Senior Fellow
Phumzile is the founder and leader of the Umlambo Foundation dedicated to advancing education and digital literacy. She is also the Chancellor of the University of Johannesburg. As the former United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, she has been a global advocate for women and girls. She established initiatives such as the HeForShe for men and boys to address gender Equality and successfully mobilized a historic $40 billion fund for women and girls around the world.
Her illustrious leadership career in the government of South Africa includes serving as a Member of Parliament, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Minister of Minerals and Energy, and Deputy President, where she worked on programs and policies to reduce inequality. Awarded a doctorate in Technology and Education from Warwick University, she is also a Hauser Leader of the Harvard Kennedy School’s Centre for Public Leadership.