Speakers for Festival of Eventing 2025
Meet our visionary speakers who will share their expertise and insights at this years Festival of Eventing.
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Nicky Verd
Digital Futurist
South Africa
Nicky Verd lives to blow stuff up.
She is a Kickass Author and Digital Futurist helping organisations and individuals navigate disruption and thrive in an AI-powered economy.
An International Keynote Speaker and Author of the hit book, Disrupt Yourself Or Be Disrupted, Nicky is a leading thinker on driving innovation and digital transformation through culture. She is also a Conference Moderator and Corporate MC on all things Tech, Digital Disruption, the Future of Work, AI, Future Skills, etc.
Nicky reinvented herself and is now empowering others to disrupt themselves before someone else does it for them. She is recognised by Thinkers360 as one of the Top 50 Global Thought Leaders on Digital Disruption and the Future of Work.
Not your typical tech founder…
Iain Morrison is the co-founder of The Imagination Collaborative, an Australian event tech studio creating digital twins for some of the world’s biggest outdoor events.
With 35+ years in the industry, Iain brings hands-on experience from festivals, stadium tours, and major productions for artists like Taylor Swift and U2.
A passionate advocate for rethinking how the events industry works, from planning systems to people management, Iain blends deep operational experience with cutting edge digital innovation.
Known for his honest take on leadership, burnout, and building high-performing teams, Iain bridges deep operational know-how with cutting-edge innovation. His company is part of NVIDIA’s Inception Program and leads the charge in spatial tech for live events.
Iain Morrison
Co-founder & CEO
The Imagination Collaborative
Australia
Lorne Sulcas
International Speaker and Game Changer
The Big Cat Guy
South Africa
From the bushveld to business…
Watching and photographing Africa’s wildlife for more than two decades, LORNE SULCAS never imagined he would become a sought-after professional speaker addressing US giants such as NASA, Sony Music, and AT&T, on his experiences and learnings as a long-time game ranger and safari guide. Lorne’s compelling presentations have been inspiring top organisations, entrepreneurs and athletes in the USA and South Africa on performance with his expert knowledge, personal experiences, captivating stories, and his highly-awarded wildlife photos.
Africa’s three big cats are superlative hunters with a million-year old proven track record of success in a fiercely competitive, challenging and changing world. In his entertaining, powerful Thriving in a Wild World™ keynote presentation, Lorne shares results-changing lessons from these remarkable felines of sustaining growth, resilience and extraordinary teamwork in the face of massive challenges, change and competition.
Top thought leader on all things events…
Adam Parry is the editor of eventindustrynews.com, a leading online publication covering the latest news and trends in the event industry.
With over a decade of experience and passion for all things events, Adam has established himself as a top thought leader in the field, providing insightful commentary and analysis on the latest developments in the industry.
Whether it’s breaking news, expert interviews, or in-depth features, Adam is committed to bringing his readers the most up-to-date and relevant information on the world of events.
When he’s not busy working, Adam enjoys travelling and attending industry conferences to stay on top of the latest trends and innovations in the field.
Adam Parry
Co-founder & Editor
Event Industry News
United Kingdom
John Arvanitakis
Chairman
Event Greening Forum
South Africa
Lyndon Barends
Managing Director
Arena Holdings
South Africa
Errol Bryce
Group Commercial Director
Vuka Group
South Africa
Glenton de Kock
Chief Executive Officer
South African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI)
South Africa
Anrico du Plessis
Chief Executive Officer
Multi-Media
South Africa
Brooke Greenhill
Managing Director
Elegant Entertainment
South Africa
Steven Hall
Producer & Director
Brand Avatar
South Africa
Harry Hare
Co-Founder & Chairman
CIO Africa by DX5
Kenya
Tracy Harley
Chief Executive Officer
Espresso Meet Up
South Africa
Dale Hefer
Chief Executive Officer
IMC Conference
South Africa
Bradly Howland
CEO
Alkemi Collective
South Africa
Larna Jackson
Managing Director
Event Options
South Africa
Kevan Jones
Executive Director: SACIA
and Chair:
SABS Technical Committee
South Africa
Peter Kagwa
President
International Festivals & Events Association Africa (IFEA Africa)
Uganda
Andrew Karanja
Co-Founder & Director
CIO Africa by DX5
Kenya
Charlotte Kemp
Co-Owner of Red Jacket Speaker Bureau, Futurist, Speaker, Coach
South Africa
Tebatso Kgakge
Executive PR & Events Producer
Botswana
Londi Khumalo
Managing Director
Niche Partners & SAACI Board Member
South Africa
Farirai Mabodza
Founder
Institute of Events
Professionals Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Lebo Madiba
Managing Director
PR Powerhouse & Business Influencer
South Africa
Keitumetse Madisha
Head of Events
Primedia Broadcasting
South Africa
Kunal Malhotra
Regional Sales Manager
Cvent
India
Mic Mann
Co-Founder
Mann Made
South Africa
Shayne Mann
Co-Founder & Co-CEO
Mann Made
South Africa
Thoko Modise
GM: Communications
Brand South Africa
South Africa
Wendy Monkley
She’EO
DC Lab Pty Ltd
South Africa
Iain Morrison
Co-Founder & CEO
The Imagination Collaborative
Australia
Dolly Nqonji
Former VP: Culture, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (Massmart)
Managing Director
Lunniko Consulting Group
South Africa
Alicia Oelofse
Senior Projects Administrator
City of Cape Town
South Africa
Yinka Olaito
Executive Director
Centre for Disability
and Inclusion Africa
Nigeria
Adam Parry
Co-Founder & Editor
Event Industry News
United Kingdom
Alderman JP Smith
Mayoral Committee Member: Safety Security & Events
City of Cape Town
South Africa
Dvorah Stein
Culture Strategist
The Hive
South Africa
Lorne Sulcas
International Speaker & Game Changer
The Big Cat Guy
South Africa
Zandri Swartz
Senior Sales Manager
Century City
Conference Centre
South Africa
Tshifhiwa Tshivhenga
Chief Executive Officer
Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA)
South Africa
Irene Vallihu
Sales and Business Executive
(Head of Sales)
Durban International Convention Centre
South Africa
Rudi van der Vyver
Chief Executive Officer
We are Events & We are Virtual
South Africa
Gary van der Walt
Sustainable Design & Implementation Consultant
Xanita
South Africa
Nicky Verd
Digital Futurist
Digi Fit Global
South Africa
Ryan Wallace
Managing Director
We are Africa & Do Not Disturb
South Africa
Pieter Geldenhuys
Futurist & Director
Institute for Technology Strategy & Innovation
South Africa
Pamela Xaba
Founder
Nonkosi Creatives
South Africa
Nicky Abdinor
Clinical Psychologist
Nicky’s Drive
South Africa
Lee Den Hond
Inspirational Speaker, Adventurer, Athlete
Entrepreneur
South Africa
Dr Vumi Msweli
Founder
Hesed Africa Foundation
South Africa
Dr Morne Mostert
Creator
Mindset Index
South Africa
Debbie Tagg
Chief Executive Officer
Smart Procurement
South Africa
Daniel Silke
Leading Political Economy Analyst
Daniel Silke Global
South Africa
Bilal Kathrada
Ed Tech Entrepreneur & Founder
IT Varsity
South Africa
Alexander Leibner
Founder
Sandton Media Group
South Africa