Lesley Donna Williams

Biography

Lesley aims to advance African leadership for inclusive and sustainable change. She is an international process facilitator specialising in innovation leadership, strategy, multi-stakeholder collaboration, cultural policy and diplomacy. She founded Africa’s first Impact Hub and served as the founding CEO of Wits University’s Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct. There, she led the development of Mollo Animation Studio and Academy, the Gaming Hub, and advanced digital skills and entrepreneurship programmes. These platforms have contributed significantly to Africa’s entrepreneurial, digital, and creative economies.

She has contributed to cultural policy development in fashion, design and animation. She also serves as an expert on the working sub-committee of South Africa’s National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI), which advises the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation. She has contributed to a proposal for a scalable, replicable science and innovation park model for South Africa and the region.

Her contribution has been recognised globally. She was awarded Chevalier de l’Ordre national du mérite by the President of the French Republic, a recognised Obama Leader, a recipient of the InspiringFifty award by the Kingdom of the Netherlands as one of the most inspiring women in STEM industries in South Africa, a Mail & Guardian Top 200 young South African, a recipient of an Unashamedly Ethical Award in the Business Category, a BP Antarctica expedition young global leader in climate change and an Aspen Ideas Fellow for her ability to transform ideas into action.

Lesley serves on several esteemed boards, including the Power Grids Education Trust (Chair), Hitachi Energy South Africa (Chair of the Social and Ethics Committee), Democracy Works Foundation, iSchoolAfrica Education Trust, Games for Change Africa, and Amis de l’IFAS/Friends of the French Institute of South Africa. She is a member of the International Cultural Relations Research Alliance.