Siyabulela Grant Skade is a passionate entrepreneur, visionary leader with an energetic enthusiasm for everything he does. He has a strong sense of vision, planning and hard work have seen him through the challenges he faced from the time of his involvement in the liberation struggle. He grew up in a time when the country was aflame in a justifiable fight for quality education and equal rights, events which were a precursor to the so called “Lost Generation” in the Eastern Cape. His humble beginnings, like those of many of his generation, evidently created an uncertain start. The consequent “gift” or “blessing in disguise” is that he was forced to be resourceful, independent, insightful, imaginative self-starter, with a creative and innovative ability early in life.
It is through education and onto my entrepreneurial expertise earned while establishing a family of his own. Having attended training programmes and courses, obtained and acquired numerous certifications.
Siyabulela posses first class communication skills which enables him to build lasting relationships and to articulate his thoughts and views well both in writing and when speaking in public. Mr Skade has an extensive experience in the Chamber of Commerce administration and management, also a leading activist in the SMME advocacy and empowerment of the previously disadvantaged communities.
At the age of 22 years, he established the Young Entrepreneurs And Managers Association in East London, and the organisation was aimed empowering young entrepreneurs to be able to start their own businesses.
And later was then appointed to be Membership Development Coordinator at Mdantsane Chamber Of Commerce (MDACOC) a local business organisation, in 1995 we travelled to Tel Aviv in Israel, where we were trained on Enterprise Development Skills. And in 1998 he was then invited to contribute towards the strategic development of numerous organisations but not limited to National African Federated Chamber of Commerce Industry(NAFCOC) Eastern Cape, which also appointed him as the Chief Executive Officer. The high-watermark being the well honed ability to lead and add entrepreneurial excellence and business skills to create a platform for strong and sustainable business. In 2001, I moved to the national Head Office of NAFCOC to become Executive Manager In the Office of the President.
Siyabulela Skade has recently been appointed as the Chairperson –African Continent of an Indian based Global Council for the Promotion of International Trade (GCPIT). And has also was nominated to serve in the Advisory Board of The European Marketing And Management Association.
He also serves as the President of the African Continental Chamber Of Commerce and Industry (ACCCI) based in South Africa. Due to his passion for small enterprise development he identified the lack of participation and exclusion of SMMEs, particularly African entrepreneurs in the Blue Economy ecosystem and then in 2019 he advocated for the establishment of the African Chamber of Maritime Industries (ACMI an organisation established in with the core capabilities aimed at positioning the African continent’s maritime enterprises to capture the emerging economic development opportunities through capacity building, maritime education, skill development training and transfer, research and development, technology transfer, energy collaboration, and access to intra Africa trade and ultimately the total inclusion of African SMEs.
He has been appointed to participate in a number of events as keynote speaker and panellist on issues related to the Africa’s Economy, Social Economy, Africa’s Blue economy and he sits on boards, these include being an Advisory Board Member of the Asian-African Chamber of Commerce and Industry – AACCI, and also has recently been appointed as the international Advisory Board Member of Africa’s Largest Trade, Transport and Energy Summit (ATTES 2020) based in Dublin, Ireland.
He participates on the Maritme Manufacturing Working Committee Working Group Meeting of the Operations Phakisa and in SAMSA’s Bunkering Stakeholders Forum. He participated in a number of Forums and Summits that are focusing on the Oceans Economy within the African continent.
He led the delegation of the Africa Chamber of Maritime Industries to the United Arab Emirates –UAE and participated in the South Africa –UAE Business Forum, He is invited to as Keynote Speaker on matters pertaining to Trade, Investments and the Oceans Economy around the African Continent and globally.
Recently been accepted as the member of the African CEOs Forum,
Member of the British-African Business Platform
Member of the Progressive Business Forum
Siyabulela Grant Skade is an MBA Candidate.