Dr Rakesh Mohanlal is the Chief Financial and Operations Officer at The Impact Catalyst, bringing extensive expertise in corporate governance, financial management, and risk mitigation. He holds a PhD in Finance, an MBA in Finance, a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management, an Advanced Diploma in Organisational Leadership, and a Bachelor of Commerce.

With 27 years of experience in financial leadership, Dr Mohanlal has held senior positions at multinational corporations including Ford Motor Company, Toyota Manufacturing, and Wabtec Corporation. In these roles, he provided strategic financial oversight, ensured fiscal integrity, implemented cost-efficiency measures, and specialized in financial analysis and budgeting

At the Impact Catalyst, Dr Mohanlal oversees all aspects of financial management, ensuring that the organisation’s financial resources are aligned with its mission to create sustainable impact in South African communities. His responsibilities include managing projects across various departments to ensure optimal resource allocation and delivering detailed financial performance reports to stakeholders, the board, and partners.

Dr Mohanlal’s leadership ensures that The Impact Catalyst meets its operational objectives while maintaining fiscal discipline, positioning the organisation for long-term success.

Tankiso Mpholo is the  Head of Department: Agriculture and Bio Beneficiation at The Impact Catalyst, where he champions sustainable agriculture and rural development. With a focus on transforming the agricultural sector, Tankiso drives initiatives that promote food security, economic growth, and environmental sustainability. His work empowers farmer sand agricultural communities by introducing innovative farming techniques, capacity building, and market access strategies.

Tankiso brings 18 years of professional experience in agriculture, covering areas such as strategy development, regulatory compliance, farmer support, stakeholder relations, and project management. He is known for his reliability, dedication, and effective communication skills, which allow him to engage with diverse communities. His expertise spans across various roles, including Project Coordinator and Chief Agricultural Food and Quarantine Technician at the Department of Agriculture.

Tankiso holds an MSc in International Rural Development , a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Administration from UNISA, and a BSc Honours in Crop Science from North West University. His qualifications underscore his commitment to driving sustainable agricultural systems that benefit both the environment and rural livelihoods.

Through his leadership, Tankiso is making a lasting impact on South Africa's agricultural landscape, advancing practices that support long-term community well-being and environmental stewardship.

Aradhna Pandarum is the Head of the Just Energy Transition Department at The Impact Catalyst. She holds a BSc (Honours) in Electronic Engineering, an MSc in Electrical Engineering(Renewable Energy), and is a Registered Professional Engineer with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA).

As a technical board member of Cigré South Africa, Aradhna represents the country in the international C6 study committee on active distribution systems and distributed energy resources. Her extensive background in engineering, energy policy development, and energy economics is instrumental in driving South Africa's decarbonisation journey.

At the Impact Catalyst, Aradhna leads and manages all aspects of the just energy transition projects, with a focus on renewable energy, green hydrogen, and new energy vehicles. She plays a key role in facilitating investments that support the development of green economies, diversify industries, and promote sustainable livelihoods. In addition to project management, she spearheads business development initiatives and implements strategies to advance this critical transition.

Prior to joining the Impact Catalyst, Aradhna held senior positions at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Eskom, where she conducted ground breaking research in energy, managed large-scale projects and teams, and played a pivotal role in strategic energy sector initiatives.

Dr. Mari Romijn is the Head of the Capable State Department at The Impact Catalyst, bringing extensive expertise in urban and regional planning. She holds a PhD and MSc in Urban and Regional Planning and is a registered Professional Planner with several professional affiliations, including the South African Council for Planners (SACPLAN) and the Project Management Institute (PMI).

In her role, Dr. Romijn focuses on bridging the gap between government, the private sector, and civil society. She leads initiatives that support provincial governments in enhancing service delivery, infrastructure planning, and scenario-based studies to inform decision-making. Her work contributes to sustainable growth, promoting governance models that ensure inclusivity and accountability.

Dr. Romijn is also responsible for managing relationships with key stakeholders and enhancing the organisation's programme management capabilities.

Before joining the Impact Catalyst, she held senior positions at Zutari South Africa and was a part-time lecturer at the University of the Free State, where she taught project management in development and environmental studies.

