Celebrated Jazz musician Nomfundo Xaluva (Cape Town), talks to Chris about growing up during apartheid in South Africa, and explains the influence it had on her identity and her music.

Nomfundo Xaluva (Henley MBA Alumnus) is a multi-award winning Jazz vocalist, composer and academic and she has released 2 albums under the Universal Music Group. Nomfudo is a senior lecturer in Jazz Studies at UCT’s South African College of Music where she graduated with a Master’s Degree in Jazz Studies (Cum Laude) and later the Henley MBA in South Africa.

As an educator, she headed the Vocal Department at the prestigious Cape Academy of Performing Arts and is now the former Vice Chairman of the SAMRO Foundation Board.

Nomfundo’s research interests lie in the intersection where the art of music meets the world of business as well as the repositioning of South African Jazz in the academy. She is a member of the UCT Next Generation Professoriate programme.

Nomfundo Xaluva | LinkedIn

Find out more about the Henley MBA www.henley.ac.uk/study/mba

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In this episode Rupa Datta (London) explains the concept of a ‘portfolio’ career and lifestyle, plus an exploration into public speaking, and its deeper link to ‘finding your voice’.

Rupa Datta (Henley MBA Alumnus) identifies herself as a ‘Career Explorer’ having launched a portfolio career towards the end of her time at Henley Business School. Rupa remains committed to ongoing personal and professional development in addition to commercial roles over the last decade, setting up Portfolio People in 2014. This has included communication, oracy, and training, most recently working with the English-Speaking Union facilitating youth competitions and adult training design.

Rupa has spent a great deal of time with an organisation called Toastmasters International where she has served in various leadership roles and held the office of District Director UK South in 2022-2023.

Rupa Datta | LinkedIn

Find out more about the Henley MBA www.henley.ac.uk/study/mba

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Chris and Simon (Denmark) discuss what the meaning of Personal Development is, and the potential impact it has on those in leadership roles.

Simon Kaczmarek (Henley MBA Alumnus) is a HR specialist at Talentcast with experience in crafting and leading P&C functions that support growth and international business. His sweet spot is the intersection between business, talent, strategy and tech.
Simon is passionate about creating a workplace where teams and team members thrive, and are enabled to contribute, irrespective of their background, but conditioned on their skills and behavioural fit.

He has experience building recruitment functions, HR operations, designing talent management programs, crafting organizational and team cultures, internationalization, performance management and leadership. Simon has completed an MBA and Executive education from Harvard, Wharton and Henley Business School.

Simon Kaczmarek | LinkedIn

Find out more about the Henley MBA www.henley.ac.uk/study/mba

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.