Ex Springbok Captain and Founder of the Make A Difference (MAD) Foundation, Francois Pienaar has confirmed that The Chosen – The 2010 MTN Business Leading CEOs Council, via The Chosen Trust, has agreed to donate R600 000 it received as pledges from leading CEOs and business leaders to the MAD Foundation.
Several highly influential CEOs and business leaders were inspired by a controversial debate “You are rich they are poor – what if anything should you be doing about it”, with discussions centering around poverty alleviation during The 2010 MTN Business Leading CEOs Council in George, recently.
The high-powered group identified education as the number one priority. “We need to reach out to the youth at a young age and create opportunities for them to enter into emerging sectors of the economy,” says Angela Gahagan, Managing Executive of MTN Business.
There was also a clear consensus that business leaders need to spend more time listening to the youth. “We are fortunate to live in a country like South Africa, a country with huge potential but also daunting challenges,” said Francois Pienaar, a special guest at the council. “We all need to invest in the future of South Africa, to enable our children and their children to share in the wealth and beauty of this majestic land. The donation we received from The Chosen Trust will be the start of a legacy and we will identify four youngsters and provide for them financially from grade 7 through to grade 12, thus preparing them for scholarships for tertiary education.


Many corporate leaders believe that South Africa is facing a crisis of leadership, and delegates at the high-profile leadership council echoed Danny Jordaan’s call for an “RDP for the soul.” Delegates from MTN Business, Absa, Microsoft SA, BMW, Murray & Roberts, Shell, KMPG and various other companies agreed that business leaders need to unite in their efforts to raise and promote the next generation of leaders.
“The weekend has taught me that as corporate leaders, we need to better understand the youth and create an environment in which they feel they can really contribute and advance themselves,” says Mteto Nyati, Managing Director of Microsoft South Africa. “I will be exploring ways to better integrate young professionals into the company and expose them to new roles within Microsoft.”
Renee Silverstone, Chief Executive Officer of The Jupiter Drawing Room, added that “as leaders, we need to include the youngsters in key decision-making processes and use their ideas and energy to carry business forward.”

Coupled with the R600 000 pledge; MTN Business took the boldest commitment to give each of their staff one day off per month to give to a charity. T-Systems announced the establishment of a global mentoring programme which was awarded to two of The Chosen Protégé Members, and ABSA appointed four of The Chosen MAD Matriculants to the ABSA Junior Board Of Directors.
“Now in its sixth year, I have watched as CEOs and Protégés have worked together to find solutions to issues of the day. Each and everyone one of these very special people have displayed a passion and commitment to our beautiful country, that fills with me with complete hope and inspiration,” says Alison Gregg, Founding Partner of The Chosen.
“We believe that The 2010 MTN Business Leading CEO Council provides an ideal platform for debate and discussion around the topic of Leadership with Soul,” said Mardia van der Walt-Korsten, Managing Director of T-Systems. “Keeping employees motivated, happy and hungry for success, I believe requires doing your work with soul.”
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