The Durban International Convention Centre (ICC) Board has appointed Lindiwe Rakharebe as Chief Executive Officer, effective April 1.
Rakharebe’s background is in corporate management and she has worked in a managerial capacity for all four of South Africa’s major banking institutions. Her areas of expertise include strategic planning, research, marketing, community liaison, policy development and basic principles of good corporate governance.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management Leadership from the University of the Free State as well as other qualifications in Marketing Management and Management Development. She brings over 30 years’ experience in the corporate environment.
Chairperson of the Durban ICC Board, Mato Madlala, said: “Rakharebe is well known for her passion and dedication in growing the KwaZulu Natal economy, so it is fitting that she takes the reins at the Durban ICC, considering the immense economic impact that the company has on the provincial and national economies. We are confident that, under her leadership, the company will continue to grow from strength to strength as Africa’s leading convention centre.”
The ICC is set to host a number of high-profile international events in the coming months, including the World Routes Development Forum, World Sociology Science Forum and World Forestry in September this year and the International AIDS Conference in 2016. Rakharebe succeeds Julie-May Ellingson who stepped down from the position in July last year. Operations Director, Nicolette Elia-Beissel, served as Acting CEO in the interim.
Lavonne Wittman Managing Director of Belskye Travel Johannesburg, was elected National President of Skål South Africa when it held its AGM and first Bi-Annual at the Cosmos Cuisine Hotel in Addo at the end of March.
Wittman was presented with the Skål International Ambassador of the Year Award at the recent Skål World Congress and serves on the International Skål Council Board as Secretary for 2014/15. The two Vice Presidents are Enver Mally, Managing Director of Grassroute Tours Cape Town, and Neil Els, Managing Director of Turnberry Lodge Oudtshoorn. Skål South Africa has a membership of nearly 300 tourism professionals.
