PEOPLE
Synergy’s transformation journey accelerates Leading exhibition and event organiser, Synergy Business Events, is proud to announce the directorship appointment of Phetogo Kubheka who will join Director Martina Komane and Managing Director Tiisetso Tau on the company’s executive team. “Phetogo Kubheka’s appointment is testimony to the incredible value she brings to the company. Despite her young age, she is a natural leader and has risen to every opportunity that has come her way," says Tau. "Synergy Business Events has always had a succession plan to nurture up-and-coming talent – and specifically black female talent – to take up executive posts and make their mark in the MICE space. We look forward to seeing how she will take on her new role and help our business grow and thrive into the future.” Kubheka’s 15-year career path is rich with MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) experience, having worked across its value chain. Her previous positions exposed her to the inner workings of conferences, corporate events, exhibitions, incentives and venue hire and marketing. However, she has always returned to her first passion – exhibitions and events. In this space, she has taken on roles like International Shows Manager and Foreign Pavilion Manager for prominent trade shows such as WTM London, ITB Berlin and Asia, IMEX Frankfurt, and EMITT Istanbul. It was here that she honed her organisational brilliance and impressive skills for relationship management. After being head hunted to join Synergy Business Events in 2017 as Sales Manager, Kubheka was quickly promoted to Account Manager,
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followed by Head of Operations. During this time, she worked on key accounts such as South African Tourism’s two trade exhibitions, and this is where her abilities shone brightest. She sold out the 2018 Meetings Africa and Africa’s Travel Indaba in a third of the time each of the shows normally require, while also exceeding Africa’s Travel Indaba’s previous year’s exhibitor numbers by 10%. These exceptional achievements were acknowledged with a Top 40 Women in MICE Award that same year. “I am humbled by the promotion and excited for my new role that gives me the opportunity to contribute to the direction and growth of the company. I am grateful to have been under the mentorship of Tiisetso Tau, who has paved the way for those who are to come after him and ensured a strong foundation had been laid in transforming the industry,” says Kubheka.
Driving transformation is integral Driving transformation is integral to how Synergy Business Events operates. Since its inception in 2010, and under Tau’s guidance, the business has evolved from a majority white-owned and managed joint venture called Scan On Show, to now being 100% black owned and run, with a proud level 1 B-BBEE achievement. “I’d like to give my thanks to Justin Hawes for stepping down as director and giving Kubheka this opportunity,” says Tau. “Succession planning
