IT Agency and the Government IT Officers Council.

She currently provides specialised marketing services to the Shared Value Africa Initiative and Shift Impact Africa.

THANDILE NTSHWANTIResearcher and Consultant

Thandile Ntshwanti is an experienced Researcher and Consultant with a demonstrated history of working in the education and social research industries, and consulting in the socio-economic development and education sectors. She is also a skilled Trainer and Facilitator.

Her education qualifications include a Masters in Management focused in Public and Development Management from Wits University. Thandile is also a founder of Bumbatha Africa Group a Johannesburg based Level 1 BBBEE socio-economic development consultancy that specializes in design, implementation and evaluation of community development initiative

JANE MWANGIShared Value Implementation partner

Jane Mwangi is the CEO and MD of AJW AFRICA (Apprentice Job Work Africa). AJW AFRICA designs and executes Shared Value Programs on behalf of Local, International and Regional Banks, Corporates, Donor Partners and other institutions seeking to create sustainable livelihoods in Africa, while realising far-reaching Business and Social Impact in various sectors.

Prior to her current role, Jane served as Managing Director of KCB Foundation since 2015. The Foundation is the social investments arm of KCB Group Plc. During that time, Jane was a member of the KCB Group Executive Committee and served on the board of KCB Foundation as a Trustee.

She has over 35 years of experience in international development, having previously worked with the USAID Mission in different capacities in the East and Southern African region.

Jane believes in creating Social Impact by solving societal problems through business solutions, a concept she has championed for the last five years of her career.

MICHELLE JOUBERTStrategy Consultant

Michelle Joubert is an experienced strategy consultant who advises private and non-profit sector organisations on growing the visibility of their work, enhancing awareness of their impact and diversifying and increasing their funding. She is founder and director of A Capital Idea, a strategy consultancy guiding clients on how to achieve the sustainability they require to achieve their goals.

Organisations seeking funding frequently launch the process with limited understanding of what opportunities they offer prospective donors, or how to communicate their value. Michelle’s background, which combines capital markets and business media leadership, enables her to guide clients to define and communicate their investment case to prospective funders, using language funders understand.

Michelle’s association with the Shared Value Africa Initiative has also enabled her to help organisations to demonstrate the Shared Value achieved in their social programmes.

She is a sessional lecturer on impact investing for Wits University’s Centre on African Philanthropy and social investment, coaching organisations targeting impact investors. Previously head of investor relations and Group communications at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, she is also an accredited trainer in Investor Relations at the exchange.

Michelle trained as a journalist at the University of Stellenbosch and earned an MBA at Graduate School of Business at the University of Cape Town.