Matsi Modise is a distinguished entrepreneur and advocate for entrepreneurship, particularly in Africa. As the Founder and CEO of Furaha Afrika Holdings, she has extensive experience in investment banking, enterprise development, and policy advocacy. Her leadership roles include serving as the Chairperson of the Technology Innovation Agency and holding various non-executive directorships and advisory positions.
In her keynote speeches, Matsi Modise addresses several critical topics:
Key takeaways from her presentations include:
Matsi Modise’s expertise and experience make her a compelling speaker for events focused on entrepreneurship, innovation, and women’s leadership.
Matsi Modise is a South African entrepreneurship advocate, investor, and business leadership speaker who helps organizations build future-ready cultures. As Founder and CEO of Furaha Afrika Holdings and an industry leader who has advised banks, higher education, and corporates, she translates policy, talent, and startup insights into practical playbooks for HR and leadership teams.
Matsi has served in high-impact roles driving startup ecosystems and innovation, and she speaks on women in business, intrapreneurship, and youth employment. Her sessions equip audiences to design flexible work, enable multiple income streams ethically, and replace rigid control with outcomes-based leadership. Matsi’s stage presence is energetic and candid, backed by a decade of entrepreneurial execution and ecosystem building.
Matsi Modise is a trailblazer in South Africa’s entrepreneurship and business landscape, renowned for her visionary leadership, commitment to entrepreneurial activism, and passion for creating sustainable change.
As the Managing Director of SiMODiSA, Matsi leads an industry association with a mission to accelerate entrepreneurship by collaborating with policymakers to enhance the success rate of high-impact, high-growth entrepreneurs. She is also the founder of Furaha Afrika Holdings, a Pan-African enterprise development advisory and investment firm, which continues to empower emerging entrepreneurs across the continent.
With a rich and diverse background, Matsi’s career trajectory showcases her depth of knowledge in investment banking, enterprise development, and technology. Her roles at Investec Bank Ltd. and in enterprise development advisory with South African banks, higher learning institutions, and corporate entities have solidified her reputation as a trusted advisor in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Her forward-thinking approach, combined with an unparalleled ability to influence policy, makes her a sought-after keynote speaker on leadership, entrepreneurship, and women’s empowerment globally.
Matsi Modise’s journey as a leader began with her profound understanding of entrepreneurship’s role in driving economic growth. Her work with SiMODiSA, a premier industry association in South Africa, has brought her to the forefront of entrepreneurial activism. By collaborating with policymakers and private sectors, Matsi has been instrumental in fostering an environment where high-growth startups can thrive. Her ability to navigate the complex world of policy and entrepreneurship has made her an influential figure, often consulted by government bodies and corporate leaders.
As the founder of Furaha Afrika Holdings, Matsi continues to drive impact across the African continent. The advisory and investment firm specializes in enterprise development and works closely with entrepreneurs to provide strategic guidance, funding, and opportunities for growth. Under Matsi’s leadership, Furaha Afrika has grown into a trusted Pan-African firm that empowers entrepreneurs with the tools they need to succeed. Her dedication to creating opportunities for emerging entrepreneurs makes her a beacon of hope in the African entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Matsi’s extensive experience in investment banking at Investec Bank Ltd. has provided her with the financial acumen needed to navigate and support the entrepreneurial landscape. Her ability to work across diverse sectors, including finance, enterprise development, and technology, has set her apart as a versatile leader. Through her expertise, she has advised various banks and corporate entities on entrepreneurship, fostering environments where innovation and growth can flourish. Her strategic thinking and financial background have enabled her to lead complex projects that drive tangible results.
Matsi Modise’s impact extends far beyond the boardroom. She is a frequent keynote speaker at prestigious conferences and events, both locally and internationally, where she shares her insights on entrepreneurship, women in leadership, and the power of innovation. Her speeches have inspired audiences across industries, from budding entrepreneurs to seasoned executives. Her dynamic stage presence and ability to distill complex ideas into actionable insights make her a sought-after speaker at events focused on entrepreneurship, business strategy, and leadership development.
Matsi’s influence as a motivational speaker has earned her widespread recognition. She is passionate about empowering women in business and leadership, advocating for diversity and inclusion in the corporate world. Her talks focus on breaking down barriers for women entrepreneurs, promoting gender equality, and fostering environments where women can excel. Matsi’s powerful storytelling and unwavering commitment to championing women’s empowerment have resonated with global audiences, making her a go-to speaker for organizations looking to inspire change and inclusivity.
Matsi Modise is a visionary leader, entrepreneur, and motivational speaker who has dedicated her career to driving entrepreneurship and advocating for women in business. Her role as Managing Director of SiMODiSA and founder of Furaha Afrika Holdings underscores her commitment to fostering high-growth entrepreneurship in Africa. Matsi’s financial background, combined with her deep understanding of policy and enterprise development, make her a trusted voice in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Her impact on the global stage, as both a speaker and advocate, continues to inspire individuals and organizations alike.
For event planners looking to book a dynamic speaker with expertise in entrepreneurship, leadership, and women’s empowerment, Matsi Modise is an excellent choice. Her passion, authenticity, and practical insights resonate with audiences, making her a sought-after keynote speaker for a variety of events.
