Hi, I’m
Bulelwa Mzimkulu
Port Elizabeth,South Africa
Summary
Dynamic, future-focused executive with a track record of architecting people systems, leadership capability, and organizational culture across Africa and emerging markets. Operates as a strategic partner to CEOs, founders, and boards, translating organizational vision into operating models, leadership into behavior, and people into engines of performance.
Known for building entire people ecosystems from scratch, leading large-scale transformation, improving commercial performance, and influencing at the highest levels of governance. Skilled in navigating complexity, scaling businesses, and enabling inclusive, sustainable growth.
After years of driving transformation in large enterprises, founded Zazi & Partners to make enterprise-grade people systems accessible to scaling businesses. Bringing the same strategic architecture, leadership depth, and organisational intelligence to companies that need structure, capability, and culture to grow.
Overview
14
years of professional experience
6
Certificate
Work History
Network International Payment Services
Talent Leadership & Organisational Development Lead: Africa
02.2024 - 11.2025
Job overview
- Led operating model redesign across 6+ African markets, enabling scale, clarity, and cross-country cohesion.
- Achieved BBBEE Level 1 transformation (from Level 5) through integrated Talent, DEIB, and Learning strategy.
- Increased sales performance from 5% → 11% via the Sales Accelerator capability programme.
- Designed and launched Leadership Academy, Emerging Leaders Programme, and Manager Essentials Pathway.
- Africa Learning Focal Point — enabled digital learning ecosystems and capability pathways across multiple markets.
- Served on Africa Board of Directors and Board of Trustees, influencing governance and people strategy.
- Built high-impact early-careers ecosystem (internships, graduates, YES, learnerships) reducing hiring costs and strengthening pipelines.
Zazi & Partners (Pty) Ltd
Managing Director
09.2025 - Current
Job overview
- Conceived and launched a people-systems consultancy grounded in future-of-work principles, skills-based organisational design, and leadership development.
- Developed the business vision, growth pathways, service portfolio, and intellectual property that differentiate Zazi & Partners in the market.
- Created scalable frameworks, leadership academies, culture models, and youth development pathways for clients building from early stage to scale-up.
- Built an ecosystem of partners, collaborators, and experts to expand service delivery and reach across Africa.
- Build end-to-end people systems across the full lifecycle; attract, develop, retain, creating environments where strong foundations and behavioural frameworks naturally reduce employee relations escalations.
- Positioned the brand through innovative storytelling, thought leadership, community engagement, and strategic influence in the talent and transformation space.
Network International Payment Services
Regional Learning & DEI Manager
05.2023 - 01.2024
Job overview
- Led change management initiatives during organisational restructuring.
- Delivered executive coaching and facilitated leadership development programs.
- Advanced transformation agenda, elevating BBBEE recognition from Level 5 to Level 1.
- Integrated digital learning platforms to enhance workforce capability.
Sanofi Aventis South Africa
People & Talent Development Manager
07.2022 - 09.2022
Job overview
- Designed and implemented talent development strategies aligned to business imperatives.
- Managed employee experience lifecycle and service delivery excellence.
- Ensured compliance with B-BBEE and Skills Development legislation.
- Built a LMS for internal and external Product Knowledge Suite within the Payments Landscape
- Drove departmental performance and achievement of service levels through focused team operational reviews, structured coaching, and managing to enterprise targets.
LexisNexis Legal & Professional
Learning, Talent & OD Specialist
04.2018 - 06.2022
Job overview
- Developed and deployed organisational development frameworks using global best practices.
- Launched leadership training programs, improving effectiveness by 15%.
- Administered LMS and achieved 100% compliance on mandatory learning.
- Elevated employee engagement scores by 20% through targeted interventions.
LexisNexis Legal & Professional
Early Careers Programme Manager
07.2016 - 06.2022
Job overview
- Designed youth talent pipelines with 75% retention and 90% completion rates.
- Architected early‑career ecosystems (internships, learnerships, graduate pipelines) that seamlessly integrated into enterprise talent strategies, strengthening succession planning while reducing reliance on external hires.
- Reduced full‑time equivalent (FTE) costs by building sustainable entry‑level pipelines, cutting recruitment spend, and accelerating time‑to‑productivity through structured onboarding and action‑learning projects.
- Embedded early talent into leadership pathways, aligning graduate development with succession frameworks to create a continuous pipeline of future leaders ready for critical roles.
- Leveraged youth development as a strategic lever, uplifting communities while delivering measurable business value—balancing social impact with organizational capability growth.
- Designed scalable talent accelerators that transformed early talent into engines of performance, ensuring long‑term leadership readiness and cultural continuity across African markets.
