Sandiso leads Accenture’s Open Innovation for Africa a division that bridges the gap between innovative products developed by start-ups to fulfil the needs of Accenture’s corporate clients, forming corporate-start-up partnerships to solve business problems and in parallel accelerating entrepreneurial growth on the continent. Her passion for development led her to establish, the Born to Succeed programme which advocates and educates for young women’s economic participation, to date the programme has helped over 120 women obtain employment. Sandiso is also the former Deputy Chairman of Advancement of Black Accountants South Africa Bursary Fund, which addresses the challenges faced by previously disadvantaged learners in accessing institutions of higher learning due to funding constraints.
Sandiso’s experience in establishing an Edtech platform called ‘Khwela’ afforded her an opportunity to present it at the World Bank Youth Summit in 2016, her impact on young women’s economic participation, her experience in technology consulting positioned her for leading Open Innovation for Africa at a global consulting company, at such a young age. She is the youngest person amongst her global peers managing other geographies i.e. South America, Europe
During her first year in office (2018) as Open Innovation Africa Lead she raised $ 700 000 for building the start-up ecosystem, and dispersing grants to start-ups in the African continent through the YAS! project. YAS! is a Pan-African start-up ecosystem growth accelerator platform, funded through a partnership she established between United Nations Development Programmes and Accenture.
Amongst other accolades she is a Sustainable Development Goals ambassador inaugurated by Ambassador Dessima Williams in Canada, Mzansi’s 100 Inspiring and Aspiring Leaders and a Play Your Part Ambassador with Brand South Africa. She was also selected from a pool of 4000 applications from South Africa to participate in the Mandela Washington Fellowship 2016 in the United States.
Sandiso holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Technology from Wits University, Johannesburg and a Social Entrepreneurship Certificate from INSEAD