The Team
Our
Team Members
Frans Mashao
Strategic Architect | Nation Brand Builder | Creative Social Entrepreneur
Frans Mashao is a seasoned strategist, communications expert, and creative social entrepreneur with a distinctive ability to turn vision into impact. As Chief Strategy Officer at Brand Leadership Group and Managing Director of Wize Media Empire, he leads a portfolio of high-impact campaigns and initiatives at the intersection of brand development, nation building, and community empowerment.
With a proven track record of aligning public-sector priorities with private-sector innovation, Frans has helped shape national narratives, unlock strategic partnerships, and design platforms that deliver both economic value and social impact.
His work spans diverse sectors - from mining, logistics, and infrastructure to youth development and the creative economy.
A passionate advocate for women and youth empowerment in business, Frans is also an active investor in SMEs and a strategic partner in ventures focused on media innovation, township entrepreneurship, and tech-enabled solutions. He is the founder and driving force behind grassroots platforms like Phunya Tsela and the Kasi Career Expo - an award-winning career development initiative celebrating 10 years in 2025, having reached over 360 schools across all nine provinces in South Africa.
Frans also co-founded Sefala Strategic Solutions, MMGS Productions, and The Honey Group. His leadership blends creative vision and commercial rigour, delivering compelling multimedia storytelling and strategic engagements.
Frans continues to build ecosystems of opportunity and bold futures for Africa’s next generation of talent.
Mahlako Mahapa
Project Manager
Mahlako is a doctoral researcher at the University of Witwatersrand. She is a sociologist who has worked as a researcher and project manager in the field of human and social development; capacitating her with an in-depth understanding of ways to interpret human behaviour and social patterns.
She has experience in designing, conducting and implementing qualitative and quantitative research and also has a particular interest in Monitoring and Evaluation.
Mahlako has well-developed strategic, analytic and public speaking skills, harnessed through her professional experience and presentations at conferences.
She also worked as a media representative for iARI, promoting research through television, radio, and social media platforms. She currently serves as Director of WiseUp Foundation and heads Monitoring & Evaluation at Wisecomms.