Words from the 2023 Stars

Participating in this year’s Rising Star Awards has been a great experience. The selection process was a great opportunity to reflect on and apply my mind to topics impacting corporate South Africa today and into the future. The (Rising Star) awards platform also gave me an invaluable opportunity to connect with other business leaders and these relationships are invaluable! The team at Black Bark Productions was awesome and they delivered a top-class participant experience!

It has been an amazing experience progressing through the rising stars program. From the beginning I’ve been impressed with the rigorous process the program goes through to select their finalists and ultimately the rising stars for each sector.

The exposure to amazing candidate and judges is such an amazing networking opportunity. If you are someone who feels that that you are a rising star or you know of someone in your company that fists the rising star criteria, I would recommend nominating them. It’s not just the recognition that you receive but also the networking and relationships that you build.

Thank you for the amazing opportunity and exceptional experience.

It is an incredible honour being recognized as a finalist for the Rising Star Awards; an honour I deeply appreciate for its role in facilitating reflective moments on the impact that I have been able to impart through my work, and more importantly how I can continue being the change I want to see in the world.

The thoughtfully designed adjudication process is truly like no other in both its rigour and focus on transformative leadership within key sectors in South Africa. My hope is that through my involvement, I will be able to inspire young people to strive for excellence and integrity as they pave their own leadership journeys to transform South Africa.

The one word that springs to mind as I reflect on my experience of Rising Star is – refreshing!

It has stretched my thinking, has asked of me to truly own the space that I take up as a women in industry and above all acknowledge just how many influential young leaders we have in Africa! It has energized me and propelled me to push myself even further.

The application process was seamless and easy to navigate. The digital interview submission albeit tough was a great addition and a clever way to incorporate the use of technology to not only aid the process but allow for the judges to experience the candidates ahead of the in–person interviews. The platform for submissions needs a little more tweaking for ease of use though.

The final in–person interview process was a fantastic experience! The execution and experience really stretched me, but the support received from the Blackbark team was so comforting. And the networking opportunity it provided to meet other finalists and the judges in person was exceptional.

This has really been a truly special process to be apart of.

To have made it to the Top 5 of the Rising Star awards, is an achievement I will forever be grateful for. Needless to say, being initially announced as a semi-finalist, was quite a surprise. A surprise partially because I was barely a few months into a new role and industry but mostly, because I am well aware of the calibre of nominees for the converted award and was honoured to be recognized as a deserving prospective recipient, irrespective of tenure in the industry.

The Semi-Finalist and Finalist judging stages were challenging but highly enriching. Both, amongst other things, required immense introspection, systematic thinking, compassion, demonstrated professional and socio-economic impact, an exhibit of leadership potential that spanned beyond core role responsibilities, and an impeccable delivery on all. The networking opportunities, and recognition that have come with the journey, have been second to none. Despite this being a huge stamp professionally, the drive to understand my true north, and make an impact on what truly matters to me, has never been greater. Thank you to my support structure that was phenomenal over the past couple of months, Rising Star for the recognition, the judges for the vote of confidence, and all the 2022 sponsors. Congratulations Triya Govender on your very well-deserved win, and best wishes for your future endeavors.

The Rising Star Awards platform has provided an excellent opportunity for me to network with thought leaders across different industries. This has led to my own personal and professional growth. It has given me the exposure to thought-provoking conversations relating to the waste management industry & has inspired me to create and envision a better future for waste management in South Africa.

Thank you kindly for reaching out to me! One concern of mine is a professional headshot. I think it would be great if the Rising Star Awards organizes cameramen to take a professional photo of each finalist before or after the finalist interview. Further, since I am currently based in Cape Town, it would have been great to have the interview here.

If possible, for future events, rotate the interview locations to different cities, Durban, Cape Town, and Johannesburg.

Thank you very much, it was an honour being part of the process. Please see below my Testimony. Apologies for the delay as I have just returned to the office.