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Matsi opens by celebrating milestones and explaining why organizations benefit from employing more young people: they are dynamic, see the world differently, and add value when enabled rather than tightly managed. She traces her journey from an 18-month banking internship to entrepreneurship, describing how rigid 9 to 5 structures clashed with her ideas and energy. That corporate exposure still taught client professionalism and execution, skills she now applies as founder of Furaha Afrika Holdings, an HR and talent firm offering recruitment, skills development, and employee benefits.
The conversation centers on replacing command-and-control with clear expectations and accountability. Matsi urges managers to ask, “What do you want?” then define deliverables and timeframes while allowing flexibility on when and where work happens. She distinguishes managing from enabling and recommends outcomes-based leadership that respects different rhythms, including remote and asynchronous work.
On hiring, she challenges overreliance on psychometric tests and degrees. She prefers conversational interviews that uncover passions and strengths, then aligns roles accordingly. She advocates for intrapreneurship, multiple income streams, and positive language around side pursuits, with guardrails that prevent misuse of company resources. Social media, she notes, is a modern business tool when curated professionally and can drive brand visibility and opportunity.
Matsi also addresses rules of engagement: be explicit about standards, client etiquette, and non-negotiables, but avoid micromanaging phones and desk time. Leaders should express authority through clarity, not surveillance. She closes by encouraging managers to create agile environments where young professionals feel enabled to contribute, grow, and stay, and where feedback flows both ways. The overall message is practical and optimistic: align on outcomes, trust adults to deliver, and you will unlock performance, loyalty, and innovation.
00:00–01:20 Opening, celebrating achievements, why youth hiring matters.
01:21–03:40 Banking internship lesson: fit, structure, and entrepreneurial pivot.
03:41–05:30 Founding Furaha Afrika; HR services and market opportunity.
05:31–07:30 Enable, don’t manage: outcomes-based leadership and flexibility.
07:31–09:40 Defining deliverables and timeframes; remote rhythms and trust.
09:41–12:10 Hiring beyond psychometrics; conversational interviews and strengths.
12:11–14:30 Intrapreneurship, side hustles, and ethical boundaries.
14:31–16:30 Social media as a business tool; curation and professionalism.
16:31–18:20 Rules of engagement: clarity, client etiquette, and non-negotiables.
18:21–20:10 Manager mindset: express authority through clarity, not control.
20:11–21:18 Closing: enable growth, encourage feedback, retain young talent.
Matsi Modise joins Lindiwe Matlali for a candid conversation about what it really takes to empower entrepreneurs in South Africa especially in townships and rural areas. She grounds the discussion in lived experience: rural Free State roots, a Wits BCom, a brief Investec internship, and 14 years of entrepreneurship and governance. Modise argues that youth unemployment is a structural crisis; programs exist, but too many are designed for already-exposed applicants and measured by vanity numbers rather than outcomes. Communication and access must change: take opportunities to people (“bring the Microsofts to the township”), simplify language without dumbing it down, and integrate awareness early at school level so innovation feels attainable.
She calls for “smarter cadre deployment”: it’s not inherently wrong to appoint trusted leaders, but the operational “A-team” must be qualified practitioners with real business experience. Policy matters some frameworks are strong, others (like small-business policy) remain incomplete so practitioners must co-design programs with clear KPIs, rigorous M&E, and private-sector partnership where accelerator models demonstrably work.
Inside incubators, she’d start with feasibility: validate that there is a business to incubate, elevate ideation and design thinking, test for market fit, and stop graduating “professional incubatees.” For township revitalization, shift the center of gravity: create local economies rather than forcing talent to travel to city centers for opportunity.
Leadership, she says, isn’t inherited; it’s earned through competence and service. Her advice to the next generation: be “naturally unsatisfied” with the status quo, fight for the country’s potential, and refuse impostor syndrome South Africans are globally competitive when given a fair shot. Modise’s current role as Chairperson of the Technology Innovation Agency Board underscores her focus on measurable impact and inclusive innovation.
00:00–01:20 Intro and theme. Bring opportunity to townships rather than pulling entrepreneurs to city centers.
01:21–03:10 Guest background and values. Faith, rural Free State roots, family, love of the countryside.
03:11–05:30 Education and early career. Wits BCom, Investec internship, discovery that entrepreneurship is the right path.
05:31–07:40 Nonprofit lessons. Running organizations, sustainability, business models, and governance.
07:41–09:20 Building a nimble company. Investing, board service, and partnering rather than scaling headcount.
09:21–11:30 Youth unemployment as structural crisis. Treat it as a pandemic and measure real outcomes.
11:31–13:40 Programs vs impact. Many initiatives spend well but underperform on results and accountability.
13:41–15:40 Communication and access. Explain innovation in everyday language and meet people where they are.
15:41–18:00 Education pipeline. Introduce technology, innovation, and role models early; include sector skills such as agriculture.
18:01–20:10 Inclusivity in practice. Market information channels beyond professional platforms; go grassroots.
Youth employment, intrapreneurship, women in leadership, startup ecosystems, policy for growth, outcomes-based management.
A pre-event discovery call maps business outcomes, audience roles, and internal policies to customize tools and examples.
Johannesburg, Gauteng, with regional and international travel possible.
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