Vuyolwethu Dubese

International Moderator and MC | Executive Producer and Host of ESG of @ESGforSMEs Podcast | Innovation and Impact Consultant | 📧 : [email protected]

[Vuyolwethu Dubese @VDubese]

I love the pleasantly surprised looks from clients and delegates when they find out that I tie my qhiya (headwrap) myself.

YouTube and I have become quite fond of each in my search for different ways to tie it, especially on days where I have to wear it 3 times back to back like with the 14th Aviation Stakeholders Convention and Gala Dinner this week.

One more event on Friday with another colour and style to close out this week.

Excited to recap the convention next week!

[Vuyolwethu Dubese @VDubese]

Tried something new - rebounding, and it was amazing!

Through @Vitality_SA , I love the options of access that I get with fitness studios around South Africa that give a new meaning to wellness 🧘🏾‍♀️.

[Vuyolwethu Dubese @VDubese]

@YogitaRed8 It’s a R75 voucher for every R500 spent in store or online, and even when they have a sale or 2 for R250 or those kinds of bundle pricing, you can still use the voucher(s).

[Vuyolwethu Dubese @VDubese]

I believe in Cotton On rewards. A rewards program that works!

[Mashudu Modau @Mashstartup]

New Podcast 🎧 Protecting the Builders: Why Small Businesses Can’t Afford to Ignore Insurance.

Entrepreneurs spend years focused on growth, customers, and opportunities. But one unexpected setback can threaten everything they've worked to build.

[Emirates @emirates]

Our first Emirati female Captains have joined the ranks!

[adeniyi @lullabystarlust]

it’s like her ancestors have supercharged her future and only blessings shall follow her

[Vuyolwethu Dubese @VDubese]

A behind the scenes look at some moments from the 14th Aviation Stakeholders Convention Day 2 🇿🇦🎙️

[Vuyolwethu Dubese @VDubese]

After a resounding Day 1 of the 14th Aviation Stakeholders' Convention that invited us to engage the opportunity to unlock the art of the possible as it pertains to the opportunities of Resilience, Empowerment and Profitability across the African Aviation ecosystem., Day 2 continued a packed and fascinating day.

A privilege it was to be invited back to serve as Programme Director, for a pan-African aviation convention , hosted by the African Airlines Association in partnership with our benevolent host, South African Airways.

The brief but impactful Day 2 directed us to continue these enriching and robust conversations, but take it a step further, and unpack the big ideas and putting them to task with masterclasses and presentations that are going to guide how we can design think to future-proof. A key panel discussion for the day was engaging the dynamic human capital questions that keep aviation leaders awake at night, with a special focus on inclusion, on the next generation, and on the practical steps we must take to secure Africa's aviation talent pipeline.

It was a masterful few days of bold conversations of consequential questions, and practical insights. Challenging how the partnerships being forged, new ideas being tested, conversations being critical and vision being sharpened are integral to the strategic and accelerated growth of the ecosystem. And proof, that when the leaders of African aviation come together, the continent is truly in excellent hands.

So, what now? The call is being made by all aviation stakeholders to collaborate, connect and commit to being the cornerstone of not only the co-creating solutions, but also to facilitate the execution of these endeavours. Will you pick up?

Thank you once again to African Airlines Association in partnership with our gracious host, South African Airways for entrusting me with this role #ASC2026 #AASOS2026

[Vuyolwethu Dubese @VDubese]

A behind the scenes look at some moments from the 14th Aviation Stakeholders Convention Gala Dinner 🇿🇦🎙️

[Vuyolwethu Dubese @VDubese]

Day 1 of the 14th Aviation Stakeholders' Convention, hosted by the African Airlines Association in partnership with South African Airways continued into the evening with electric energy with the official Gala Dinner.

I was entrusted as Programme Director for this prestigious evening as we celebrated the best of African aviation with the continent’s finest minds, taking a moment to relax, to celebrate, and to deepen the relationships that will define our industry's future.

From our speakers, Mr. Abdérahmane Berthé, Secretary General of AFRAA, and Mr. Matshela Seshibe who is the Acting Group CEO of South African Airways, the instructions for the night were clear, and that was to enjoy South Africa’s extraordinary hospitality through conversation, food, dance and the incredible sounds of ENCORE and Vusi Nova.