We are often clouded by our day-to-day commitments at either work or family, not realizing how we can extend our skills and resources to positively influence the broader nation. The journey has been overwhelming for me. When I submitted my application, I was not convinced anything could come out of it.

The top 10 announced was a shock to say the least. This forced me to step out of my shell and look at how I can be an asset with my skills and resources and how this can help develop our rainbow nation. This was a true reflection on my achievements and how I can continually grow with an impact that matters.”

Upon reflection, the one thing that stuck with me was that the rising star platform truly showcases the selfless efforts of many individuals (judges/sponsors/ All rising star team members) who have stepped up to groom and support the future leadership of this country. You have not gone unnoticed! This is truly commendable.

My journey throughout this process was insightful, humbling and motivating which will definitely leave an indelible imprint on my career. To my fellow nominees, “Keep Rising” — “ We rise by lifting others”, Robert Ingersoll

When I entered the competition, I thought it was the same as other competitions or awards that I have been nominated to and won, but from the first round, I could see that this competition was unique. The first and second rounds were okay, and I still didn’t feel much difference, although the process was not easy. On the day the Finalists were announced, I was anxious and remembered that I was the fourth person to be called, and the wait was uneasy.

Then came interviews, all I can say is it was challenging, and when I left the boardroom, I felt like my mind was stretched a bit. It has been a fruitful discussion and exchange of ideas.” I was reminded of this saying, “The mind, once stretched by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson. The experience was astonishing, challenging and above all, it was a learning curve.

Your unwavering commitment to identifying, recognising, supporting, and celebrating young people who are shaping South Africa’s unfolding future is commendable and awe-inspiring. My lived experiences through this process, attest to TransUnion Rising Star Awards’ leadership excellence standards, achieved through rigorous scrutiny and highly esteemed benchmarks. From the morning of the 9th February 2022, through to my meeting with the final judging panel, on 13 September 2022, a 216 days window, gave me a front-row seat of your par excellence.

Herein is a summation of the distinguished benefits I derived from the process:

The diligence with which you conducted the process: stress-tested key areas of our business. The thoroughness with which you carried out your due diligence on our business, caused me to revisit our why: we do what we do. Ultimately shaping the re-discovery and commitment to our true north. The rigour and pursuit embedded in your approach: intrigued us to take a forward-looking posture, to see our business not as it is, but as it is becoming, 10 years from now, with resilience in mind. Looking at the high calibre of judges present, I asked myself: how much would I have to set aside to pay such highly experienced executives to preside over the affairs of my business, at a granular level, as they did? The bill, in my head, became quite a sizeable invoice. Multiplying my gratitude.

I am grateful to have been part of this process and wish more SME leaders will dare to subject themselves to your commendable pre-award audit measures, whose rigour I have come to appreciate. In the process: they might re-discover their why, receive due recognition (if deemed fit), and overall, find themselves in the great company, of leaders who have gone ahead of them, giving them valuable input.

The Rising Star Awards journey was filled with anticipation and excitement. I am blessed to have been nominated. The questions in each round were challenging and needed me to reflect on my journey as an Entrepreneur and where my business is. They also made me think of the kind of Entrepreneur that I am. A big shout out to Ibtishaam who’s emails were always exciting to read. It was a pleasure meeting her at the interview round for the finals. A very friendly team, encouraging, believing and inspiring hope.

This was truly a wonderful opportunity that has opened doors for my business and reminded me to keep pushing, to keep believing in myself and the work that I do, and the work my business does. It’s been a great pat on the shoulder to have made it to the finals. Thank you to everyone who nominated me.

It has been an absolute pleasure being part of the rising star awards nomination and finalist selections. This was an incredible achievement for me because in previous years I entered but was never successful. A few of my highlights & critique’s:

Critiques:

The video uploading and the app in the initial stages of the program were quite difficult to navigate and use. Uploading videos was a bit of a challenge. Perhaps this can be improved moving forward.

