Phumlani is a development economist and entrepreneurship development specialist operating in complex African cities to inspire new venture creations needed for net new jobs. Passionate about new venture creation, impact modelling, design thinking, innovation programme design and higher education innovations, Phumlani’s work facilitates transformative solutions to help co-create collaborative entrepreneur development interventions. His mission is to strengthen intensity and density of entrepreneurship in Africa. With over 11 years experience of practically contributing to African development through collaboration with government agencies, venture philanthropies and private sector in Kenya, Rwanda, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda and Ethiopia; his pride and flagship work has involved providing research, design thinking and thought leadership solutions to African Union Commission (Ethiopia), GIZ (Africa-wide), Pan African University (Africa-wide), Stellenbosch University, Allan Gill Gray Philanthropies, Swedish Institute, School of Systems Change (UK & France), Digital Opportunity Trust (East Africa region and Ghana) and University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business (GSB).

Phumlani also adds value to The Allan & Gill Gray Philanthropies (AGGP) by providing strategic research, big data services and developmental evaluation techniques to help the philanthropic efforts in East Africa. In the past, Phumlani successfully designed, executed and/or managed entrepreneurship funds & programs for reputable local and international institutions like AWIEF, JP Morgan, Total, Philips, Transnet and Multichoice. Other past programme design experiences include designing the first-ever flagship Stellenbosch University undergraduate degree specialising in entrepreneurship and sustainability along with contributions to The Rockefeller Foundation Global Fellowship Program, NHBRC and Pan African University.

Phumlani is a creative at heart and a family man who enjoys data visualisations, running, listening to music and traveling.