A brilliant evening to end a truly remarkable day!

Thank you once again to African Airlines Association in partnership with our gracious host, South African Airways for entrusting me with this role #ASC2026 #AASOS2026

[Vuyolwethu Dubese @VDubese]

Hewethu, ndingxibe ijacket yakwa Patagonia and I’m staying at a hotel within a national park and ubhase ifireplace ubhuti.

Hamba thando 😂😭🥹❤️🔥

[Vuyolwethu Dubese @VDubese]

@sade_without_h You’re so kind, enkosi 🥹❤️😘

[Vuyolwethu Dubese @VDubese]

A behind the scenes look at some moments from the 14th Aviation Stakeholders Convention Day 1 🇿🇦🎙️

[Vuyolwethu Dubese @VDubese]

“Honourable minister, the Honourable Barbara Creecy, Member of Parliament and Minister of Transport of the Republic of South Africa, government officials present, diplomats, captains of industry, leaders in aviation across Africa and the international community, members of the media, distinguished guests, ladies, and gentlemen.

Good morning, and a very warm South African welcome to the 14th Aviation Stakeholders' Convention, hosted by the African Airlines Association in partnership with our gracious host, South African Airways.

I am Vuyolwethu Dubese and it is my singular privilege to serve as your Programme Director as we have been convened in this magnificent city, that for the next few days, will be the nerve centre of African aviation — a gathering where decision-makers, innovators, and visionaries will come together to chart the course for the future of flight on our great continent.”

Exactly two weeks ago, we were summoned by a bold, yet timely theme of the 14th Aviation Stakeholders' Convention that spoke directly to where African aviation must go: 'Resilient African Aviation: Partnerships — Empowerment — Profitability.'

Each of these words, through critical and consequential keynotes, panel discussions, masterclasses, and the conversations that happen between sessions were explored in depth to unlock the art of the possible as echoed by Acting Chief Executive Officer of South African Airways, Mr. Matshela Seshibe.

Collaboration, Connectivity, Commitments and Continental vision were words that reverberated throughout the day as conduits of the conversations that sought to serve as a bridge to connect stakeholders, with pressure and possibility to reach profitability.

From the global voice of the airline industry with Mr. Kamil Al-Awadhi from Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, painting a rich picture of the realities and challenges that African aviation faces on the ground, to the powerful scene setter of an Executive Panel moderated by Mr. Vijay Poonoosamy from Dentons Africa who serves as Aviation Lead Partner & Veling Group Board Member, which called to the facilitators of the industry to also strategically engage inter-regional trade, acknowledging the supported connectivity; the morning was a hard hitting start of addresses and plenaries.

The day was also about mapping ways of positioning for profitability for the ecosystem, which included a presentations engaging 'Positioning African Aviation Hubs for Competitiveness' by Chief Executive Officer of Helm Growth Partners, Mr. Tim Harris to the role of and how we can deepen 'Space Weather and Aviation: Understanding the Risk, Managing the Impact” by SANSA's Space Weather Manager, Ms. Mpho Tshisaphungo and unpacking “Air Cargo as an Economic Catalyst” by Mr Sanjeev Ghadaa, CEO of Astral Aviation.

Our closing panel, which invited the CEO of SafariLink, Mr. Alex Avedi and Mr. Ira Kaviti Chief Financial Officer of JamboJet to mention a few, dared us to leapfrog into simplicity to achieve harmonization and optimize profitability. a robust discussion moderated by Mr. Gaoussou Konate who is the Consulting Director Technical & Operations, AFRAA.

What a high-powered Day 1 it was, grounded but connecting in every possible way to the African skies.

Thank you to African Airlines Association in partnership with our gracious host, South African Airways for entrusting me with this role #ASC2026 #AASOS2026

[Vuyolwethu Dubese @VDubese]

How do we champion volunteerism as a strategic enabler of sustainable development?

At the inaugural Private Sector Partner Meeting engaging Corporate Volunteering to Catalyse Youth Futures convened by @Discovery_SA , I also had the opportunity to facilitate the considered responses to this question with our speakers.