The announcements of the finalists and semi-finalists were exciting and incredibly nerve-wrecking – I wouldn’t change a thing.

Highlights:

The interview day was a day not to be missed. The overall hospitality and to some of the finalists was really special and made the whole experience unique. I was also happy about the case study presented to us. It challenged me to really think about my path, what I am meant to do and where I could improve. I didn’t see the questions as difficult – but they challenged my way of thinking. However, the time allocated to complete and present to the judges was a tad short. I want to thank the Judges for igniting in me an opportunity for rebirth within myself and my vision. Indeed, after this – I am birthing a new era for myself. A new company that will do more to advocate and be a voice for SMEs. What I loved about the interview section was that the judges were comfortable and free with me – it felt like a conversation with an old group of friends. What I really loved about the journey was that the Rising star awards were not created so that we can assess our balance sheets or financial statements – but rather question our innovation, creativity and leadership skills. All the more, keeping in mind the Rising star values. This is what separates this competition from the rest. So, I want to thank the tenacity of Ibtishaam who was on the ball at all times, the challenging questions from the Judges and the opportunity to be a Top 5 Finalist. I have enjoyed every second and it has been an incredible journey. Thank you Rising star for seeing potential in me. In a world where we as entrepreneurs are faced with hardship and pressure to perform – this recognition is one close to my heart. Yours in sustainable entrepreneurship.

I was extremely proud to have won the  2022 Transunion Rising Star South Africa Awards.  I am deeply honoured by this accolade, considering the formidable candidates that were on the semi-finalist and finalist lists. From the day of announcement until now, I have been absorbing this win and am excited to be part of such a great community of leaders and be recognized at such a prestigious award ceremony. I have enjoyed the journey and the judging process. It challenged me and gave me time to reflect on areas I had done well and needed to celebrate and the type of leader I wanted to be. The last interview with the judges and the case study I presented, was the highlight. It allowed me to talk about what I am doing with my business partners to help them maximise the value they offer to their clients. Thank you to the judges, sponsors, and the BlackBark productions team for making this journey so memorable and for the amazing platform.

In a world of professionals, expertise, industries, markets and COVID as both a catalyst and as an inhibitor of expansion and growth – the initiative of TransUnion Rising Stars is truly one to applaud.
Celebrating young professionals from all walks of life is remarkable and commendable. I’m honoured to have been nominated and progressed through the various stages upto and including Finalist.
This for me, is testament that all the hard work, sacrifice and investment in self has been worth it. It is simply humbling to see that someone else sees it too.

It all came as a surprise being nominated for Rising Star within the organization because my daily goal has been to ensure business continuity and keep the business apply. Going through the 3-phase journey of the assessment has made more self-aware of my strengths and weaknesses and paint a positive picture in my career journey going forward. All I can say it has been a privilege to be challenged on such a platform amongst a lot of young talented professionals within the country. My story is one for progression and continual learning and thinking outside of the box “the comfort zone”. Live by your values and those of the brand you have built.

The journey to being a #RisingStar2022 finalist has truly challenged me to think about the type of leader I am, the leader I still want to grow into and the purposeful impact I want to make in this industry, community, and bountiful continent of Africa. I am honoured for the recognition and to have made it thus far.

Thank you for your e-mail – it has been a great honour to have participated and made it this far.

The Journey to now has been an exciting one and for the most part seamless. The only real hiccup came with the technology surrounding the capturing of our videos at the semi-final stage which became a little frustrating to have to recapture videos at short notice. Despite this, however, my interaction with the Black Bark Team (you) has been wonderful and supportive at all times – thank you. The final judging round was fantastic. I feel that the judges took such a supportive and learning-centered approach to the process. Not once during the process did I feel like I was being judged and the entire session took on a conversational style where I feel like I learned so much from the judges, as they hopefully did from me.

