Kay Lala-Sides - Chairperson | Nal'ibali
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Kay Lala-Sides - Chairperson

Kay, Nal'ibali's chairperson, has worked in the corporate sector across a range of industries (manufacturing, mining, telecoms, energy, financial services) for 20+ years. This has been in the capacity of a management consultant where she worked with shop floor operators through to executives. She then made a shift from consulting into corporate itself and spent 10 years as an executive responsible for Strategy Integration at Sanlam Investments.

She is now embarking on a new phase of her career where she is looking to leverage her vast work experience to make a meaningful contribution to a thriving South Africa. Thereby creating stronger alignment between her professional contribution and her personal purpose and values. As part of that, she has bolstered her experience with academic research and insights by reading for an MPhil in Inclusive Innovation at UCT's Graduate School of Business (GSB). She has also been a Fund Manager for the Student Seed Fund for the Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship.  Kay continues to be a mentor for individuals who connected with her through platforms such as The Association of Black Securities and Investment Professionals (ABSIP) as well as other individuals who have approached her in their personal capacities.

Kay has been involved in investing in a number of small organisations as well as a start-up of her own and has first-hand experiences on the challenges that entrepreneurs face as they go from concept through to implementation and then striving for sustainable growth. She believes in the value of personal stretch and pushing one's boundaries and is passionate about making an impact in all that she does and leaving a legacy where she has made a difference. Kay is a wife, mom, step-mom, yogi, dog-lover.  She loves nothing more than gathering family and friends around her kitchen table to share in good food, wine and hearty conversation.