Congratulations on your appointment. What will be your responsibilities as Department Executive: Corporate Affairs?
In my new role I am responsible for leading the corporate affairs strategy, with a focus on strengthening and protecting the company’s reputation, delivering strategic communications, driving employee engagement and building trusted relationships with key stakeholders.
In the first six months, what do you regard as your priorities?
Having previously regularly engaged with the department, in my first six months I prioritised rebuilding team culture, the CA Strategy and understanding the team’s history, achievements, challenges and opportunities before driving meaningful change.
When you started out as a Graduate in Training, what were your expectations? And have those been fulfilled?
When I started as a Graduate in Training in 2013, my main goal was to learn and gain as much real-world exposure as possible. I was eager to see the concepts I had learned from textbooks come to life in a real business environment and I was blown away by what I experienced.
During my first two weeks, I didn’t even have a laptop. Instead, my manager took me to every meeting with him. Before each meeting, he would quietly say, “You shouldn’t really be here, so just sit quietly and ask me questions afterwards.” Those early experiences gave me a front-row seat to how the business operated and every meeting became a learning opportunity.
That experience opened my eyes to the world of work and sparked an excitement that has stayed with me throughout my career.
Have you had any particular role models or mentors?
I have not had a specific mentor, but I have worked under some great leaders. Leaders who actively sponsored me and provided me with a great platform to promote my brand. Leaders who were generous with exposure and leaders who were willing to teach. Additionally, I have been fortunate to have great support from an executive coach, whose guidance has challenged my thinking.
How important is mentoring for the progression of women?
For women to grow in industry, intentional and purposeful mentoring is very important. It creates a safe space for people to grow through their vulnerability and learn, ask questions and safely gain confidence.
What were highlights in your time as Senior Manager: Brand Strategy and Field Marketing?
In my previous role, the excitement came from watching the Isuzu brand transform before my eyes. I was responsible for developing the brand architecture and strategic direction, which was then brought to life by the Marketing Communications team through integrated campaigns. One of the most rewarding parts of the role was seeing those strategies translate into real impact. Success wasn’t measured by data alone, but also through increased engagement, meaningful conversations and growing awareness among new audiences. Seeing the brand evolve and resonate with people made the work incredibly fulfilling.
Why is it important to have cross-functionality across Programme Planning, Sales, Finance, Manufacturing, Human Resources and Engineering teams?
Working cross-functionally and collaborating is essential. Bringing together diverse minds, skills and perspectives throughout the development of a product strengthens decision-making and contributes to the overall success of the business – and, in turn, the success of every individual.
Cross-functional collaboration enables better decision-making, faster problem-solving and better outcomes for our customers. It ensures that every function works towards a shared goal, balancing customer needs, quality, cost and business performance.
What advice can you pass on to other aspiring young executives?
When you encounter an unexpected setback that changes how you experience the workplace, don’t be too quick to walk away or quit. Instead, ask yourself, “What am I meant to learn from this experience?” Growth rarely happens in comfort. It is often through challenges and discomfort that we develop resilience, gain perspective and become stronger individuals.
Biography
Nandi holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration (Management and Operations) from the Nelson Mandela University Business School, supported by a Bachelor of Arts in Media, Communications and Culture from Nelson Mandela University.
Nandi began her career in corporate affairs at General Motors South Africa as a Graduate in Training. Her strong foundation in internal and external communications enabled her to expand into a Sub-Saharan Africa Communications role before progressing to Product Communications Co-ordinator. Through these positions, she developed extensive expertise in media relations and product communications for South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, playing a pivotal role during the transition from General Motors South Africa to Isuzu Motors South Africa in 2018.
Following the establishment of Isuzu Motors South Africa, Nandi advanced through several strategic roles, including Product Communications Officer, Marketing Communications Specialist and Manager: Marketing and Product Communications. In these positions, she led the development and execution of integrated marketing and communications strategies focused on driving brand growth across both commercial and light commercial vehicle segments. Her responsibilities included managing agency partnerships, leading digital marketing initiatives and delivering high-impact product launches and campaigns.
She was later appointed Senior Manager: Brand Strategy and Field Marketing, where she played a key role in shaping brand strategy, strengthening customer retention and leading sponsorships, events and brand activations. In this role, she ensured alignment of corporate identity and brand messaging across all platforms while enhancing customer engagement and market presence.
