Tutu's children

Marc van Olst, Private Investor

A scientist from a privileged background, Marc left his job as partner with global management consultancy firm McKinsey to become a private investor. He now uses his commercial knowledge to small businesses that benefit society in some way. By helping them, his vision is to help boost local economies, and in turn help catalyze an African economic renaissance. Husband, father, and fitness fanatic, Marc once invented a patented mining device.

Zied Mhirsi, Media Entrepreneur and Public Health Expert

Founder of Tunisia’s first English news website, Tunisia Live, where he leads a team of young journalists, on an average week Dr. Zied also hosts radio shows, writes articles and helps NGOs. Medically trained, he has also worked on the ground to treat Africa’s biggest public health problems and taboos.

Swaady Martin- Leke, CEO of YSWARA

CEO of YSWARA, a luxury tea company, Swaady often has a cosmopolitan approach to the continent’s problems. A child refugee, Swaady’s family fled 2 violent coups. By now, she has lived in 11 countries and is convinced that Africa’s outlook has to change and that she has to be involved. As one of multinational General Electric’s first female African leaders, she headed up transport development for the region of sub-saharan Africa. She’s pushing for African women to take what she believes are their rightful positions in a man’s world. Her company only employs females.

Lydie Hakizimana, Publishing Entrepreneur

An accidental entrepreneur, and self-declared introvert, Lydie never expected leadership success. When she returned to Rwanda after the genocide as a teenager, she found her generation had lost all hope in the future. But she believed that through stories they may find both escapism and hope. So she began by selling her own books from a small store in her spare time. Now her company helps spread English literacy in schools by representing UK publisher Pearson in Rwanda.

Ndumiso Luthuli, Legal Advisor

As first-hand witness to the anti-Apartheid struggle for black emancipation, Ndumiso believes passionately in the power of the law to protect civil liberties. Having made it from the volatile townships of Johannesburg to the colleges of Oxford, then to his own law firm, he now plays a top role in South African business.

Amy Jadesimi, Manager of Lagos port development

When she’s not chairing meetings, you may find her in hard-hat and boots on an offshore rig. Amy manages a project to turn Lagos port into a regional hub for the oil and gas industry and has raised more than $100 million in investment money. Medically trained at Oxford University, she also wants to tackle maternal mortality and has pioneered a way of creating access by the country’s poorest women to life-saving medicines

Vincent Waiswa Bagiire, Member of Parliament

He’s vice-chairman of the Ugandan Parliament’s IT committee. With the worries of his rural constituents on his shoulders, Vincent needs to find new ways to approach old problems of poverty, illiteracy, exclusion and disempowerment. An IT manager at the age of just 22, he’s risen to early success in communications.

Mema Beye, Commercial Manager for Rio Tinto

Currently a Commercial Manager for Rio Tinto Mining and Exploration in Africa, Mema is passionate about building strong private and public sector relations. Also, member of Africa 2.0, Mema is among the young Africans who seek to transform the continent within a generation, by fast-tracking the renaissance and wealth creation potential of Africa. Mema holds a M.A. in International Business Relations from Tufts University’s Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and a B.S. in Agribusiness Management from Michigan State University.

Julie Gichuru, Chat Show Host

This celebrity mother of five co-founded a foundation with her husband, which aims to give every child in East Africa the gift of a good pair of shoes and a hygiene kit. Julie’s show, ‘Sunday Live with Julie Gichuru’ on Citizen TV, exposes the political world to the scrutiny of viewers and tackles touchy social taboos. In the aftermath of Kenya’s 2008 post-election turmoil, she used the show to face perpetrators with victims and attempt reconciliation.

Tatenda Manjengwa, Financial Trader

For Tatenda, any move for Africa’s future should be all about the bottom line, hand-in-hand with education delivery that will truly empower people. Trading for one of South Africa’s biggest banks, Nedbank, Tatenda views wealth creation and education as the two best ways to overcome Africa’s key obstacles. Schooled by the world’s top banks and management consultancies, risk-management expert Tatenda’s career took a hit when he was laid off from a top job at the height of the financial crisis in 2008. But seeing a business opportunity, he bounced back and set up his own company, advising decision-makers how to weather the financial climate.

Mark Miller, Private Banker

Corporate success came extremely early for Mark, whose role in banking is to help high earners manage their finances. He helps drive strategy and expansion at his company Investec; an asset management multinational, and key sponsor of Tutu’s leadership project. Mark has always dealt with countries outside Africa more closely than those in it. And life in Cape Town somehow seems remote from the crises which can plague the rest of the continent.

