Swaady martin leke biography of martin
SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR | CONSCIOUSNESS ACTIVIST | AUTHOR | INTERNATIONAL SPEAKER | SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR | INTUITIVE HEALER
Swaady MARTIN is a recognized leader, influencer and tastemaker in Africa. She is a serial entrepreneur, published author, certified Yoga & Mindfulness teacher and Pranic Healer, and former corporate executive.
Prior to pursuing her entrepreneurial interest, Swaady had a successful years career at General Electric Co. where she held leadership positions in several divisions across the world. Her expertise spans from Audit & Controllership, Finance, to Sales, Marketing and Business Strategy. She was part of the pioneering Africa Dream Team and drove the expansion of GE’s portfolio of businesses across Africa by developing the 1st Africa Growth Playbooks (3-years strategic plans) for all GE businesses. In her last role at GE, she was the acting-CEO for GE South Africa Technologies and Managing Director for GE Transportation for Sub- Saharan Africa. . She is the author of the A.F.R.I.C.A business model for accelerating the growth of multinationals in Africa which was recognized as a Best Practice and shared at various ivy league business schools (INSEAD, Wharton, Harvard) and high-profile business think thanks (Medef).
In , she followed her entrepreneurial aspirations and created one of Africa’s most admired brands, YSWARA, a socially-conscious gourmet tea company contributing to the reversal of the African commodity trap and promoting Africa’s rich culture. YSWARA has received numerous awards and recognitions for its excellence and was the first African food brand to be retailed at the prestigious Selfridges and Harrods. Swaady is also the author/creator of the “Luxe Ubuntu” concept, an inclusive business model providing economic value and meaningful income to all the members of the supply chain, who participate in the production of products. Before launching YSWARA, Swaady spent 2 years helping bank th Swaady Martin-Leke, an Ivorian entrepreneur, prides herself as a custodian of Africa’s rich culture and history. And she preserves it with style. After an eventful, high-flying year career at GE, where she held leadership positions in several divisions across the world (including acting as the Director for Sub-Saharan Africa of GE Transportation and acting-CEO for GE South Africa Technologies), she decided to follow her passion for African culture & heritage and founded YSWARA, a growing home-grown African global luxury brand. My Highlights | I am grateful to be blessed with a full and happy life. I don’t strive for specific achievements. I am motivated and uplifted by possibility and potential. The Difference Between Good And Great | Passion is key. During my career at GE, a CEO insisted that passion for what you do is a critical element of success – it was some of the best advice that I have ever received. Hard work and commitment are also necessary, but you need to enjoy what you do too. It has to be fun! And for that you need a Swaady Martin-Leke is the Founder and CEO of the African luxury brand YSWARA, the curator of precious African teas. After a successful years career at General Electric Co. (GE), Swaady decided to follow her passion for teas, African culture and heritage. At GE, she held leadership positions in several divisions across the world with her most recent posting as GE Transportation’s Director for Sub-Saharan Africa and acting-CEO for GE South Africa Technologies. Swaady is part of a generation of Africans who has succeeded in Fortune companies and who has decided to use all their valuable knowledge and expertise to help develop African companies. She chose to focus on the luxury industry because it essentially conveys a continent’s culture and identity. She believes that with Africa’s thousands of years of history and know-how, Africans can do more than producing “crafts” and “ethnic” goods. YSWARA’s mission is to unlock Africa’s potential to produce superior quality products that appeal to a local and international audience while achieving societal impact. Swaady has received numerous distinctions and awards. Among them, she was selected as “New Leader of the Future” by the Forum of Crans Montana in In , she was hand-picked to be part of the prestigious Archbishop Tutu Leadership Fellowship Programme and named one of the “Youngest Power Women in Africa” by Forbes. As a Tutu Fellow, Swaady has been filmed over 6 months by Al Jazeera for a documentary series on the channel on the subject and been featured in numerous magazines. Swaady Martin, is an Ivorian entrepreneur, prides herself as a custodian of Africa’s rich culture and history. And she preserves it with style. After an eventful, high-flying year career at GE, where she held leadership positions in several divisions across the world (including acting as the Director for Sub-Saharan Africa of GE Transportation and acting-CEO for GE South Africa Technologies), she decided to follow her passion for African culture & heritage and founded YSWARA, a growing home-grown African global luxury brand. Please describe your day in one phrase? Very busy, intense and never the same. How do you start your day? By praying. And by drinking a big cup of tea, of course. What are your daily habits that make you more productive each day? I believe in eating well. I am very food conscious. I also love keeping fit, so I go to Yoga every evening. I never rush in the mornings, that way I don’t start the day stressed. How you start your days really has an impact on how the rest of the day goes. What is the average start and end times for your day? I’m usually up by am and I’m in bed by or am in the morning, as I work late throughout the night. What is your role and what does it entail on a daily basis? As the CEO of YSWARA I am responsible for ensuring that the company is operational each day. I set out the company’s sales and growth targets each month and make sure that my team is on trac Swaady Martin-Leke | Founder & CEO of Yswara
Yswara is a gourmet brand creating exceptional products from Africa&#;s agricultural wealth. Their star product is African artisan tea created using ingredients and narratives from the continent.
Passionately African, Yswara has the world’s largest selection of fine and herbal teas from the continent, offering 27 varieties of premium loose-leaf African teas, including Othodox teas, as well as blended teas and infusions. Yswara also sells timeless tea ware, tea-related accessories and unique soy-wax candles.
I Am Driven By | I am driven by love and passion. I am passionate about Africa and a desire to share a story of Africa that illuminates our continent’s innate beauty and rich heritage. Yswara communicates that story, it shifts the perception of Africa and celebrates its history, people and potential. I am inspired by the spirit of Ubuntu &#; “I am because we are”Swaady Martin-Leke Keynote Speaker
Swaady Martin | A Day In My Life
Yswara is a gourmet brand creating exceptional products from Africa&#;s agricultural wealth. Their star product is African artisan tea created using ingredients and narratives from the continent.
Passionately African, Yswara has the world’s largest selection of fine and herbal teas from the continent, offering 27 varieties of premium loose-leaf African teas, including Othodox teas, as well as blended teas and infusions. Yswara also sells timeless tea ware, tea-related accessories and unique soy-wax candles.