LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP, COMMUNICATION & NETWORKING WITH VANESSA BUKASA #ICWRS

Vanessa Bukasa is a Chartered Accountant (CA(SA)), Vice President at Absa, public speaking coach, and author of Speaking with Confidence: The Secret Sauce to Success.In this episode of In Conversation With Rudy Samuel, Vanessa shares practical lessons on leadership, communication, and networking — three pillars that shaped her journey from finance to boardrooms across Africa.From navigating the corporate world to empowering professionals with public speaking skills, she reveals what it takes to grow influence, build authentic connections, and lead with clarity.✨ What You’ll Learn in This Episode: • How to communicate with confidence in any room • Leadership lessons for corporate and personal success • Why networking is the most underrated career skill • Building trust and influence across diverse teams • Vanessa’s playbook for growth, clarity, and impactIf you’re looking to sharpen your leadership, boost your confidence, or learn how to network with purpose — this episode is for you.🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe for more conversations that highlight African excellence, leadership, and inspiring stories.Follow Rudy: https://www.instagram.com/rudysamuel_/?hl=enFollow Vanessa: https://www.instagram.com/vanessa_bukasa/?hl=enCheck out Kela Signatures on Insta for more - https://www.instagram.com/kelasignatures?igsh=dDUwYXMyMmN4dGFu00:00 – INTRO | Setting the stage for Vanessa Bukasa’s journey02:53 – KELA SIGNATURES | A special mention and sponsor segment03:10 – WHAT INSPIRED VANESSA TO BECOME A CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT (CA(SA))?06:05 – VANESSA ON BEING A VICE PRESIDENT AT ABSA BANK SOUTH AFRICA11:03 – HOW VANESSA MANAGES TEAMS ACROSS MULTIPLE AFRICAN COUNTRIES11:58 – WHEN EMPLOYEES SHOULD SPEAK TO MANAGEMENT ABOUT THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS14:11 – HOW VANESSA PIVOTED FROM CORPORATE TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP24:27 – VANESSA ON THE SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES OF RUNNING HER BUSINESS28:26 – THE IMPORTANCE OF RELATIONSHIPS AND NETWORKING FOR CAREER GROWTH34:05 – VANESSA’S MINI MASTERCLASS ON NETWORKING | Practical lessons for success36:47 – GENUINE RELATIONSHIPS VS TRANSACTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS37:39 – A REAL EXAMPLE OF HOW NETWORKING OPENED DOORS FOR VANESSA44:24 – BALANCING LIFE | How Vanessa manages being a wife, mother, leader and entrepreneur46:54 – OUTRO | Closing thoughts and key takeaways#VanessaBukasa #Leadership #Networking #PublicSpeaking #Confidence #AfricanLeaders #WomenInBusiness #CareerGrowth #womeninleadership #RudySamuel #ICWRS