Led by Experts. Grounded in Practice.
Built for Impact.
NAVIGATE team
The NAVIGATE faculty brings together a carefully selected group of academics, industry leaders and executive practitioners. Each faculty member has been chosen for their ability to bridge theory and practice, ensuring that every session is both research-informed and commercially relevant.
Across the programme, faculty pairs combine strategic insight with real-world experience, giving participants access to diverse perspectives on what it takes to lead in today’s marketing environment. This is not traditional teaching. It is practical, applied learning designed to develop marketing leaders who can think critically, influence at executive level and navigate complexity with confidence.
Dr Belinda Wagner
Founder of NAVIGATE | Marketing Leadership Specialist
Executive coach, marketing strategist and faculty member specialising in developing future-ready marketing leaders. Founder of NAVIGATE and CEO of Wagner Consulting, with extensive experience working across business schools, executive education and industry. Works with organisations and senior leaders to build strategic marketing capability, strengthen leadership effectiveness and translate strategy into practical application within complex environments. Creator of the NAVIGATE Competency Framework, grounded in doctoral research and designed to bridge the gap between academic theory and real-world marketing leadership practice. Within NAVIGATE, she leads leadership, strategy and capability development, ensuring learning is both research-driven and commercially relevant.
Dr Abdullah Verachia
Global Strategist and Thought Leader
Globally acclaimed strategist and advisor with deep expertise in strategy, innovation and disruption. CEO of The Strategists and senior faculty at GIBS, with extensive experience advising boards, governments and Fortune 500 organisations across multiple industries and geographies. Known for translating complexity into clear, future-focused strategy in rapidly changing environments, he brings a systems-thinking approach that connects insight with practical execution. Within NAVIGATE, he leads strategy and disruption thinking, enabling marketing leaders to navigate uncertainty, think more strategically and shape sustainable competitive advantage.
Erika (Botha) Berrington
Leadership and Management Development Specialist
Leadership and management development specialist with experience across corporate, academic and executive education environments. Facilitator, lecturer and coach working with leading business schools including Stellenbosch Business School and the University of the Free State. Works with organisations and leaders to build practical leadership capability and translate learning into measurable business outcomes across industries including banking, financial services, retail and technology. Former Senior Manager at African Bank, responsible for corporate education and leadership development. Holds an MBA and is a certified coach, assessor and Enneagram practitioner, focused on developing leaders for high-performing environments.
Dr Jane Roberston
Learning and Development Specialist | Transformative Learning Expert
Learning and development specialist who is interested in how people learn and the transformation they experience. Founder and Director of Training Partners, with extensive experience designing and facilitating programmes across business schools, organisations and teams. Works with individuals, teams and organisations to build people capability, enhance learning experiences and drive meaningful behavioural change. Her approach integrates coaching, action learning, narrative inquiry and reflective practice to support deep and sustained development. Holds a PhD in Business Management, with research focused on action learning and transformative learning within leadership development.
Dr Eric Albertini
Strategic Marketing and Leadership Specialist
Marketing and leadership specialist with extensive experience across academia, corporate and executive development. Faculty member across leading institutions including IMM Graduate School of Marketing and University of Johannesburg, specialising in strategic marketing, branding, digital marketing and leadership. Works with organisations and leaders to translate strategy into practical execution, aligning marketing, leadership and business objectives. His experience spans corporate banking, consulting and learning and development, bringing a strong commercial and strategic perspective to his work. Former Head of Global Learning and Leadership Development at Standard Bank Corporate and Investment Banking, with responsibility for building leadership capability and driving global learning strategy. Holds a Doctorate in Leadership, with research focused on developing future leaders for the evolving world of work.
Neda Smith
Technology and Digital Strategy Specialist
Technology leader and Chartered Chief Information Officer with over 30 years of experience driving business growth through strategic use of technology. Founder of Agile Advisory Services, working as a fractional CIO to help organisations adopt practical, scalable digital strategies. Former IT Director at City Lodge Hotel Group, where she led digital transformation across 56 hotels, including infrastructure modernisation and AI-driven revenue forecasting. She also held senior roles at Dimension Data MEA, overseeing IT operations across 11 countries. Within NAVIGATE, she brings expertise in digital transformation and technology strategy, enabling leaders to leverage innovation and data as a competitive advantage.