LexisNexis Legal & Professional
National Training Coordinator
12.2015 - 03.2018
Job overview
- Directed national training strategy and roll‑out, coordinating programmes across multiple regions to ensure consistent capability uplift, compliance with industry standards, and alignment with organizational goals.
- Designed and facilitated large‑scale learning interventions, including product knowledge, leadership essentials, and compliance training, impacting hundreds of employees and strengthening workforce readiness.
- Established governance and reporting frameworks for training delivery, tracking participation, outcomes, and ROI, which improved accountability and positioned learning as a measurable business driver.
LexisNexis Legal & Professional
Training Content Developer
06.2015 - 11.2015
Job overview
- Designed and deployed e‑learning ecosystems and LMS platforms that delivered product knowledge suites and client‑facing added services, strengthening commercial capability while embedding scalable digital learning pathways across Africa.
- Elevated employee experience through digital induction journeys, integrating seamless onboarding, compliance modules, and culture immersion into the LMS,ensuring faster ramp‑up, consistent brand alignment, and measurable engagement outcomes.
College of Cape Town
Lecturer Assistant / Academic Support Assistant / Programme Manager Assistant
01.2012 - 12.2014
Job overview
- Supported academic delivery and student development programs.
- Evaluated and revised lesson plans and course content to achieve student-centered learning.
- Mentored and advised students to explore career pathways based and amplify knowledge, skills and strengths.
- Led seminars and workshops to facilitate student learning and engagement and increase memory retention.
- Collaborated with faculty and staff to create meaningful learning experiences.
- Developed and implemented innovative teaching strategies to engage students in lectures and coursework.
- Conducted engaging in-class discussions to facilitate learning and encourage participation.
Education
Henley Business SchoolJohannesburg, Gauteng
Postgraduate Diploma from Management Practice
Central University of TechnologyFree State
Bachelor of Technology from Human Resources Management
01.2019
Africa Competency Development (Pty) LtdCape Town
National Diploma from Occupationally Directed Education and Training Practices
01.2014
Africa Competency Development (Pty) LtdCape Town
National Certificate from Occupationally Directed Education and Training Practices
01.2013
College of Cape TownCape Town
National Certificate (Vocational) from Management
01.2010
Skills
- Organizational effectiveness
- Cultural change management
- Workforce strategy development
- Employee engagement strategies
- Inclusive workplace advocacy
- Social responsibility integration
- Data-driven HR strategies
- Executive coaching expertise
- Change management and communication
- Project and risk oversight
Accomplishments
Awards & Recognition
Living the Values Award (2018)
Recognized for consistently embodying the company’s five core values through leadership, collaboration, and service excellence. Demonstrated integrity, innovation, and accountability in daily work, inspiring peers and contributing to a values-driven culture.
Top Academic Support Assistant Award (2012)
Awarded for exceeding critical academic support objectives and delivering exceptional value to students, faculty, and the institution. Recognized for commitment to student success and operational excellence.
Workforce Development Champion Award (2024)
Honored for positioning Network International South Africa as a B-BBEE Level 1 contributor and achieving Top Employer status. Led strategic transformation initiatives that advanced equity, inclusion, and workforce capability across the organization.
Affiliations
- South African Board for People Practices: Membership: 67352031
- Association for Skills Development in South Africa
- Board of Directors & ESOP Trustee
Certification
- Certificate, Spiritual Life Coaching, 2022
- Certificate, Transformation Life Coaching, 2022
- Certificate, Neuro-Linguistic Programming & Life Coaching, 2021
Availability
See my work availability
Not Available
Available
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Timeline
Managing Director
Zazi & Partners (Pty) Ltd
09.2025 - Current
Talent Leadership & Organisational Development Lead: Africa
Network International Payment Services
02.2024 - 11.2025
Regional Learning & DEI Manager
Network International Payment Services
05.2023 - 01.2024
People & Talent Development Manager
Sanofi Aventis South Africa
07.2022 - 09.2022
Learning, Talent & OD Specialist
LexisNexis Legal & Professional
04.2018 - 06.2022
Early Careers Programme Manager
LexisNexis Legal & Professional
07.2016 - 06.2022
National Training Coordinator
LexisNexis Legal & Professional
12.2015 - 03.2018
Training Content Developer
LexisNexis Legal & Professional
06.2015 - 11.2015
Lecturer Assistant / Academic Support Assistant / Programme Manager Assistant
College of Cape Town
01.2012 - 12.2014
Africa Competency Development (Pty) Ltd
National Diploma from Occupationally Directed Education and Training Practices
Africa Competency Development (Pty) Ltd
National Certificate from Occupationally Directed Education and Training Practices
College of Cape Town
National Certificate (Vocational) from Management
Henley Business School
Postgraduate Diploma from Management Practice
Central University of Technology
Bachelor of Technology from Human Resources Management