How we deliver value to you
We work closely with organisational leaders in the design and implementation of people-focused strategies that will result in continuous success for their enterprises.
The ACORNS is a group of business and executive coaches with decades of collective experience. We are incisive questioners, listeners and co-creators of effective strategies that will take you from where you are to where you want to be.
Then we walk with you on the journey.
Who we are
We are the core members of a virtual consortium of global coaches and leaders. We come from diverse backgrounds and have complementary skillsets/experience.
Our collective experience involves collaborating with senior leadership teams and Boards in various organisations across the globe including East Africa and the US.
Our corporate careers culminated in Board, Executive and Senior Management positions.
What we have done for others
We have experience in enabling leadership behaviours that contribute to successful outcomes.
We have:
• Enabled leaders to discover innovative, powerful and sustainable strategies for success
• Participated with the leadership of NGOs / NPOs in the realisation of missions
• Assisted in the design of culture, diversity and leadership models
• Used our experience of living and working in South Africa to demonstrate to leaders in other countries the opportunities for success that operating in a multi-cultural society provides
Some outcome statements from clients we have worked with:
“Thank you! We now have joint projects with our customers looking at the best ways to extend the use of our technology.” – a systems integrator in the ICT industry
“The insights that we gained have enabled us to focus the talent on our Board in areas that will positively influence our access to funding.” - an NGO working on community development in rural areas
“Your experience has given us new ideas on how to gain value from our intern programme and support those interns to realise their full potential.” - a multinational investor in broadband infrastructure
How we show up
We engage with leaders who are courageous in the pursuit of continuous success through the application of enlightened behaviours.
Success in the post-Covid environment requires seeing the world differently. We recognise that this requirement gives rise to changes in beliefs and cultures, and that this process is invariably traumatic for leaders.
Our experience tells us that the contribution of an intelligently aware external collaborator can provide a valuable resource in bringing about the changes in behaviour that lead to continuous success.
How we contribute
Here is an example of what we do:
We collaborate in the hiring, development, deployment and promotion of talent sourced from diverse categories of society through the following process:
• Assess leaders’ appetite to explore this area as a potential route to
• Provide a low cost / high value virtual experience as an introduction to the possible
• Make available a comprehensive array of tools, methodologies and processes that enable and empower the creation of effective strategies, policies and practices in this space
• Support the implementation of these policies and practices through regular interaction with leaders. These interactions review progress and continuously improve the implementation programme
Our Profiles
MARJORIE NGWENYA
Marjorie has over twenty years’ experience in financial services in global leadership roles. Most of her career was spent in the City of London. Additionally, she has worked in Canada, the Netherlands and South Africa.
IAN JONES
Ian is a former MD of Control Data South Africa and Computer Sciences South Africa. Both were subsidiaries of US corporations.
In his subsequent 20 years of coaching, he has worked with executive and board teams on issues of diversity and team effectiveness as well as other strategic initiatives.
LEE G RIESSEL
Lee is an experienced leadership and executive coach. She was born in Swaziland and grew up within that culture in her formative years. At a very young age, she was exposed to several different cultures including a very rigid strict culture causing her to question fairness and diversity.
