Saray Khumalo

Guest Speaker Saray Khumalo is an award-winning Mountaineer, expedition leader, and author who provides world-class Transformational Coaching to entrepreneurs, executives, business professionals and sales teams all over the world.
As an experienced business executive, she has a solid track record in some of South Africa’s leading financial institutions as an eCommerce and Loyalty Specialist.

In 2019, on her fourth attempt, Saray summited Mount Everest, becoming the first Black African woman to summit Mount Everest and complete the 7 summits challenge – a demonstration of her resilience, irrespective of her starting point and past unsuccessful attempts. Saray uses a combination of mountaineering triumphs and her ability to steer businesses to partner with organisations that are on a transformational journey to enable individuals and teams to identify their personal and business goals, explore and unleash their full potential and achieve set goals.

She is the founder of Summits With a Purpose, an initiative that has raised funds and built physical and digital libraries in disadvantages African schools. She believes that literacy and education has the power to change the narrative for the next generation.

ACCOLADES
Her business excellence and indefatigable mountaineering spirit have been widely recognised and have received accolades that include:
– Charlotte Maxeke Women awards of Firsts in the Sports category, 2020
– Woman of Stature Award (in the Sports category), 2020
– Ministerial Recognition Award from the Minister of Sports and Recreation, 2018
– GSPORT Woman of the Year, 2019
– MMI Lesedi Award, 2017
– Klipdrift Golden Endurance Award, 2014

FIRSTS
As the Charlotte Maxeke Women award of firsts winner Saray has broken a few barriers.
First Black African Woman to summit Everest
First Black woman to complete the last degree – South Pole
First Black African woman to complete the 7 Summits challenge