(I recently read a quote that says: “Some years ask questions and then some years provide answers” – This has been the year for answers for me and the Rising Star awards ceremony has been one of these moments this year that are especially answering me, that I am on the right track. I learned a lot from just answering the entry questions to the interview questions, they especially forced me to look within, and the fact that I had real-life examples of how I applied and still apply each of the principles in my daily life is the by far the best realisation for me in this program, I am capable and that realisation is something that I want to keep with me forever.)

Being one of the only female finalists in the category has been exciting as I believe I have represented many females in the manufacturing industry. From start to finish this has been very exciting and challenging as it has tested many traits of a leader for every contestant. Of course, every nominee has that thought and as much as they say that there’s no chance that they are going to win, everyone secretly practices their award speeches and their graceful acceptance of the award. For me whatever outcome,I believe I have won and learnt a lot through this journey

While it has been a privilege and an honor to be a part of this journey, it has also been inspiring, humbling, and eye-opening. This platform has offered me another dimension to reflect upon my own journey and development, while also considering new avenues and methods of supporting and developing fellow aspiring South Africans. We have an amazing depth of talent in this beautiful country, and I hope that this is a stepping stone to harnessing further talents and bright leaders.

We all have a light within us, and while I have been fortunate to be amongst those that were recognized; there are many more who have not been so fortunate, either unnoticed or without mentorship or guidance. I hope that we continue to nurture future talents and recognize them, because as Rumi says, “you are not a drop in the ocean, but the entire ocean in a drop”.

Congratulations to all finalists and winners. May this be a call to action for all of us to inspire and enlighten as we rise.

The Rising Star Awards was an incredible journey. It provided an opportunity for self-reflection and introspection. Looking back on the process the key takeaway for me has been the reaffirmation that we as leaders have the profound responsibility of bringing about positive change in South Africa. It is up to us, and all South Africans to employ our unique skills to uplift others and drive our country forward. I feel the competition, although rigorous and challenging has left me inspired and motivated to double down on my efforts to give back to our communities. The group of finalists from so many diverse industries were all incredibly talented. One cannot help but feel optimistic for the future with these young leaders at the helm.

The TransUnion Rising Star Awards has been nothing short of an amazing experience; the level of detail around each step of the process and the professionalism of the communications team has added great value. Being nominated came as a surprise, however, as I went through the first phase of the video-based interview, I received a sense of reassurance as to why I would be considered a Rising Star. This experience teaches you a lot about yourself.

The calibre of judges is worthy of mentioning; they are smart, experienced, interesting and interested. I appreciated that we got to physically meet them for the final interviews as that allowed me to draw on their positive energies as I presented my case. Though intense and nerve-wrecking, the final interview experience was a career-defining moment. It was interactive, enlightening, reassuring and very empowering.

The TransUnion Rising Star Awards are an important ingredient in cultivating impactful leaders.

My experience of the 11 th edition of the Rising Star Awards was exciting, characterized by introspection and taking stock of one’s journey as a leader. The well-structured application process, interviews and high caliber industry experts as judges ensured that this was a life-changing experience. I am more conscious about my role in forming a better society and contribution towards addressing the many challenges facing our nation. Interestingly, I noticed through-out the process that most of the nominated Rising Stars in different sectoral categories had a few things in common.

Firstly, they were doing well in their professional and business careers. Secondly, they are committed to having a positive impact in the lives of others and making the world a better place. Finally, they care deeply about the future of South Africa and are geared up to the challenges that lie ahead through innovative thinking. The contribution of former rising star finalists and winners as judges and sponsors of the Rising Stars Awards is both commendable and inspirational. I believe that as the 2022 cohort we will follow in their footsteps and take this prestigious programme to new heights. It was great being here, what an honour and a privilege!!!

Rising Stars has given me the opportunity to realize my worth even more. I realize that I am the CEO of my own life and I have the power and ability to make a  difference that shapes this world daily. The opportunity is amazing because people of high calibre start recognizing you and want to develop u in maintaining the stardom. I have also earned the opportunity to attend a Technical conference in Lima Peru.

