Cultivating Leaders, Igniting Excellence
Our Story
With a proven track record of success, Ignite is an award-winning leader in the field of leadership development, unlocking the full potential of leaders and igniting a new era of success within organisations
In early 2019, Inge Walters and Donna Rachelson, who shared a passion for the advancement of women in the workplace, were brought together by a leading financial institution to design and deliver a holistic women’s development program for them. Through the power of partnership and collaboration, IgniteHer was created and has gone on to impact the lives and careers of more than a thousand women across the continent.
During this time, Donna, Inge and their partner organisations realised that a change was needed and that the work they were doing was just as relevant and needed for leaders (men and women) across Africa. And so, Ignite was born.
Ignite was built on the belief that organisations thrive when diversity, inclusion and equity are at their core. DEI is not just a buzzword for us, it’s a moral imperative and directly impacts a company’s overall economic performance, growth, reputation and ability to attract & retain talent.
Our approach is rooted in creating conversations and holistic experiences where individuals from all backgrounds and perspectives can come together, collaborate, and flourish as leaders. We embrace the richness of diversity as a catalyst for innovation, creativity, and success.
“We understand that each organisation and leader is on a distinct path towards growth and development. That's why our customisable programs evolve alongside your needs. Our flexible approach allows us to adapt and tailor our offerings to address the specific challenges and opportunities your leaders face – thereby driving lasting results.”
Meet the Team
The Catalysts for Leadership Excellence
-
Combining her strong business background and deep understanding of people, Inge works with leaders on integrating self-insights, future foresight and system awareness.
Her expertise lies in women leadership development and she is a firm believer in the business case for having more women in leadership positions and deeply understands the internal and external barriers women face in business.
Inge started her career in strategy consulting with McKinsey & Company, followed by working in organisational development and investment banking.
In 2015, Inge started her own business as an independent leadership practitioner and later co-founded Ignite Leadership Development. Her clients include RMB, Energy Partners, McKinsey & Company, Discovery Vitality, KPMG and CFO SA to name a few.
-
Donna is a relentless champion for women’s empowerment, legacy leadership, fast-tracking corporate go-getters, and entrepreneurship.
She is the author of four books (two of which are best sellers) and has been invited to speak and lecture on many local and international stages over the last 30 years.
She is driven to propel Africa to greatness and has made it her mission to empower future African leading lights to show up powerfully, prominently and purposefully, locally and globally. To this end, through her businesses, Donna has helped 5000+ individuals package and market their personal brands; completed 100+ branding & marketing interventions for business owners; coached more than 50 corporate teams to build their team brands; impacted over 3000 women in corporates across Africa and supported hundreds of entrepreneurs to grow their businesses.
She had an extensive corporate career before embarking on her entrepreneurial path. Having held a number of marketing director positions in organisations including Nando’s, the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants and DNA Supply Chains as well as marketing management positions at Standard Bank and AECI, she believes she can brand & market anything from chicken to explosives and chartered accountants.
She is the co-founder of Ignite and founder of Branding & Marketing YOU and Brightside Marketing and is a Director and Shareholder in Seed Academy, the WDB Growth Fund, Primestars and Strider.
-
Ayesha strives to enable beneficial change and facilitate the positive transformation of people and systems that stems from big-picture understanding and the appreciation of multiple perspectives.
Ayesha is driven to impact the conversation of diversity in Leadership and leverages he extensive management consulting experience and coaching skills to build adaptability and expose the value inherent in individuals and teams.
Her career has spanned People, Process and Technology, across sectors in both the private and public sectors with roles in management consulting, business architecture, entrepreneurship, programme, product, account management and coaching. As a result, she has deep and broad insight into the challenges that organisations and their people face on a practical level.
-
Monita is committed to partnering with individuals and organisations through coaching and facilitation processes to help them access more of their inherent potential and construct and refine operating models that support greater personal effectiveness, contributing to more dynamic teams, and driving impact throughout their organisations.
She is particularly passionate about working with women on all levels, in various organisations as they bring their unique touch to the ever-changing landscape of the business world.
Monita’s experience in Personal, Team and Leadership Development, spans more than 25 years. She has worked throughout South Africa, in multiple countries on the African continent, Europe, The United Kingdom and the United States of America, supporting the development of individuals and organisations who embark on learning journeys that open up possibilities and maximise impact.
In all her work, Monita aims to ensure her clients are ‘truly seen’ while holding up a mirror that reflects their uniqueness and opportunities for excellence and impact.
Our Pledge
We are committed to fostering inclusive environments where diverse voices are not only heard but celebrated and differences are embraced as a catalyst for transformative leadership
We create a safe space for leaders to embrace their unique identities and be true to themselves – in doing so they can encourage others to embrace their true selves and ignite a new generation of authentic leadership grounded in integrity
We empower leaders with the ‘how’ of leadership, equipping them with the skills and tools to drive meaningful change and create new workplaces where diversity, inclusion and gender equality are the norm and not the exception
