Overqualified, Overlooked? Why This Generation Can’t Get Going
Africa is our youngest continent, and this generation is more educated than any before them, yet graduates are finding that a degree no longer guarantees a job. Are employers hesitating to back young talent? Where does the real issue lie; the education system, the hiring system, or something broader? Answers rarely arrive with passivity. This session examines how you can push for more and make things happen, shaping culture and habits that let your peers - or the people you're hiring - thrive. We will also explore the roles of young people outside education, employment and training to ensure you leave with tools you can tangibly take back to your own community. You, the people in this room, will be hiring the next generation before long. The responsibility for success rests with you.
Speakers
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KG BakoManaging Executive: Talent Management and TransitionsKG Bako
Managing Executive: Talent Management and Transitions
Managing Executive: Talent Management and Transitions at ABSA Group, she plays a critical role in shaping the bank’s leadership pipelines, talent strategies, and organisational capabilities across multiple markets. With over 20 years’ experience in human capital leadership within the banking sector, she is a trusted advisor to executive teams navigating large-scale transformation. She brings a deeply personal commitment to building workplaces where future generations can thrive. This perspective shapes her purpose-driven leadership and her passion for inclusive, future-ready organisations.
Under her leadership, Absa has achieved global recognition for its people practices, including Top Employer certification for five consecutive years, Forbes’ World’s Best 100 Employers, and multiple awards for leadership development and women’s empowerment. In 2025, KG was also recognised as a finalist for the IPM HR Leader of the Year Award.
Through her commitment to empowering women and developing future talent, KG continues to influence the evolution of leadership and talent management across Africa’s financial services sector.
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John McCalla-LeacyChair, KPMG FoundationJohn McCalla-Leacy
Chair, KPMG Foundation
John McCalla-Leacy is Chair of KPMG Foundation, Board Member, Business Disability Forum, International Speaker, Strategic Adviser
John is a highly accomplished and visionary leader with over 25 years of experience at a Big Four firm, culminating in a global-level Partner and Vice Chairman role in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG).
A strong advocate for inclusion, diversity, and social equality, John is a seasoned thought leader and international keynote speaker known for driving rapid, complex, and large-scale transformation in technology, commercial and social spheres.
As Head of Global ESG and UK ESG Vice Chairman at KPMG, John owned the execution of KPMG’s global ESG strategy and oversaw the design, development, build and delivery of ESG solutions, products, AI tooling and services across 143 markets. He also held several senior UK, ASPAC regional and global leadership positions over 25 years.
John built a global ESG and Sustainability business which exceeded $1bn in revenues in record time and elevated external analyst recognition from non-existent to market leader. He created the ‘Blue Marble’ concept, transforming an astronaut’s-eye perspective into a visual narrative on sustainability that catalysed major ESG campaigns and achieved over 7 million initial views.
An internationally recognised thought leader, John has spoken at leading global forums including COP, Davos, ChangeNOW, GreenBiz and London and New York Climate Week. He is featured in the Empower Role Model List, the Powerlist and amongst the Top 50 most influential people in Sustainable Finance in the UK.
As Chair of KPMG Foundation, John supports young people in or on the edge of the care system in the UK, and Board Member of Business Disability Forum. He has also held senior inclusion and diversity roles with the UK Government, British Canoeing and the International Business and Diplomatic Exchange.
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Ravi NaidooCEORavi Naidoo
CEO
Youth Employment Service (YES) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ravi Naidoo, joined the organisation in 2021. Since that time, YES cumulative youth job numbers have grown by 34% per year, reaching 232,000 youth jobs fully sponsored by 2,003 companies, with a further 4,950 companies participating as strategic hosts. In addition to leading YES, Naidoo serves as a member of the National Planning Commission, where he contributes to long-term strategies aimed at advancing economic growth and development in South Africa. He also serves on the Advisory Board of the South African Artificial Intelligence Association (SAAIA), an industry body dedicated to promoting the responsible advancement of artificial intelligence in South Africa. Prior to joining YES, Naidoo achieved several notable milestones in impact initiatives, including establishing the South African National Green Fund, managing the multi-stakeholder Health Roadmap that contributed to government's AIDS turnaround strategy, which helped increase average life expectancy from 49 to 62 years, and leading the restructuring of the Unemployment Insurance Fund to extend coverage to more than 600,000 domestic workers for the first time. Ravi holds a BCom from UKZN and master's degree from Harvard University.