She trained as a chemical engineer, cut her teeth at McKinsey, and went on to run grocery and retail for Uber Eats across Sub-Saharan Africa. Somewhere in the middle of all that, Cikida Gcali-Mabusela built LOURO, a South African luxury leather goods brand, crafted by French-trained master artisans. Designed for those who refuse to lose themselves in the fullness of their lives.
But the résumé is only half the story. Cikida walked into the Southern African retail industry with no experience, no relationships, and no network — and left having signed landmark partnerships with industry giants such as Woolworths and SPAR. She’s also spoken candidly about losing the biggest pitch of her career and spending four years finding her way back.
Her message, distilled through her leadership platform The Divine Edge, is that the parts of your story that don’t fit the job spec are usually the very thing that makes you win.
That’s the throughline we’re bringing to the stage: a woman who has occupied boardrooms, operating tables, and now her own brand and who keeps choosing to build on her own terms, even when the path bends.
Cikida takes the mic under this year’s theme, “Kingdom Business: Occupying Spaces, Influencing Culture.” Her career is our 2026 theme in practice — an engineer who pivoted into consulting, into big tech operations, and finally into founder, proving that occupying a space isn’t about staying in your lane. It’s about redefining it, and building a life where all of you belongs.
Tickets are selling at R750. Dress code: Suits & Sneakers.
Get tickets here
Follow our Instagram and LinkedIn for more updates.
Sponsored Content
The post Meet The Keynote Speaker for the 4th Annual IAMe Africa Women’s Conference, Cikida Gcali-Mabusela appeared first on BellaNaija - Showcasing Africa to the world. Read today!.