Corporate Talent x Social Innovators: The Art of Mentoring & Driving Impact Together
What can big businesses learn from young entrepreneurs and what can entrepreneurs learn from business professionals? Join Rowan Spazzoli from YSI Global, Masibonge Mkhize from Reckitt and Thato Schermer from Zoie Health for a practical fireside chat on mentorship from both sides of the relationship. Drawing on Reckitt Catalyst and Zoie Health, the speakers will explore what makes support useful, how to ask better questions and how entrepreneurial thinking can strengthen your own work. Through a short audience exercise, you will identify a skill you could offer and a practical first step towards mentoring a social business or charity.
Speakers
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Rowan SpazzoliCommunity Lead at Yunus Social InnovationRowan Spazzoli
Community Lead at Yunus Social Innovation
Rowan is a connector and capacity builder in the social innovation space, advancing Africa’s impact ecosystem. As Community Lead at Yunus Social Innovation (YSI), he leads community building and designs learning journeys for social innovators. He has been part of Reckitt Catalyst since 2022, supporting a community of over 80 entrepreneurs in WASH and health. He co-founded The Sparks Impact Fellowship and Phaphama SEDI, social enterprises supporting purpose-driven youth and impactful organisations. Rowan is also an adjunct lecturer in business strategy at the University of Cape Town, and holds a Master’s degree in Economic Development and two finance degrees
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Masibonge MkhizeHead of Corporate Affairs, Partnerships and CommunicationsMasibonge Mkhize
Head of Corporate Affairs, Partnerships and Communications
Masibonge “Masi” Mkhize is a corporate affairs and partnerships leader
focused on connecting business purpose with meaningful impact. At Reckitt,
she leads stakeholder relations, strategic partnerships and communications,
bringing together business, government and civil society to advance healthier
lives and stronger communities across key African markets. Since joining Reckitt in 2021, Masi has led the launch of flagship brand-led impact programmes, which deliver education on sexual health & wellbeing , handwashing hygiene education in vulnerable communities and encourages lasting behaviour change habits. Central to this work is collaboration with social innovators, including South Africa-based Reckitt Catalyst alumni, to scale impact, these partnerships connect innovative local solutions with the reach of business integration and public sector action plans , advancing Reckitt’s purpose of putting better health in more hands, every day. -
Thato SchermerFounder & CEO, Zoie HealthThato Schermer
Founder & CEO, Zoie Health
Thato is a young South African passionate about Africa’s future, business for good, technology and women’s empowerment. After an honours business degree from the University of Cape Town, she became a management consultant at a global firm. She served as Chief of Staff to the CEO at Discovery Vitality, built low-cost primary healthcare at Life Healthcare, and led Uber for Business in South Africa while co-chairing Women at Uber for EMEA. She co-founded Zoie Health, Africa’s first virtual women’s health clinic, and founded Yola, bringing affordable healthcare to blue-collar workers. She is a Mail & Guardian Top 200 Young South African and a Top 50 Inspiring Woman in South Africa.