HR Indaba Network launch off to a flying start

You don't have to love basketball to understand what excites Nyameka Semenya, senior HR director at NBA Africa. For her it’s all about what happens when thousands of strangers rally behind one team, young people discovering a new sport, and communities finding connection by a shared love of the game.

Jabu Mahange, group HR executive at Famous Brands, sees policies as only valuable when they help a business perform, not when they are treated as immovable rules, filed neatly in ring binders and dusted off when something goes wrong.

Karen Hammond, group head of people at Meridian Group, learned one of life's most important lessons at an early age by realising that difficult circumstances do not have to define your future. After losing loved ones while she was still young, she could easily have allowed hardship to shape the direction of her life. Instead, those experiences gave her a deep sense of purpose and a desire to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

Like any good runner, Penny Adams knows recovery is part of the race. After a two-year out-of-office break spent clocking up 10km runs, she has returned refreshed and refocused as human capital executive at Primedia Out of Home.

Vicky Koekemoer, CHRO at Ignition Group, doesn't describe herself as a risk taker anymore. These days, she says motherhood has made her far more cautious and measured.

There is a calm assurance in the way Sana-Ullah Bray speaks about people, culture and transformation at Sanlam Group. In a business navigating acquisitions, digital disruption and evolving workforce expectations, Sana-Ullah has emerged as a leader who combines strategic clarity with empathy and pragmatism.