Thank you Transunion Rising Stars for recognizing me and making me shine .

I have thoroughly enjoyed my journey with TransUnion Rising Star Awards 2022. It was such an honour to be nominated for the award in April this year. I enjoyed reflecting on my accomplishments over the past few years in preparing my answers for the first round of judging. It gave me the opportunity to take a step back and realise that I’m actually doing so many of the things that I am passionate about – and that those things are making a difference in peoples’ lives! It was exhilarating preparing the short video interview answers for the second round of judging – having to think on my feet, summarize what I had to say on each topic in just two minutes and then deliver that answer in an effective way. When I heard my name being announced as a finalist, I was elated!

The announcement was made the day before I left for an overseas “babymoon” holiday with my husband, and it could not have come at a better time. When I returned, I had a day or two to prepare for the final interview – reviewing my notes from the previous rounds of judging, going through the Rising Star 2022 Annual and reflecting on how else I had grown in the months between the first nomination and this final interview. Upon arriving at TransUnion offices in Sandton, we were shown to a room and given our case study with an hour in which to prepare our presentation to the judges. It was challenging to be under time pressure like that, but I had a strategy and was able to structure my thoughts within the hour. The interview was in front of a diverse panel of judges who were all very engaging and eager to hear what I had to say. The discussion (with interview questions) after my case study presentation felt more like a conversation and I loved being able to be myself and engage with the judges in answering their questions. This whole process has been exhilarating, fun and challenging! I am honoured to be called a Rising Star Finalist.

The TransUnion Rising Star Process has been personally rewarding. It has provided me with an opportunity to evaluate my contribution to date but more importantly inspired me to consider the legacy I would like to create and the actions I need to take today toward creating a positive and lasting impact in my professional and personal life. The finalists are of the highest calibre and I am honoured to have been recognised amongst them. The judging process, while challenging was also a wonderful opportunity to broaden my network and I am grateful for the platform to meet the best-in-class leaders of South Africa.

The Rising Star Awards judging process was a challenging yet rewarding one. The last round with the judges was a nerve-wrecking experience but I definitely have taken away some learnings. I am honoured to have been selected to participate amongst some amazing people within my category. The process and the awards ceremony itself were run smoothly with an efficient team behind the scenes. Overall a successful and inspiring initiative.

“The Rising Star Awards offers a rigorous but people-centric process that aims to bring the best out of all participants, and catalyse participants in order to seek and achieve deeper and more deliberate impact.  It affirms that all ideas with a purpose have a place.”

• A few weeks ago I won the TransUnion Rising Star South Africa award for the Service: Public and Private Category. This award acknowledges professionals under 40 excelling in their respective fields. I’ve taken the time to process how that recognition felt. And all I can say is – It is incredible to be seen and recognised for your impact, character and your heart.  What motivated me was the feedback from the judges on why I won the award. When you’re in the thick of work, you may not see the value of your impact. And being seen is so affirming. This has given me continued motivation to grow in my professional career.  The judges said the following “What has separated Farai from the rest of the finalists is that Farai has the ‘X factor’. These are the elements that make her stand out:
  She has an exceptional understanding of the Sector and the needs of her stakeholders;
• She is a visionary with clarity of thought and clear articulation of her vision;
• She is fearless and courageous;
• She is authentic, relatable, and in touch with the reality on the ground;
• She is in touch with the needs of her stakeholders and she applies situational leadership tactics to make a real impact;
• She is passionate about building capacity and is empowering;
• She is in touch with social dynamics and is able to influence in a strategic way; and
• She is pragmatic in terms of the resolutions she implements.

