Pumela Salela is the Country Head for the United Kingdom (UK) under Brand South Africa, the custodian of the South Africa Country Brand. Her role is to market South Africa in the UK, attract foreign direct investment (fdi) into South Africa, mobilise Global South Africans (GSA) abroad and to manage the brand reputation of South Africa. Prior to serving in this role Pumela was the Chief Director for Economic Policy Development and Planning at the Department of Economic Development in South Africa.
Ms Salela is a Board member of the Global Sourcing Council, an Ambassador for Sustainable and Socially Responsible Outsourcing in Africa and sits on the Executive Committee of the Tri-Sister City Alliance (TriSCA), the first Sister City Alliance between BRICS cities in order to create jobs for knowledge workers. She was appointed to be in the Advisory Council of the World BPO Forum, which is considered “the Davos of BPO”. Pumela also serves in the Advisory Board of the World Summit on Internet and Social Media (WSIM).
She also sits in the Advisory Board of the Sable Accelerator LLC (SABLE), a North American organisation which is dedicated to helping South African entrepreneurs, new venture start-ups, academic institutions, and companies commercialize technology innovations, promote and protect intellectual property, fund new business concepts, finance growth, as well as expand into global markets. Pumela is also an advisor to a digital finance institution called Digifin.
Ms Salela studied to complete her MBA with distinction (cum laude) in England through a Nelson Mandela Scholarship. In her private capacity, Pumela is the Chairperson of the Nelson Mandela Scholarship Alumni Association and a Mentor to Graca Machel Scholars. She is featured in the 2013 issue of the book: South Africa’s Most Inspirational Women.
