Thozama Nene on why she is going solo

Thozama Nene has left her post as group HR director of Kagiso Tiso Holdings after almost three years at the company.  In her time there, Thozama facilitated the group’s HR strategy and brought back trust and confidence in the HR function by improving its performance and instilling a culture of accountability and integrity. 

Prior to the role she has just vacated, Thozama garnered a wealth of international experience in her roles as HR director at Oracle South Africa, as HR head at Swiss Re Life & Health Africa and as group HR manager at US-based pharmaceuticals company Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.  

It is this experience that has driven her passion for global best practices when it comes to people. But now she is ready for her next chapter and will be consulting for the foreseeable future.  

“I’m thinking of going into renewable energy so I am not currently looking for another job. However, while I am still getting my ducks in a row, I am going to be doing a lot of HR consulting,” says Thozama.

She is also planning to focus on leadership training and turn her passion for leadership development into a business. For the longest time, Thozama has been an avid reader of personal growth and business leadership issues, studying the material instead of reading it solely for her own development. 

Says Thozama: “I read a lot of thought leadership pieces on sites like the Harvard Business Review and I attend summits like those hosted by CHRO, which give me a lot of insights into what the topical issues are around HR and leadership in particular. But there are so many people that either don't have access to those kinds of insights or are unable to practically implement global best practices in a South African context. I've been doing that for the past two years because it has always been a passion of mine. Until now I have been focusing on the leaders within my organisation but now I will be reaching out to individuals in other organisations.”