Vera Romano
Technology Marketing Specialist
Go-to-market and B2B marketing specialist with experience across global fintech and technology organisations. Senior Go-to-Market Lead at FIS, with a focus on content strategy, positioning and translating complex technology into clear, compelling narratives. Works with product, technology and leadership teams to connect platforms and capabilities to real business value. Her expertise spans messaging frameworks, thought leadership, campaign content and cross-functional collaboration in complex, technology-driven environments. Within NAVIGATE, she brings expertise in technology marketing and strategic communication, enabling leaders to understand, position and articulate technology as a driver of business impact and competitive advantage.
dr Firoz KHAN
Marketing and Education Strategy Specialist
Marketing and education leader with over 30 years of experience across academia, corporate and global education environments. Founder and Director of Cosmoversity, focused on delivering accessible, industry-relevant and future-ready education pathways. Works with institutions, organisations and learners to bridge academic theory with real-world application, strengthening marketing capability, strategic thinking and professional relevance. His expertise spans digital marketing, global marketing, consumer behaviour and higher education leadership. Published researcher and experienced faculty member across international programmes, bringing both academic depth and commercial insight into his work. Within NAVIGATE, he brings expertise in marketing strategy and education-led transformation, enabling leaders to connect market insight.
Kery-Lee Hamman
Finance and Sustainability Specialist
Finance, sustainability and governance specialist with over 28 years’ experience across corporate, consulting and executive education environments. Senior Manager in Sustainability and Climate Advisory, with experience across Deloitte and EY, working on ESG strategy, reporting and implementation across multiple sectors. Works with organisations and leaders to navigate sustainability challenges, strengthen financial and ESG capability and align strategy with emerging regulatory and reporting standards. Her expertise spans financial management, integrated reporting, stakeholder engagement and sustainability frameworks. Former CFO and Financial Director across leading organisations, bringing strong commercial insight and practical business experience into her work. She has also worked extensively with business schools and executive programmes, delivering finance, sustainability and leadership education. Holds an MBA and is a qualified Chartered Accountant (SA), with a focus on translating complex financial and sustainability concepts into practical application.
Sulet van Nickerk
Finance and Leadership Development Specialist
Finance and leadership development specialist, Chartered Accountant (SA) and executive coach with experience across corporate and executive education environments. Former CFO Operations in the banking sector, bringing strong commercial insight and business acumen. Works with organisations and leaders to build financial capability, strengthen decision making and translate financial insight into practical business outcomes. Her expertise spans financial management, accounting, budgeting and leadership development across all organisational levels. Experienced facilitator and programme director across leading business schools, with a focus on integrating learning into real-world application and supporting leadership growth. Within NAVIGATE, she brings expertise in business acumen and financial capability, enabling leaders to make informed, confident decisions.
Genevieve Allen
Entrepreneur, Leadership and Marekting Specialist
Entrepreneur, strategist and leadership facilitator with over 25 years of experience across education, retail and franchise sectors. Founder and CEO of Club Engage, with extensive executive experience including over 10 years at Exco level within a JSE-listed organisation. Works with organisations and leaders to drive growth, build strong business foundations and translate strategy into scalable, practical outcomes. Her expertise spans strategy, marketing, entrepreneurship and business development across start-up, transformation and scaling environments. Within NAVIGATE, she brings expertise in strategy and execution, enabling leaders to unlock growth opportunities and translate ideas into sustainable business impact.
Priyal Jain
International Law and Technology Strategy Specialist
International lawyer and academic specialising in the intersection of law, technology and global business strategy. Assistant Professor of Law and Assistant Director at Galgotias University, with teaching and curriculum leadership aligned to international pedagogy frameworks. Works across academia and industry to bridge legal theory with real-world application, with experience spanning AI, emerging technologies and multi-jurisdictional commercial environments. Her background includes industry partnerships with global technology organisations and transactional work within sustainable aviation and advanced technology sectors. Admitted in India and enrolled in the DIFC Courts, with experience across the UK, UAE and Asia. Within NAVIGATE, she brings expertise in AI governance, global legal frameworks and strategic thinking, enabling leaders to navigate complexity across markets and technologies.