This is one of the stars we will see in the World Bank, WHO, the United Nations etc.”
I’m still in awe of this feedback and read it regularly whenever I need a boost.  I’m so grateful to be a Rising Star South Africa. Thank you to my partner, Lindo Ntuli, for supporting me throughout my journey. And thank you to my wonderful family for instilling key values into my life – Thembelihle Mubaiwa, Unopachido Mubaiwa and Dr Kennedy Mubaiwa.

The TransUnion Rising Star Awards was nothing short of amazing for me. In retrospect, I grew tremendously throughout the process considering that the standard established is high and I approached every challenge in view of the fact that I want to be recognised as one of the best professionals. The TransUnion Rising Star Awards program is structured in such a way that one is challenged to think out of the box, critically, become analytical and most importantly display leadership capabilities in every judging stage. I was stretched beyond my comfort zone because I had to prove my competency among many young brilliant professionals.

This journey boosted my confidence to a great extent because the calibre of people that one had to prove oneself against are of high standard. Having been selected as one of the finalists in the Service: Public and Private category has indeed contributed to many opportunities that have been presented to me and I am challenged to- be the change I want to see so that we can collectively contribute to a beautiful South Africa, plough back more than ever to our communities and most importantly be bold to address issues that negatively impact the youth so that we can create a better country for generations yet unborn. Thank you once again to the TransUnion Rising Star Awards team for affording me this opportunity. It is such platforms that plant positive seeds in individuals like myself to be change makers in our respective fields one day at a time until the world becomes a better place.

I will cherish the experience of being a finalist for the TransUnion Rising Stars 2022 for the rest of my life. At some point, I paused and asked myself, why do I have to go through so many processes forme to be awarded? I then realized that in every process, I was discovering who Tebogo is as a servant. The feedback I received from the panel during my interview will remain fuel to my journey of becoming. To be the finalist for these prestigious awards and to be acknowledged for the work already done has empowered me for the work that lies ahead, and I will forever be grateful. I was honoured to be a finalist with young people who are doing extraordinary things and playing significant roles in our societies. In the process, I realized I was entrusted to do more for humanity, to be the change I wish to see in every environment, and to lift others. For this honour, I will forever be grateful. Thank you, TransUnion Rising Star for the empowerment for the future.

The TransUnion Rising Star awards process was a fantastic growth experience for me, personally and professionally. I commend the organisers, BlackBark Productions, for really supporting us and always remaining professional, and patient, and ensuring everything ran so smoothly. Special mention to Ibtishaam Solomons who continuously went the extra mile to make sure everyone had the best experience possible. Gratitude also to the sponsors and judges, for investing in these awards and the young leaders’ journeys. I am so grateful to have been nominated as a finalist and for the investment and support in my leadership journey and the exposure for our organisation, the Youth Employment Service, which is working with business SA to tackle South Africa’s youth unemployment crisis.

The journey with the rising star process has been phenomenal. Knowing that my manager went through the process of nominating me forced me to recognize what he sees in me reassured me that I am on the right path. The rising star process itself kept me on my toes, it made me realise my accomplishments and that what I have done thus far has added value. I had a rush of adrenalin after each submission, it pushed me to achieve more and understand where I could have done better.

The final phase of judging was an incredible experience, the judges were engaged and were humble in their approach. The process in its entirety spoke to the vision and purpose of the rising star awards which was to reshape future leaders while ensuring that we continue to serve with a servants heart and learn from our failures. It reassured me that I have something to contribute towards the future and that I am a future leader by encouraging me to think beyond what is and steer me towards thinking what can be.

The TransUnion Rising Star Awards experience is a prestige recognition that I will forever appreciate and be proud of. It motivates those who are in an industry that strives for excellence. Being exposed to a judging panel that comprises giants in the industry gave me first-hand insight into influencing my career path positively.

The brand TransUnion Rising Star is committed to coming up with creative, novel ways to appeal to its youthful leaders in the industry. These experiences are frequently fuelled by social media, therefore it is an honor to earn and promote recognition intended to celebrate innovative approaches and efforts in the transport, logistics, and security fields.

