Paul Johnston is a corporate governance expert and international thought leader advising boards and executive teams on navigating complexity, risk, and long-term value creation in a rapidly evolving global landscape. With over 15 years’ experience across listed companies, high-growth enterprises, and mission-driven organisations, he brings a strategic perspective at the intersection of governance, innovation, and emerging technologies.
A recognised voice on the future of corporate governance, Paul is a frequent speaker at leading international platforms, including New York Climate Week and the UNFCCC COP29, where he contributes to global dialogue on sustainability, leadership, and institutional resilience. His work increasingly focuses on the implications of artificial intelligence for board effectiveness and decision-making.
Paul holds a Master’s degree in Corporate Governance and has completed the Saïd Business School Artificial Intelligence Programme, further strengthening his expertise at the convergence of governance and technological transformation. He continues to shape the profession through international speaking, research, and advisory work.
Kako is a Chartered Governance Professional and the Co-Founder of Governance for Good, with a longstanding commitment to championing diversity and inclusion in corporate governance. From exploring diversity in the boardroom in his LLM thesis, to promoting ESG initiatives in the companies he has worked with, and now through programs like BEGA and the new On The Rise initiatives, Kako has consistently prioritised creating equitable, inclusive, and forward-looking governance practices. He brings extensive experience advising boards, company secretaries, and senior executives across listed companies, multinational groups, and regulated institutions, spanning board operations, committee oversight, regulatory compliance, directors’ duties, ESG integration, restructurings, and complex corporate transactions across the UK, Europe, and Africa.
Kako has also led governance transformation projects, managed multi-jurisdictional compliance frameworks, and supported boards through high-stakes processes, including restructurings and major corporate transactions.
He is additionally Co-Host of the CoSeCity Podcast, a unique UK governance platform.
Joel Popoola is a highly-respected board member, advisor, and founder, with over 27 years of experience in business development, corporate diplomacy, banking, and finance working with various organizations across Africa and the UK.
Most recently, he led the expansion of EStars, a leading educational esports company, into Africa. Joel executed a strategic market entry campaign involving appearances on national radio and television, discussing various hot-button business and economic issues to attract well-known brands. The launch was held at the British Deputy High Commission in Lagos, Nigeria and brought together the most exceptional business leaders across numerous sectors, leading to more than 20 MOUs signed with two major banks and the most prestigious independent schools in Nigeria.
As the Chair of the Institute of Directors (IoD) Africa Group, Joel has led delegations to various African High Commissions in the UK, including Kenya, Nigeria, Algeria, and Togo. Joel also sits on the Board of Trustees at EMMS International, Scotland’s longest-serving international healthcare charity founded in 1841. In addition, he’s a member of its finance committee, overseeing event sponsorships and attracting highly-influential supporters, including former Liverpool Captain Jordan Henderson.
Joel Popoola is admired for his exceptional ability to build strategic networks, execute nonmarket strategies, and lead corporate diplomacy efforts. Clients recognize his incredible ability to create and capture value, while influencing leaders across various industries to build long-term relationships. He is driven by a strong sense of passion, responsibility, and judgement to position organizations for success.
Joel Popoola is a graduate of Said Business School at the University of Oxford, a member of British Business Group Nigeria, and a member of the Oxford Union.
Barry is a creative sector professional, with over 30 years experience in music performance, business development, music production, executive education, strategic planning, high performance team building and university level lecturing.
Barry has an MBA from Henley Business School (and was awarded the Dean’s scholarship in 2015).
He graduated with an Honours in Performance from The Musicians Institute, Hollywood, California, and received a scholarship from Berklee College of Music, Boston, in 1995.
Barry designs and delivers programmes to executive leadership in: Creativity & Innovation, Entrepreneurship and the Business of Rhythm. Clients include; TBWA, Hunt Lascaris, The Liberty Life Insurance Group, Engen Petroleum, Travelstart, the Mining pre-Indaba, Investec, FNB, Henley Business School and the BSG group.
Most recently, Barry has started to co-design short executive education courses with Henley Business School in South Africa.
Barry was a member of African superstar Johnny Clegg’s band for 21 years, touring Europe, the UK, the USA, Canada and Australasia. His highlights include performing/recording with Annie Lennox, Carlos Santana, Peter Gabriel, The Hothouse Flowers, Ernest Ranglin, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, The London Chamber Orchestra and Oliver Mtukudzi.
Barry has produced many film and TV soundtrack projects, including creative mapping and composition for projects such as Jacob’s Cross, Mnet Supersport, Skeem, Rugby Motors, Jimmy in Pink.
Barry is endorsed by Zildjian cymbals, DW drums & hardware, and Vic Firth sticks.
Rania Bejjani is a former three-time Chief Audit & Risk Executive and a globally
recognised adviser and thought leader on strategic leadership across Internal Audit, Risk Management and GRC. With nearly three decades of international cross-sector
experience in listed and complex organisations including in Technology & Telecom,
Transportation, Medial, Oil & Gas, Heavy Industries and Financial Services. She has led large global functions, navigated regulatory scrutiny and transformed Audit & Risk from compliance-driven oversight into a trusted, value-creating strategic partner to the business.
Today, she works with Boards, CEOs, CFOs and senior Audit, Risk and GRC leaders to modernise Governance, Risk Management and Internal Audit, strengthen organisational resilience and build high-performance Audit and GRC functions in an AI-accelerated world. Known for her commercial acumen, strategic clarity and human-centred leadership, she enables her clients to elevate their functions, strengthen executive confidence, build trusted relationships at the top table and deliver measurable business impact.
Rania is the recipient of the Audit Beacon Award 2025 and was named Woman to Watch in GRC & Risk Management 2026. She is trilingual, fluent in English, French and Arabic, a sought-after international speaker and host of the podcast Impact Legacy with Rania.
Elizabeth Kangwagye is an international attorney specialising in corporate governance with over 20 years of experience advising organisations across the private and non-profit sectors at national, regional, and global levels. She holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from Makerere University and a Master of Laws (LLM) in International and Comparative Law from Dedman
School of Law, Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. She is a graduate of the UK Institute of Corporate Governance (ICG).
Throughout her career, Elizabeth has held leadership and advisory roles in regional and international organisations, where she has supported Boards, executive teams, and leadership structures in strengthening governance, risk management, and strategic oversight. She is widely recognised for her expertise in guiding institutions through complex governance challenges and evolving global regulatory environments.
Elizabeth combines legal expertise with practical governance insight to help organizations design effective governance frameworks, build strong leadership teams, and navigate cross-border regulatory landscapes. She is a sought-after advisor and trainer for Boards and senior management on governance effectiveness and institutional accountability.
Jane is a Chartered Governance Professional and a Corporate Governance Consultant. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute UK and Ireland (formerly the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators – ICSA UK). She is the current Chairperson, ICSA Uganda which is the East Africa region Branch office for the Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland. Jane is also an Advocate in the courts of Judicature in Uganda
Jane is a senior faculty Member at ICSA Uganda Branch, facilitating the Corporate governance and the Boardroom Dynamics modules in the Chartered Governance Professional program. She is also a Facilitator in the ICSA Uganda Workshops in conjunction with the Uganda Law Society.
Jane has worked in Senior Management position, the last being Deputy Registrar General in charge of Registries at the Uganda Registration Services Bureau. She has also been Company Secretary in companies with majority Government Shareholding.
Jane is a Member of the Institute of Corporate Governance Uganda, where she was among the founder Council Members. She was a part time lecturer at the Law Development Centre after which she was an external examiner for a period of five years.