Speakers

Anastasia Pelot is a cultural strategist and generational insights speaker known for translating youth trends into clear, actionable strategies. She has spoken at events like the World Retail Congress, TMRE, and Outdoor Retailer, and her work has been featured in AdAge, FT, and Axios.

Armida Ascano is the founder of Trend Hunter’s Futurist team. She coaches the company’s innovation speakers and develops frameworks on the future of innovation, technology, marketing, lifestyle and culture, while co-creating custom workshops for clients. With these tools in her arsenal, she has helped hundreds of brands innovate -- including Red Bull, TOMS, and Samsung -- and has spoken at conferences like Foresight and Trends, OmniShopper, Future Festival and Dreamforce. As Trend Hunter’s most-requested Futurist, Armida has a passion for trend forecasting with a specialized focus on generational segmentation. With 10 years of hunting trends under her belt, she has curated and studied over 50,000 trend case studies and one billion views of traffic, making her an expert in Internet culture and consumer behaviour in the digital age. She has been featured by Global News, the Globe and Mail, CTV, and more.

Bulelani is the Group CEO of Intercessor Army Franchising trading as IAF Brands. This business has since turned into the holding company for the subsidiary companies across multiple industries. Bulelani is the visionary founder of Township Entrepreneurs Alliance (TEA), a transformative initiative aimed at empowering small businesses in township and rural areas. TEA has directly impacted over 80,000+ small businesses operating within the township and rural community, creating opportunities for growth and prosperity. His Township Economy advocacy has led to the facilitation of funding opportunities for over 500+ small businesses, catalysing their entrepreneurial journey and fostering economic resilience.

Across two decades, Carl is Digital Native who has worked at the intersection of media and technology. Carl has executed a variety of leadership and commercial roles, most prominently for Yahoo, Google and Thomson Reuters in the UK & Outbrain, Datafree, Meta and Aleph across Sub Saharan Africa. At Meta, in partnership with VCs and Start ups, Carl contributed to the growth of the Sub Saharan Africa disrupter ecosystem. Currently at TikTok, part of the Global Business Solutions team, that is enabling market expansion and growth in the Sub Saharan Africa region.

Born white but raised and bred as a Zulu man, GG grew up in a mud hut with no running water, electricity or modern conveniences living with and like young Zulu boys. In 1999, GG founded Minanawe Marketing, an activations business which pioneered marketing to township and informal mass markets in South Africa. Later selling Minanawe GG founded Kasinomics which provides insights, strategies, route to market and consumer marketing to South Africa’s mass markets. GG’s books KasiNomics and KasiNomic Revolution cast a light on the invisible matrix at the heart of South Africa’s informal economies and the people who live in them. He is regular speaker, a thought leader and commentator on the trends and dynamics of the informal economies & societies which make up the majority of South Africa.

Gugulethu is an award winner and well-versed orator, with plenty of experience in front of cameras, behind the microphone and addressing many diverse audiences. This skill, together with her sound grasp of the Financial Markets, Economic Data and Current Affairs Issues and the impact this has on the Business Community, makes her the perfect candidate to speak to Industry Analysts or Political Leaders and Executives from all across the African Continent.

Hylton Bannon is the Managing Director of Toy Kingdom and Build A Bear Workshop, South Africa’s leading specialty toy retailer. With over 20 years of executive experience across retail and international trade, he brings strategic focus and a strong belief in the emotional power of retail. After beginning his career in finance, he moved into executive roles across South Africa, Africa and Europe, building brands that prioritise connection over transaction. He holds postgraduate qualifications in digital transformation and executive coaching and is passionate about developing emerging leaders. A firm advocate for immersive retail, Hylton believes great retail evokes heartfelt connection, nostalgia and lasting memories. In an AI-driven world, he champions the enduring value of physical play as a vital source of creativity, joy and meaningful human connection.

James reputation as Australia's Retail Corporate Doctor at KPMG and Ferrier Hodgson makes him a unique speaker. With over 25 years consumer and retail experience, including his most recent role as KPMG Australia's national consumer and retail sector leader, James extensive knowledge of the global consumer and retail landscape means he is widely respected as a pre-eminent thought leader and public commentator on consumer and retail trends in Australia and New Zealand. A frequent global traveller and student of retail models, James travelled with Westfield for almost ten years exploring retail global best practice. He is a passionate, insightful, and engaging storyteller on how the shape of retail models are changing in response to rapid shifts in consumer behaviour.

South African Olympic Gold Medalist and world champion Rower, serial entrepreneur, and executive business coach, James Thompson is an all-round leader and creative visionary. With 15 years of professional rowing experience, and many businesses under his belt, he has a deep understanding of team dynamics and the critical elements needed to build a high-performance team. Since retirement, James’s experience in business gives him an ability to translate these learnings from high performance sport into relevant messages and actionable insights for corporate teams. James has delivered over 100 keynotes to corporate teams across the African continent.

Jeremy is a regular voice in the media, at conferences and to the investment-related world at large, responsible for commenting on current affairs, economics and investment markets. In his position, Jeremy has access to information from the world’s leading analysts, on everything from politics to petrol. Jeremy’s challenge is consolidating all this information. Essentially, Jeremy collects and then connects the dots, bringing it to you in a format that you will find both interesting and informative. Although he studied accounting at the University of Cape Town and Economics at the University of Witwatersrand, Jeremy is neither an accountant nor an economist, but uses these skills to demystify what the accountants and economists are saying.