Through the evidence of impact series of Spotlight Case Studies addressing Youth Futures with:

·     Ms Zintle Raziya – Senior Programme Manager, at ABSA who marked the incredible success that the financial institution had had on youth upskilling.
·     Our next case study invited three speakers engaging on the reskilling revolution in Africa, namely Ms Nichole Cirillo – Executive Director, IAVE, with Ms Zeenat Dasoo – Executive Director and Transformation Leader, IBM South Africa and Mr Langelihle Gumede – Lungelo Youth Development
·     Our final presenter, his engagement touched on the arc of youth employability innovation, Mr Allan Van Der Meulen – Co-Founder and CEO at ZLTO.

The visible opportunity at the end is incredibly imperative for the youth futures that corporate South Africa is designing the catalytic solutions for, alignment and coordination of these shared visions is going to be the epicentre of the next steps, to scale the pathways for solutions. And I certainly look forward to how both stakeholders champion the success of this meeting’s outcomes for 2026 and beyond.

Thank you to Discovery once again for entrusting me with this role.

[Vuyolwethu Dubese @VDubese]

“Shared value. Co-creation. Partnerships. Innovation. Youth. Architecture of Inclusive and Impactful Futures.

These are thematic topics that are going to reverberate in the room today, as we mark the inaugural Private Sector Partner Meeting that is engaging Corporate Volunteering to Catalyse Youth Futures.”

This time last week, I had the singular pleasure to serve as the Programme Director for a meeting that convened South Africa’s corporates to design think; to engineer catalytic solutions for the youth access pandemic of unemployment and a grounded opportunity to fashion scalable pathways leveraging the resources, capabilities, influence, and shared vision through corporate volunteering.

2026 is the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development, and the meeting was an invitation to champion volunteerism as a strategic enabler of sustainable development.

We had quite the robust programme, which included notable addresses from Co-Founder of @Discovery_SA , Mr Barry Swartzberg to Ms Andronica Mabuya, Head of CSI, Discovery Limited who served us a notable reminder that “We don’t lack effort and solutions, we lack coordination and alignment. And in order to scale impact, we need to harness the opportunity to be first movers”. While Ms Nichole Cirillo, MA - Executive Director, @IAVE highlighted the UN International Year of the Volunteer and Its Call to Action and that it certainly is time to not only value volunteering, but to put a value on volunteering as an engine to boost SA’s demographic dividend, unlock economic prowess and the data to provide the context needed to fund the POCs.

Our next set of speakers gave us a glimpse of the kind of impact that we can co-create, that we can support, that we can innovate for youth futures.

This was a series of Spotlight Case Studies addressing Youth Futures with:

·     Ms Zintle Raziya (MPHIL) – Senior Programme Manager, at Absa Group who marked the incredible success that the financial institution had had on youth upskilling.
·     Our next case study invited three speakers engaging on the reskilling revolution in Africa, namely Ms Nichole Cirillo – Executive Director, IAVE, with Ms Zeenat Dasoo – Executive Director and Transformation Leader, IBM South Africa and Mr Langelihle Gumede – Lungelo Youth Development Centre
·     Our final presenter, his engagement touched on the arc of youth employability innovation, Mr Allan van der Meulen – Co-Founder and CEO at Zlto.

We rounded the day with a facilitated dialogue amongst the delegates that guided in  us in developing a shared purpose, shared value on the joint action on youth futures.

And once again, the conversation continues, as we continue to identify opportunities in an evolving socio-economic landscape.

Thank you to Discovery for entrusting me with this role.

[Variety @Variety]

#CynthiaErivo says the controversy surrounding the #WickedForGood Singapore premiere discouraged her from campaigning for an Oscar:

“I just felt like my humanity had been bastardized. I felt like something I did instinctively had been made to be something that it simply was not because of the way people see women who look like me, and because of the assumptions that are made, and I just didn't want to be a part of that, really and truly. I didn't want to put myself through it. I didn't feel like I deserved it.”

It didn’t help, she adds, that “it felt like there was already a sort of upturned nose at the second installment, even though we all knew there was a second film coming and we were just doing our jobs.”

Read the full Power of Women cover: https://t.co/33UnuznD2u

[Vuyolwethu Dubese @VDubese]

On my fourth hotel this trip, and traveling with my satin pillowcases is honestly the best travel decision for my sleep and body!

I get them from https://t.co/YaO6XhJXzh founded by @MissLady0010 💕

[Vuyolwethu Dubese @VDubese]

Ready to celebrate my love on his milestone birthday this week 🎈🥂❤️