THE SEDA Nelson Mandela Bay ICT Incubator (SNII) has appointment Phumza Mfenyana as executive manager.
Mfenyana’s 20 year career journey spans across various management and leadership roles at private and public sector firms.  In particular, the last 10 years of his career have been strongly oriented towards enterprise development, and programmes of wealth creation for communities and innovation management. This experience stands him in good stead for his new leadership position at SNII.
Mfenyana joins SNII after 11 years at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) where he served as Manager for Enterprise Creation Development Eastern Cape (2009 to 2016), and before that as Enterprise Development Specialist (2004 to 2008).
In both positions Mfenyana excelled and innovated in business development, project management, technology skills transfer programmes, stakeholder relations, transdisciplinary research and community capacity building.
He also led and worked on various rural poverty alleviation projects and SMME marketing programmes during his tenure at the CSIR.
Prior to the CSIR, Mfenyana held various positions in the management industry at several multinational firms, including SABMiller and Nestle SA between (1996 – 2004).
He holds a Bachelor of Administration degree (majoring in development studies and business management), and a BA Honours degree specialising in development studies from UNISA.
SNII board chairman Thando Gwintsa said Mfenyana’s appointment brings to SNII a skill-set and leadership that is strategically aligned with the incubator’s own journey of growth and development.
“Fertilising small businesses and creating an environment for creativity and entrepreneurship to flourish is a winning recipe for economic growth, and Mfenyana has already worked extensively in situations, programmes and with employers that understand the importance of these dynamics.
“Mfenyana and his team will further evolve SNII against the backdrop of national, provincial and local economic development planning to ensure that the incubator plays a meaningful societal and development role as we strive for poverty alleviation, the empowerment of women, and the implementation of government’s nine-point growth plan.
“The incubator remains deeply committed to empowerment, transformation and development through its world-class incubation programme.  SNII is focussed on maintaining its position as centre of technological innovation for the Bay.  We exist to serve the private sector and authorities in Nelson Mandela Bay in terms of local economic development.
“Technology-based innovation remains a unique and more sustainable resource that benefits citizens and communities. We are confident that Mfenyana and the team will be at the forefront of developing these resources and industries for the metro through emerging entrepreneurs and small business in the technology and ICT fields,” he said.