Kate is the CEO and founder of trends, foresight and strategy consultancy GDR. For 25 years she has been the innovation partner to over 30 of the world’s largest brands, P&G, Tesco, Target, Sephora, Microsoft, Google, Samsung, Moet Hennessy, Costa Coffee, The BBC, Clorox and Lego. She uses GDR’s professional research and strategy expertise to distil immensely complex global subjects into visually spectacular, crystal-clear narratives with actional take-outs. From climactic and economic headwinds to demographics and the advance of exponential technologies, she contextualises big shifts in consumer trends and demonstrates successful commercial adaptation, inspiring audiences with her optimism and giving them practical strategies for short and medium-term success.

Kimberley Taylor is a South African businesswoman and the founder of an online delivery software platform called Loop. She launched Loop in 2016 which has proved to be a disruptor across the African continent with its uniquely developed tech which solves real issues in the delivery and logistics space. In 2018, Kim and her team won the ‘MTN App Enterprise of the Year Award’ and went on to win the 2022 Grindstone Top Performing Company Award. Prior to founding Loop, she completed her Chemical Engineering Degree at the University of Wits. During her 3rd year she was tasked with an assignment to build an algorithm for the Traveling Salesman Problem. During her investigations she started seeing common trends in the delivery space around communication and visibility issues. It was clear to her that there wasn’t an existing solution that could provide a holistic approach that encompasses all last-mile delivery needs. Kimberley now has 6 years of experience in the delivery and technology industry and has had the opportunity to build out solutions that solve the problems she saw in the logistics space. At Loop she plays a lead role in shaping the vision of the business and with her team they are ever evolving the tech to stay ahead of the logistics game.

Luc Van der Hofstadt holds a Masters in Law from the University of Antwerp (Belgium), is a Certified Coach from the Institute of Neurocognitivism and is a Belbin Team Role Accredited Trainer. He teaches at various international Business Schools such as Insead Paris and Hult/Ashridge. He regularly directs team and individual coaching sessions for Executive Committees, Managers and Individuals for corporate and institutional clients in various countries around the world. As an international facilitator and motivational speaker, Luc coaches and inspires on winning culture and team dynamics. He also coaches individuals, leaders and managers how to balance delivery and recovery for themselves (Self Care), their team members (People Care) and their teams (Team Care) in our fast changing world.

Maxwell Kahn is the President of Coresight Research. Maxwell hails from the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia Business School. He began his career at McKinsey and then further developed his expertise in the consumer at Johnson & Johnson and Merck in both operating and venture investing roles. Before Coresight, Max spent five years between two roles for Wiser Together as a board member and ultimately CEO. Max understands the importance of delivering a retail experience supported by strong technology. This expertise has exemplified his career in banking, consulting an investing.

Reid is an experienced architect and versatile creative director, specialising in the strategy, design and delivery of next generation retail experiences. With an unwavering passion for working with both retailers and property owners, Reid’s unique skillset encourages an unlocking of value and innovation across the broader built environment and customer experience spectrum. In his role as Chief Experience Officer and Head of Architecture & Interiors at multidisciplinary creative agency, The General Store, Reid and his team have become a highly sought after household name in the industry, consistently delivering award-winning projects across various sectors around the world. From flagship stores and first-to-market retail concepts, to large scale mixed-use precincts and retail developments, the studio proudly support some of Australia and New Zealand’s most prominent retail businesses and property owners - including Rebel Sport, BCF, Supercheap Auto, Michael Hill, Baby Bunting, Briscoe's Group (NZ), Dedes Hospitality Group, Fitness First, Endeavour Group, Vicinity Centres, GPT Group, Dexus, and Sydney Airport as well as various independent property owners and e-commerce retailers.

Sean Summers is a seasoned leader in the retail industry. His remarkable career in retail began in 1974 when he dedicated 33 years to the Pick n Pay Group. He started as a trainee manager and rose through various roles, including Supermarket Store Manager and Buyer, Group Commercial Director, Managing Director and eventually CEO in 1999, succeeding Founder Raymond Ackerman. During his tenure, Pick n Pay was the clear retail leader in South Africa. In 2010, Sean joined Steinhoff International Group Services, initially advising in the Furniture and Homewares Retail sector across South Africa, Australia/New Zealand, and subsequently assuming oversight of Steinhoff UK encompassing Furniture Retail Operations, Bed and Upholstery Manufacturing in five factories, and UK Group Logistics. Sean’s experience and leadership have left an indelible mark on the retail landscape, showcasing his enduring commitment to excellence and innovation in the industry. Returning to Pick n Pay in 2023 as Group CEO, Sean, has undertaken the role of revitalising the Group and ensuring effective leadership and succession within the company.

Known as a tech enthusiast with a thirst for new information, Sean brings an enthusiasm to Trend Hunter’s content that is unmatched. After amassing an extensive background at companies like Rogers, Bertelsmann and American Express, Sean joined Trend Hunter in 2015. He has since interviewed over 200 leaders in insight, innovation and strategy to uncover best practices and approaches to facilitating innovation. His keynotes specialize on topics such as AI, technology, entertainment, media and consumer behavior. As the SVP of Special Projects at Trend Hunter, Sean’s capabilities span across both innovation and trend work. He specializes in framing Trend Hunter’s findings through the lens of actionability, formulating custom recommendations and specific growth opportunities using a combination of macrotrends and custom innovation frameworks. He has run custom trend sessions and workshops with iconic brands from the tech space, and spoken at conferences like TMRE and Future Festival.

Val is highly experienced leader and strategist who has extensive experience in the restaurant sector. Starting her career in marketing and advertising, she served as Marketing Director of Edgars, Senior Vice President of multinational food company, Rich Products Corporation, and Managing Director of Tequila Advertising. Val joined Famous Brands in 1999 as Marketing Director of Debonairs Pizza and later served as Managing Executive of Wimpy and Steers before her appointment as Head of QSR Brands. Val ran her own consulting business eight years, prior to her appointment at Spur Corp., specialising in business strategy and planning. Val has served as Group CEO for Spur Corp since 2021.