COVER STORY

Taubie Motlhabane — committed to excellence

Setting new benchmarks as a woman leader, Taubie Motlhabane, chief executive officer of the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), reflects on all the qualities of an effective leader through a diverse career path marked by impactful roles in finance, government, and tourism. Raised in the North West province of South Africa, Taubie attributes much of her success to her upbringing and the values instilled by her mother.

The Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), South Africa’s premier convention venue, is a cornerstone of the African continent. In the 2022/2023 financial year, CTICC hosted 427 events, with nearly 275,000 attendees globally.

Taubie is a seasoned executive with over 29 years’ experience in tourism, communications, marketing, stakeholder relations, events and general business management. With a Masters in Global Marketing from the University of Liverpool (UK), and a BA in Communication from the North-West University in South Africa, Taubie’s extensive education background complements her impressive professional journey.

Taubie’s experience as business tourism manager at South African Tourism allowed her to promote South Africa as a premier destination for international conventions, enhancing the country’s global appeal in the tourism sector. In Bahrain, Taubie served as events and marketing manager at the City Centre Hotel, gaining insights into the dynamic hospitality industry and integrating global best practices into her strategies. Her tenure as head of events for the City of Ekurhuleni and executive director of the Tshwane Convention and Visitors Bureau equipped her with invaluable leadership skills and a deep understanding of managing large-scale events and initiatives.

Throughout her career, Taubie’s roles have been defined by a commitment to excellence and innovation, qualities that now drive her leadership at the CTICC. As chief executive officer, Taubie continues to steer the organisation towards greater prominence. Let’s hear more from her in this interaction.

How has your life experience made you the leader you are today?

I am living my purpose, making a difference in the lives of South Africans through the work that we do. My team at the CTICC inspires me tremendously. I feel extremely fortunate to be the leader of a group of people who are so passionate about what they do. They are professional, ethical, and committed to delivering a quality service. They inspire me to do more!

As an organisation, our purpose is to accelerate economic prosperity, opportunity, inclusivity, creativity, and innovation. Knowing that I am part of a value chain that contributes towards a sustainable social impact within our society is immensely gratifying. The CTICC is about business, but it is also about fostering empowerment, creating opportunities and contributing in a meaningful way to the lives of the people who work here, who live in our city, and our visitors. Personally, I am deeply committed to these values, they fuel my passion. Knowing that I am part of this eco-system, making a tangible difference in people’s lives, motivates me every day.

What are some of the challenges facing women in leadership?

The representation of women in leadership roles in South Africa has been evolving positively, driven by legislative frameworks, emphasising gender diversity and inclusivity. These regulations encourage companies to prioritise women’s inclusion in senior positions. At the CTICC, women hold senior roles, reflecting this trend. There is a growing recognition of the value that diverse leadership brings to businesses, with studies showing that companies with diverse teams are more innovative, make better decisions, and perform better financially.

Educational opportunities for women have expanded, resulting in a larger pool of qualified women ready for leadership. While progress is evident, more can always be done. The shift from the old sentiment of needing to be ‘like a man’ in the boardroom to celebrating women’s unique perspectives is crucial. Women have a significant role in future leadership, focusing on making meaningful connections and heart connections with teams, contributing to more holistic and effective leadership.

What have been the highlights and challenges in your career?

Taubie’s career is marked by numerous highlights. Her role at the CTICC stands out, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. The CTICC became known as a beacon of hope when it was transformed into a hospital, showcasing adaptability and resilience in the face of unprecedented challenges. Another significant achievement was her involvement with the South African Reserve Bank, where she played an integral role in the conceptualisation, construction, and management of the South African Reserve Bank Conference Centre. Establishing Association Day at Meetings Africa, and an educational and networking platform for the African Association Industry, is another proud moment for Taubie.

It is easy to be overwhelmed by the challenges, of which there are so many in this industry! Over the years, I’ve learnt to have a strong sense of purpose and the ability to keep focused on the outcomes, not the challenges. It makes all the difference when you take the time to

understand what the drivers of the challenges are. They will eventually lead you to the best course of action.

I’ve learnt that collaboration is a key ingredient to success. We don’t exist in isolation. The more we work together with our partners to find solutions, the stronger the solutions will be. It is about building win-win solutions. As importantly, it must be about the team. It can never be about any single individual — it takes a team to achieve success. In this industry you need a strong mind and a positive mindset. Naturally, ingredients like quick thinking, adaptability, and effective communication are also important.

What are your priorities for the next three years?

