Yolisa Kani

Chief Business Development Officer

Transnet SOC, South Africa

Ms. Yolisa Kani is Transnet’s Chief Business Development Officer (CBDO) and is responsible for identifying and pursuing new and diversified business opportunities locally and within the Africa region as well as increasing Private and Public Partnerships. In her role as CBDO, Ms. Kani works closely with all Transnet Operating Divisions to lead and support business growth, expanding Transnet’s footprint domestically and internationally through private sector partnerships and managing key stakeholders on behalf of Transnet.

Ms. Kani is an astute business executive with 22 years’ experience in Transport Engineering, Planning & Operations. She has a BSc (Hons) in Applied Science qualification, with a specialisation in Transportation Engineering from the University of Pretoria. She holds certificates in Accounting and Economics from Harvard University. She has also undergone an Advanced Professional Training in Integrated Transport Solutions in Germany, Spain and Geneva through the Union for International Transport Planners.

She joined Transnet after serving as the Head of Public Policy in Southern Africa at Uber Technologies, where she was responsible Public Policy and expansions into new markets in Southern Africa. At Uber, Ms. Kani successfully brokered the deal between the company and the Taxi Industry in South Africa through strategic negotiations and successfully lobbyied for appropriate legislation for e-hailing services in emerging countries. She also was the lead for new mobility projects in Sub Sahara. Previously she also held senior government positions in the Ekurhuleni Metro, the Cross-Border Road and Transportation Agency as well as the City of Johannesburg (CoJ).

Amongst her many notable achievements and accolades, Ms Kani was in 2019 named one of the Top 100 women transport planners globally by the German Development Agency and a Top 50 Inspiring Woman in Tech by the Kingdom of the Netherlands. She has served on various Board and currently serves as the Chairperson of the South African Cities Network, a member of the NEPAD Business Foundation and a Non-Executive Director for the Cold Commercial Storage. Ms Kani is also a member of the Boardroom Africa , a regional network for female executives in Africa. She spends her spare time hiking, reading and on Netflix.