Rory Baker is the KeyAccounts Manager at the Impact Catalyst, bringing a wealth of experience insocio-economic development and strategic partnership management. He holds a BA(General), a BA (Hons.) in Psychology, and an MA in Clinical Psychology.

With a strong background in stakeholder engagement, Rory plays a crucial role in fostering collaboration between corporate entities, government agencies, and community organisations.

In his role, Rory manages relationships with key partners, ensuring that their needs are met while aligning initiatives with the goals of the Impact Catalyst. His expertise in strategic planning, communication, and negotiation enables him to create shared value and drive sustainable growth across Southern Africa.

 Before joining The Impact Catalyst, Rory served as Project and Programme Manager at Zutari and Director at Pumalo Africa, where he led strategic planning and management initiatives.

At The Impact Catalyst, he aims to maintain strong relationships with existing partners, expand the organisation's footprint by securing new partnerships in key provinces, and implement an efficient reporting structure to meet partner needs.

Thato Matsio is the Head of ICT & Education at The Impact Catalyst, bringing over 14 years of experience in project and programme management within the ICT sector. In this role, he is responsible for driving the organisation's ICT strategy and leading initiatives that focus on education and digitalisation in underserved communities in Southern Africa.

Thato holds an MSc in Project Management and a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration from the University of Cape Town, along with several professional certifications, including Project Management Professional (PMP), Agile Project Management, and PRINCE2 Practitioner.

Throughout his career, Thato has held strategic leadership IT positions at organisations such as the Agricultural Research Council, the State Information Technology Agency (SITA), and the Northern Cape Economic Development Agency. In these roles, he successfully delivered impactful projects, including digitalisation infrastructure for schools and communities.

At The Impact Catalyst, Thato is focused on fostering strategic partnerships that enable ICT-driven solutions in education. His efforts are aimed at empowering rural and underserved communities by enhancing digital access and bridging the digital divide.

Thamsanqa Mkhonza is a qualified Chemical Engineer and is the Head of Department for Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD), Manufacturing, and Localisation at the Impact Catalyst.

With over 10 years of management consulting experience, Thamsanqa has developed expertise in Supply Chain Management, Project Management, Environmental Social & Governance (ESG), and Enterprise & Supplier Development Strategy.

His work spans various industries, including mining, oil and gas, healthcare, and telecommunications, delivering impactful procurement initiatives that align with corporate strategies.

At the Impact Catalyst, Thamsanqa leads initiatives aimed at promoting entrepreneurship, enhancing local supplier capacity and driving localisation of industries in Southern Africa.  Further, through his expertise in enterprise development and supply development, he ensures that Impact Catalyst programmes effectively support local industries, create jobs and advance economic inclusion. He also is responsible for bridging the gap between large and emerging enterprises makes him vital player in advancing localisation strategies.

Thamsanqa’s professional journey includes leadership positions at Deloitte Consulting, Accenture, and Hatch. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Chemical Engineering from the University of Cape Town, completed in 2007.

Noeleen Greyling is the Head of Social Development and Communications at the Impact Catalyst. She brings extensive experience in social research, community development, stakeholder engagement, social impact assessments, and resettlement planning.

As part of her role at the Impact Catalyst, her work focuses on fostering collaboration among municipalities, corporate entities, and mining communities to drive sustainable development initiatives across Africa.

A key driver of Noeleen's work is her passion for promoting collective impact. She provides a platform where diverse stakeholders, united by a common interest, can collaborate to address complex social challenges. Her approach is rooted in empowering communities and advancing rural and regional socio-economic development throughout Southern Africa.

Noeleen holds qualifications in Environmental Management, Tourism, Travel, and Hospitality Management, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education.

She is also a certified trainer in Community Engagement and Public Participation through IAP2 International and currently serves as a board member of the International Association for Public Participation Southern Africa (IAP2SA).

Noeleen’s professional experience includes leadership roles at Zutari, where she managed social development projects, and worked as a Senior Social Scientist.

She is currently pursuing her MA in Social Impact Assessment at the University of Johannesburg.