We understand that our resilience is linked to adapting to a changing world, with changing requirements. Within this context, we adopt a triple bottom line approach, prioritising people, planet, and profit.

Putting people first: We have cultivated a collaborative and positive culture within our business, which is essential for achieving our goals and priorities. The long tenure of many employees attests to our positive work environment. As CEO, I prioritise human capital matters and uphold the principles of recognising and rewarding employees for their valuable contributions. We emphasise skills development for our employees and offer work-integrated learning programs for students, ranging from two months to a year, to share knowledge and invest in the youth. Our commitment to being a people-oriented business extends to our community involvement, supporting various local programs to make meaningful socio-economic contributions.

Protecting our planet matters: The CTICC is intentional about its sustainable goals. We adhere to various international standards, including the United Nations Global Compact. We measure our operations against the UN SDGs and prioritise contributions toward net-zero targets. In 2023, we diverted 600 metric tons of waste from landfills. We provide locally produced food and fish listed on the WWF and SASSI green lists and implement various water and energy-saving initiatives. Additionally, we collaborate with clients to ensure their events are as sustainable as possible, contributing to our collective environmental efforts. We also have a special committee, Nurture our World Committee, which actively plans, monitors, measures, and executes our environmental commitments.

Creating shareholder value: The CTICC has proven to be a force magnifier in the Western Cape, and arguably, the country. In the 2023 financial year, we reported a total contribution of R5.7 billion to the national GDP and R5.4 billion to the Western Cape GGP. Our cumulative contributions stand at R60 billion to the national GDP and R51.5 billion to the Western Cape GGP. These significant contributions highlight the CTICC’s crucial economic impact on both the national and regional economies. We generated over 480,000 additional room nights and created nearly 11,000 jobs.

Our priority is to build on this success, with innovation being a cornerstone of our business. We are committed to continuously reinventing ourselves and have recently redefined our ‘why’, ‘what’, and ‘how’ to emphasise inclusivity, creativity, and innovation. We have expanded our services beyond our physical location, serving other entities in the city and creating new revenue streams. While there’s no single solution to maintaining our status as a top convention destination, our growth strategy incorporates several successful approaches that are integral to our ongoing success. Key to this, is a focus on future-proofing the CTICC so that we secure our relevance for decades to come.

Which other female leaders do you admire and why?

My mother was an inspiration for me. As a schoolteacher, she was passionate about education and instilled the value of independence and generosity in her and her sisters. She helped us believe that we could achieve our dreams if we remained focused and worked hard.

CTICC awards

The Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) recently received the top honours at the 2024 Eventex Global Awards. The CTICC won gold in the categories of Best African Events Destination and also International Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions destination. Additionally, the CTICC additionally secured a silver award for versatile venue and was named the People’s Choice Destination, a Category determined by public votes.

“We are immensely proud of this recognition. The competition is tough, and the standards are high, but these awards show that our convention offering is world-class. Cape Town is a much soughtafter destination, and it is important that the convention offering is in keeping with the quality that the destination has become famous for,”Taubie said.

Some of the biggest events hosted at the CTICC during the 2023 calendar year:

• Africa Tech Festival (previously AfricaCom) in November 2023 — 11,000 delegates and visitors;

• Lydian World in November 2023 — 3,500 delegates and visitors;

• Decorex Cape Town in June 2023 — 25,440 visitors; and

• Netball World Cup in July 2023 — 10,000 visitors.

Economic benefits

The economic benefits of hosting events and exhibitions at the CTICC are significant. Key benefits include:

• The CTICC contributed R5.7 billion to the national GDP and R5.4 billion to the Western Cape’s Gross Geographic Product (GGP) in the 2023 financial year. Over the past 20 years, the CTICC has contributed a total of R60 billion to the national GDP and R51.5 billion to the Western Cape’s GGP.

• The centre created or sustained nearly 11,000 jobs nationally, in the 2023 financial year. Since its inception, the CTICC has created or sustained more than 156,000 jobs across South Africa. Hosting nearly 275,000 attendees in the 2023 financial year, the influx of visitors boosted local businesses, including hotels, restaurants, and other service providers.

The overall economic benefits not only underscore the CTICC’s pivotal role, not only in the events industry, but also in the broader economic landscape of Cape Town and South Africa.

Bids won

The Cape Town International Convention Centre has secured fifteen bids for the 2023/2024 financial year, once again reinforcing its status as a top destination for international events and contributing to Cape Town’s business tourism.

Contact info

Olivia Bruce

Cape Town International Convention Centre

Tel: +27 (0)21 410 5000

Email: media@cticc.co.za