Henley Business School Africa has been appointed as one of Exxaro Resources’ strategic learning partners, with responsibility for delivering a bespoke Women in Leadership programme designed to accelerate female leadership capability, confidence and career progression across the organisation.
The appointment forms part of a strategic leadership development partnership announced by Exxaro this August with three of Africa’s leading business schools. The partnership aims to strengthen leadership capability across Exxaro’s Mining and Renewable Energy businesses as the company continues to execute its Sustainable Growth and Impact (SG&I) strategy.
Following a rigorous and competitive selection process, Henley Business School Africa, the University of Stellenbosch Business School and the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) were selected to design and deliver a suite of contextualised leadership development programmes. Together, the programmes will prepare Exxaro’s leaders to navigate an increasingly dynamic business environment.
Jon Foster-Pedley, Dean of Henley Business School Africa and Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor (Global Engagement – Sub-Saharan Africa) at the University of Reading, said:
“Leadership development should never be an academic exercise – or corporate theatre. It must change how people think, how they lead and what they make possible. “That is why we are so pleased to partner with Exxaro, GIBS and Stellenbosch Business School to create a connected development pathway across multiple management levels within Exxaro. Each school brings distinctive strengths, but we share one ambition: to develop courageous, ethical and future-fit leaders who can turn learning into action.
'For Henley Business School Africa, this bespoke Women in Leadership programme represents more than an accredited qualification. It is about unlocking the confidence, judgement and influence of talented women so they can shape Exxaro’s future, strengthen its communities and help power better lives across Africa and beyond.'
The partnership represents a significant investment in building a future-ready leadership pipeline equipped to lead safely, drive operational excellence, embrace innovation and deliver sustainable value in a rapidly evolving mining and energy landscape.
Importantly, the programmes were shaped by the voices of Exxaro employees. Through internal employee listening tools and pulse surveys, leadership development consistently emerged as one of the areas employees were most passionate about. As a listening organisation, Exxaro responded by co-creating the programmes with employees at the centre, ensuring that the learning experience reflects both business priorities and the aspirations of its people.
The programmes have been purposefully designed to support leaders at different stages of their leadership journeys and include:
Women in Leadership: To be delivered by Henley Business School Africa, supporting the acceleration of female leadership capability, confidence and career progression across the organisation.
First Line Management: To be delivered by the University of Stellenbosch Business School, focusing on strengthening people leadership, safety leadership and operational effectiveness at the frontline.
Middle Management: Also to be delivered by the University of Stellenbosch Business School, aimed at enhancing execution capability, cross-functional leadership and effective decision-making.
Executive Leadership: To be delivered by the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), equipping senior leaders with the strategic insight, enterprise leadership capability and resilience required to lead through complexity and transformation.
Rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach, each programme has been specifically contextualised for the industry’s operating environment. The curricula reflect the realities of mining and renewable energy operations, safety-critical leadership, the global energy transition and South Africa’s unique socio-economic landscape.
The programmes have been co-created through close collaboration between Exxaro’s Talent and Learning teams, business leaders, subject matter experts and the academic institutions. This ensures that the learning is practical, relevant and directly aligned with the company’s strategic priorities, values and the Exxaro Leadership Way.
Mongezi Veti, Acting People and Performance Executive, said: 'Our people continue to be our biggest asset, and investing in their growth is crucial to Exxaro’s future. Leadership is not built by chance; it is intentionally developed through continuous learning, meaningful experiences and opportunities to grow. Today’s announcement reflects our commitment to creating an environment where our people can continuously build new capabilities, realise their full potential and prepare for the opportunities of tomorrow. Importantly, this initiative has been shaped by the voices of our employees. Together with our academic partners, we are investing in leaders who will shape the future of our business, our industry and the communities we serve.'
Representatives from the three business schools welcomed the collaboration, noting that the partnership demonstrates a shared commitment to developing responsible, purpose-driven leaders capable of responding to the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of mining, energy and sustainable development.