Chrismari du Toit, Regional Manager, Imperial

What an amazing journey it has been!! Something that I would have never thought I would get right or try to succeed in. Thank you to the sponsors, thank you to every person that guided the

The TransUnion Rising Star Awards experience is a prestige recognition that I will forever appreciate and be proud of. It motivates those who are in an industry that strives for excellence. Being exposed to a judging panel that comprises giants in the industry gave me first-hand insight into influencing my career path positively.

The brand TransUnion Rising Star is committed to coming up with creative, novel ways to appeal to its youthful leaders in the industry. These experiences are frequently fuelled by social media, therefore it is an honor to earn and promote recognition intended to celebrate innovative approaches and efforts in the transport, logistics, and security fields.

Chrismari du Toit, Regional Manager, Imperial

What an amazing journey it has been!! Something that I would have never thought I would get right or try to succeed in. Thank you to the sponsors, thank you to every person that guided the

What an amazing journey it has been!! Something that I would have never thought I would get right or try to succeed in. Thank you to the sponsors, thank you to every person that guided the candidates along the way – every time the App might not work – or WhatsApp communication was given through, thank you – it is appreciated I believe I have grown a lot from the beginning of the program to now – in all aspects – my work life, personal life and getting to network with all the people along the way. What great contestants – WOW – some powerful, driven, and ambitious people along the way.

Thank you – great connections built and looking forward to 2023 getting to know more of these connections.

The experience has been an eye opening one. Being nominated and making it through the semi- finals then to the finals has made me see myself differently and has made me recognise myself as the professional that I am. Add to that, how Rising Star forces one to also consider who they are and their impact in broader society. To be recognised as a Rising Star means that one can only grow from hereon.

It has been an honor and a privilege to be even nominated to such a prestigious award ceremony and to be recognised to the hard work and sleepless night in pursuit of revolutionising the industry and changing people’s lives. The journey has been filled with mixed experiences and bottlenecks to which one has remained resilient, agile, and flexible to.

The exposure and engaging with change agents from different industry verticals has transformed, improved, and positioned not just my organisation, client experience, partners, and communities in which we operate in, but has also positioned individual brand with endless opportunities in the industry, and that is the experience I will take at heart till my last breath.

Opportunities are always present in the midst of all adversities, as companies no longer compete against each other but against who has got the most robust and resilient supply chain in the changing and global way of doing business compiled with uncertainties, variabilities and major changes and technological disruptions.

It could be recommended that the future of the programme be inclusive of potential exposure plans to the candidates where they could go and explore selected parts of the world where the successes have been achieved and share the learnings and findings locally to bridge the gaps as we no longer compete domestically and taking into considerations the learnings where not so successful parts of the implementation has occurred.

The whole experience has been such an awesome journey. I could not believe it when I was announced as one of the semi-finalists. That alone was reason to celebrate. I cannot think of a family member whom I did not call to share the exciting news. When I progressed to the finals, I was pleasantly surprised. I will add though that it was not without challenges. I really battled with the submission of the video clips. I did not know whether it was my network or my device that was failing me. At the time, I was on another stress level. I felt defeated and anxious to lose the prestigious opportunity I had been given. I cannot recall how many times in an hour I texted Ibtishaam. She was so patient and did her best to calm me down.

Due to that frustration, I almost gave up on submitting it. I am glad I persevered and eventually submitted.

The opportunity to network with like-minded young individuals is a major takeaway for me. I also used the opportunity to leverage myself against other finalists after interacting with them. I realized that I have been limiting myself.

Other managers out there are not afraid to introduce themselves, and initiate a conversation that benefits them. I learnt that being reserved and looking on will not get me far, rather be bold and state my mind. I would not have come to this realization had it not been for this opportunity. I am glad to share that I have made meaningful connections that I hope to use in the near future.

One grows in different ways, and this experience has definitely been a growth opportunity that I will cherish throughout my career. Thank you for recognizing my potential.