Chief Executive Officer

Shiphra Chisha is a distinguished Pan-African executive, entrepreneur, board director and development expert with over two decades of experience in sustainable economic development, institutional transformation, women’s economic empowerment and inclusive growth across Africa. She is the Chief Executive Officer of the Graça Machel Trust, where she leads work focused on advancing the economic and leadership participation of women and girls, and represents the Trust on the AfCFTA Private Sector Platform Leadership Board. She is also the President and Co-Founder of African Women in Business, a Pan-African organisation supporting women entrepreneurs across the SADC region. Ms Chisha has held several senior leadership and governance roles across the mining, development, finance and trade sectors, including positions with the Anglo American SIOC Trust, Sishen Iron Ore Mine Community Trust, BRICS Institute and various regional advisory structures. A respected strategist and advocate for Africa’s transformation agenda, she continues to champion inclusive growth, regional integration, sustainable development and opportunities for women and young people across the continent. She holds an MBA, a Bachelor of Commerce in Economics from the University of Johannesburg, and has completed leadership programmes at GIBS and through the BRICS China Executive Leadership Development Programme.