Clevenard to Honour Zodwa Pakade at the 2026 Clevenard Open Project 5th Edition and Clevenard Global Awards – 3rd Edition in Alicante, Spain

Alicante, Spain — Clevenard SL is proud to announce that distinguished business leader, strategist, and global development advocate Zodwa Pakade will receive a prestigious Honorary Award at the Clevenard Open Project 2026, taking place from 27–30 August 2026 at the Palacio de Congresos Alicante, Spain.

The honour will be formally presented on Sunday, 30 August 2026, during the Clevenard Global Awards – 3rd Edition 2026, the flagship recognition ceremony of the Clevenard Open Project, held alongside the spectacular International Fashion Runway.

The Clevenard Global Awards celebrate extraordinary individuals whose leadership, innovation, and impact continue to shape communities, industries, and societies across borders. The 2026 edition will recognise global changemakers whose contributions embody excellence, collaboration, and sustainable progress.

Celebrating a Leader of Impact, Innovation and Transformation

Zodwa Pakade is a respected global leader with more than two decades of experience spanning corporate strategy, technology, entrepreneurship, education, investment, sustainability, and stakeholder engagement.

She currently serves as Chairperson of the Board of Junior Achievement South Africa, a global organisation dedicated to equipping young people with entrepreneurship, work readiness, and financial literacy skills. She also serves on the Junior Achievement Africa Board, where she chairs the Council of Chairpersons and provides governance leadership across 13 African countries.

As co-founder of ZPM Ventures (Pty) Ltd, Zodwa invests in ICT and renewable energy assets across the telecommunications value chain, supporting innovation and economic growth across African markets.

Her distinguished career includes leadership roles and board appointments with organisations such as the MTN Foundation and Pearson South Africa, where she has contributed to strategic growth, innovation, policy development, and social impact initiatives.

During her tenure as Executive Head of Junior Achievement South Africa, Zodwa led a period of significant growth, expanding the organisation’s reach to more than 100,000 students annually while securing strategic multi-year partnerships and funding support from major corporate stakeholders.

She is also the co-founder and former Chief Executive Officer of Manati Alternate Student Funding, an organisation created to provide innovative financing solutions that expand access to higher education for students facing financial barriers. Through strategic partnerships with universities, corporations, and government stakeholders, Manati helped unlock educational opportunities for thousands of students.

Beyond executive leadership, Zodwa continues to advise businesses, individuals, and nonprofit organisations on Corporate Affairs, ESG strategy, sustainability, stakeholder engagement, reputation management, and social impact initiatives.

A Career Defined by Excellence

Before her entrepreneurial and board leadership roles, Zodwa held senior positions with leading global organisations including Dimension Data Middle East & Africa, where she led corporate affairs, communications strategy, and expansion initiatives across the continent.

She previously served at Microsoft South Africa as Chief of Staff to the CEO of South Africa and the Africa Chairperson, later driving initiatives focused on technology access and education across Southern Africa.

Her earlier career at BP Southern Africa included leadership responsibilities in retail, LPG development, customer strategy, stakeholder relations, and business transformation. She also contributed to regional strategy initiatives involving responsible asset transitions across African markets.

Zodwa holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree, an MBA from Wits Business School, and has completed advanced programmes in Business Innovation, Sustainability, and ESG. She is also a global fellow and speaker for the Nexus Global Summit.

Clevenard Open Project 2026: Connecting the World Through Business, Culture and Innovation

The Clevenard Open Project 2026 is a four-day international flagship forum themed:

“A Global Celebration of Business, Culture, Creativity & Human Connection.”

The event will bring together global leaders, policymakers, diplomats, entrepreneurs, investors, creatives, and innovators from Africa, Europe, and the Caribbean to promote collaboration, cultural exchange, investment opportunities, and sustainable development.

Event Programme Highlights

• Day 1 – 27 August 2026 Global Authors’ Recognition & Education Summit
• Day 2 – 28 August 2026 Global Economy, Trade, Solid Minerals, Agriculture & Investment Summit
• Day 3 – 29 August 2026 Global Tourism & International Film Celebration
• Day 4 – 30 August 2026 Clevenard Global Awards – 3rd Edition 2026 & International Fashion Runway

Event Details

• Dates: 27–30 August 2026
• Venue: Palacio de Congresos Alicante Avinguda de Dénia 47–49, 03013 Alicante, Spain

Media & Enquiries

Phone: +34 631 279 811 | +34 672 93 12 16

Website: www.clevenard.com

Organiser: Clevenard SL

About Clevenard

Clevenard is a global platform dedicated to connecting people, cultures, businesses, and opportunities worldwide. Through media, technology, international events, and strategic partnerships, Clevenard amplifies voices, builds bridges, and creates pathways for cultural and economic development across continents.

Mission: To connect the world, amplify voices, and create opportunities that transform lives.

Category:

Press release 

Oganisation:

Clevenard

Writer:

Adeirepodun

Phone:

+34 672 93 12 16