Dr Roze Phillips is an African futurist, business strategist, leadership expert, medical doctor, academic and sought-after keynote speaker whose work explores how leaders and organisations can thrive amid profound technological, economic and societal change.

Her career has crossed disciplines and industries in an unusually broad way. Roze began her professional journey as a medical doctor before moving into public health research at the South African Medical Research Council and subsequently into business, consulting and organisational leadership. This combination of scientific training, human insight and commercial experience informs the distinctive perspective she brings to conversations about the future of work and leadership.

Roze spent more than 18 years with Accenture Africa, where she held a range of senior leadership positions spanning management and human capital consulting, consumer industries and innovation. She subsequently served as Group Executive: People and Culture at Absa Group, giving her first-hand experience of leading people and organisational transformation within one of Africa's major financial institutions.

Today, Roze combines her corporate and consulting experience with academic and governance roles. She is Adjunct Faculty and an Associate of the Centre for Business Ethics at the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), where her interests include the Future of Work and responsible leadership. She also contributes her experience through non-executive board roles, including with Netcare Limited and Spear REIT Limited, and serves as a trustee of the Accenture Education Trust in South Africa. She is also a judge for the CHRO South Africa Awards.

Through her company, Abundance at Work, Roze advises leaders and organisations on the opportunities emerging at the intersection of people, technology and innovation. Her central question is not simply what technology will change, but what becomes possible when organisations combine human ingenuity with intelligent machines.

Roze is particularly passionate about Africa's role in shaping the future. Rather than viewing the continent solely through the lens of its challenges, she explores its potential for innovation, new models of work and inclusive value creation. Her perspectives draw on extensive experience across African markets as well as exposure to global innovation ecosystems, including her work mentoring start-ups through the XPRIZE Foundation's Visioneers programme.

An experienced keynote speaker, panelist, lecturer and writer, Roze brings intellectual depth together with practical business experience. She speaks to leadership teams, boards, executives and organisations navigating transformation, helping audiences understand the forces shaping the future and consider how they can respond with greater adaptability, humanity and purpose.

Roze is also a contributing author to The Book Every Leader Needs to Read, a collection of leadership insights from South African business leaders.

Her speaking topics include:

• The Future of Work
• Leadership for the Future
• The Workforce of the Future
• AI and human potential
• Human capital transformation
• psychological safety
• New skills
• Innovation and Africa's future