Under the theme ‘Be the Regeneration’, this year’s In Good Company Conference hosted by Nation Builder, will focus on how we can rebuild our economy, repair our society, restore our people and find ways to #BuildBackBetter.
The best part is that 100% of the ticket sales are donated directly to the Gap Fund – a crisis fund established by the Mergon Group that supports NPOs serving our most vulnerable during and post-COVID-19. More on the Gap Fund.
The 6th Annual In Good Company Conference will be held virtually on the mornings of 17 & 18 September 2020. Book your ticket here.
With roughly two weeks to go, we zoom in on some of the topics our top local and international speakers will cover during the two-day virtual conference.
Science of thought
During her years in clinical practice and her work with underprivileged teachers and students in South Africa and the USA, Dr Caroline Leaf developed her theory of how we think, build memory and learn, into tools and processes that have transformed the lives of people across the globe.
Looking at psychological healing, education, economics and more, Dr. Leaf will be talking about ‘The science of thought’ as well as the impact of prolonged trauma and what we have to do to start regaining our ability to overcome challenges.
Justice in business
After a successful corporate career in the IT industry, Patrick Kuwana became a serial entrepreneur – co-founding various specialist media companies, and being involved in numerous business incubators and accelerators in Africa and Asia.
Patrick will unpack the topic of ‘Economic justice: reconstructing our economic foundation’.
‘A nation’s economy cannot grow if resources are forcibly taken from one group and given to another. Likewise, a nation’s economy cannot grow if a large section of the population does not have access to resources and thus cannot participate. We need a new approach to business that does not feed the consumption habits of a few elites – an approach that values and incorporates equality, inclusivity and justice in ways that will drive economic growth rapidly and sustainably. Justice is critical for business to be sustainable,’ says Patrick.
Entrepreneurship
Several entrepreneurs will discuss how entrepreneurship can rejuvenate communities and the economy.
‘The effects of the Coronavirus pandemic on South Africa are wider and deeper than they appear at first glance,’ says Shawn Theunissen. Shawn plays various roles within the property and entrepreneurship ecosystems in South Africa and abroad. He is responsible for corporate social responsibility (CSR) at Growthpoint, where he oversees the transformation, sustainability reporting, CSI and enterprise development portfolios.
‘Lockdown and the shock of having to suddenly close down a business has had a massive psychological impact on entrepreneurs and small business owners, besides the more overt financial impact,’ he says.
Shawn together with Remmone Modisakeng, founder of Teambix, will be chatting to Brandon Paschal, director of Innovation at LaunchLab about why entrepreneurs are essential in building a thriving South Africa.
Economic risks, challenges and opportunities
Leading political economy analyst and futurist Daniel Silke will talk through the current economic landscape. Daniel is the director of the Political Futures Consultancy based in Cape Town, South Africa and this will no doubt be an inspiring talk at a pivotal time in South Africa.
Marketer, author and entrepreneur GG Alcock will then offer insights into South Africa’s vast informal economy, delving into the conversation of ‘Discovering the bedrock of SA’s economy: creating interconnected informal and formal sectors’.
GG believes the informal business sector is the next great frontier of Africa and it is undergoing an economic revolution – a new world of small people doing big things, transforming the continent.
As just some of the speaker highlights at this year’s In Good Company Conference, it’s clearly going to be a time of learning, sharing of insights and inspiration as we virtually come together to #BuildBackBetter.
Our appreciation also to this year’s sponsors Fairtree, Momentum Metropolitan Foundation, the V&A Waterfront, Zutari and Mergon.
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