Mathews Mtumbuka, IT Director

Matthews is an engineer, currently working as IT Director for leading mobile communications operator Airtel, in Malawi. He has management, technology research, teaching, and journalism experience. Oh, and he was on the task force to set up Malawi’s University of Science and Technology. But it’s not all science and machines...he also impacts people as a motivational speaker.

Andrew Gache Mude, Environmental Scientist

Kenya’s livestock farmers are desperately vulnerable to the ravages of drought. As project leader at a research institute, award-winning scientist Dr. Andrew works on ways to protect livestock-farming families, who always suffer badly when environmental disasters strike.

James Mworia, CEO of Investment Firm

James is the unbelievably young CEO of one of the largest investment companies in East Africa, Centum Investments. Since he took over in 2008 total assets have grown by over 100%. And squash-playing James ranks 6th on the Forbes’ list of young and powerful African men

Emmanuel Ada Ogejuma, Pharmaceutical company regional manager

Pharmacist and award-winning sales manager, Emmanuel is responsible for the sales of HIV drugs and vaccines in Nigeria for pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, which is a key corporate sponsor of the leadership project. But Emmanuel isn’t just well-known at GSK for his own success; he’s also seen to help team-members develop in their careers.

Elijah Onyeagba, Real Estate Executive

He supervises sixteen real estate branches. Corporate banker El-J is a Group Head with ASO Savings and Loans, Nigeria’s largest mortgage asset firms. An economics and finance graduate originally, he’s done management courses at Harvard and Wharton.

Rugyendo Deo Arinaitwe, Founder of newspaper

An orphan at just three months, but by the age of 22 Rugyendo had decided to start a national newspaper with less than 500 US dollars in his pocket! Now it employs 350 other young Ugandans. ‘Red Pepper’ online newspaper, the first tabloid newspaper in East Africa, is never far from controversy with its provocative editorial line. Rugyendo mentors a public policy think-tank and is an ambassador for charities in his free time. He stages as great figure as an inspiration to many as he and many other old boys of Kitabi Seminary, a renowned traditional school take up key positions in all spheres of the country.

Ipeleng Selele, CEO of marketing firm

She’s founder and CEO of a branding and marketing firm, the Khumo Group. Already moving in top political circles with her firm’s mission to enhance South Africa’s international reputation, Ipeleng has seen the life of world leaders at close quarters.

Farai Shonhiwa, Business Project Manager at Life Healthcare Group

Once intern at the Prime Minister’s Office in Zimbabwe, she’s a medical doctor with a master’s in business from Harvard. She has helped women in poor communities access affordable maternity services and knows the realities of African health care delivery; both public and private sector.

Buntu Siwisa, Political Analyst

Oxford-educated political analyst, Dr. Buntu monitors Zimbabwean politics for the South African government. He has monitored elections in several African states, and advised them on factors brooding within their domestic political scene. He also has experience in academic lecturing, diplomacy and financial management.

Andrew Toboso, Kenyan Policy and Strategy Advisor

Since being filmed for this series, Andrew has resigned from his job developing '2030' strategy for the country and is now running for parliament in the next Kenyan General Election! Andrew, an economist, worked on the Strategy team for Kenya Vision 2030 which aims to bring Kenya ‘towards a globally competitive and prosperous nation’. He is now on the campaign trail for the Butere seat.

Mfundisiwe Dlamini, Liaison Manager for mining giant

Community Liaison Manager for mining multinational, Richard Bay Minerals Mfundi is a bridge-builder and peace-maker... Mfundi ran her own consulting company in Johannesburg and has managed an empowerment program. She never wants her leadership ambition to get in between her and Africa’s grassroots communities.

Alima Hussein, Government Relations Advisor to mining multinational Rio Tinto

Co-founder of a microfinance bank that helps struggling business women, Alima is a young mother with a hectic schedule. She manages teams external relations teams for mining multinational Rio Tinto - a role which requires strategic thinking and strict confidentiality.

Jean- Philippe Kaybotsi, Private Sector Advisor for President of Rwanda

He has skills in elaborating and promoting strategies to improve policies and regulations that affect and influence investors. He has a past for taking on these types of assignments for top executives and high level politicians and now works in the private sector advising the President of Rwanda for development.

Sandro de Brito, National Director for Planning in Ministry of Finance

He is the National Director for Planning in the Ministry of Finance where he monitors the strategies and planning of Cape Verde’s finance. He is also the lead negotiator concerning issues of finance, at the same time responsible for supervising the plan that turns Cape Verde into a higher economy, the Economic Transformation Agenda of Cape Verde. Besides being the eye that hovers over a country’s finance, Sandro created programs that supported children to prepare for University, and co-founded a sports club for the Cape Verdean emigrants in New York.