COPYRIGHT © 2025 50/50 WOMEN ON BOARDS
Nerissa is an accomplished entrepreneur and non-executive chair with almost a decade of global board experience. She advises on ESG, technology enablement, and revenue generation strategies for growing businesses. Nerissa has chaired multiple boards and sub-committees, including Governance, Risk, Audit, and Compensation, and has served on the advisory board for the Export-Import Bank of the United States. Most recently she was appointed to the World Economic Forum’s expert network, the Global Future Council for Governance.
With a two-decade corporate career at AIG and Accenture, she has held senior executive roles, managing and digitally transforming global businesses, overseeing a 5000+ workforce across six regions, and executing strategic turnarounds for Fortune 100 companies across 40+ countries. She co-founded and was CEO of āxil, a Fintech for small businesses.
A native South African who grew up during Apartheid, Nerissa advocates for equality and challenges stereotypes in gender, race, and professional norms. Named a Young Global Leader and Dangote Fellow by the World Economic Forum in 2019, she was elected to its Advisory Group in 2021, chairing the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion sub-committee.
Nerissa holds an executive MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business and a BTech in Industrial Engineering from Durban University of Technology. She continues her executive education at London, Harvard, and Wharton Business Schools. In 2019, she was featured in the Financial Times as a leader to watch.
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COPYRIGHT © 2025 50/50 WOMEN ON BOARDS
Boards are no longer observers of emerging technology; they are stewards of how it’s governed. This panel goes beyond awareness to examine how directors can structure oversight, define accountability, and measure governance effectiveness in AI, data use, and digital innovation. Panelists will share practical strategies for building governance systems that ensure transparency, ethical decision-making, and responsible innovation at scale.
Speakers include: Sita Lowman, Nithya Das, Suresh Sharma, Byron Loflin
As shareholder activism intensifies, boards face mounting pressure to defend strategy, protect corporate reputation, and engage stakeholders with clarity. This panel brings together seasoned directors to explore how boards can respond effectively while maintaining credibility, board alignment, and stakeholder trust. Hear real-world insights on navigating activism in today’s high-stakes, high-visibility environment.
Speakers include: Gaby Sulzberger, David Cahoy, Rachael Coffey, Eduardo Gallego
As global disruptions reshape business models, this panel will explore how boards can navigate the practical complexities of trade, tariffs, and supply chain shifts across regions. Panelists will share how directors are guiding companies through regulatory changes, sourcing challenges, and new market risks, while seizing opportunities for growth and operational agility.
Speakers include: Titi Cole, Mia Mends
This keynote will equip directors to think globally about risk through the lens of geopolitical foresight, cross-border tensions, and long-term instability. Learn how boards can strengthen oversight and guide enterprise-wide resilience by anticipating disruption and embedding a proactive risk culture in a changing world.
Speakers include: Rodger Baker
