Congratulations to Rosanna Ponnen from Henley Business School Africa for becoming the inaugural recipient of the Renewal Foundation Award!

The Renewal Foundation is the philanthropic outreach wing of Renewal Associates which is dedicated to creating beneficial positive change in the world, particularly in Human Consciousness Change necessary for future generations to face the great challenges of our times.

Recipients of the Renewal Foundation Award are granted funding to take their project forward, along with one year of free mentoring from Renewal Associates and support in spreading the findings to other practitioners globally.

More Information on the Renewal Award can be found on our website here.

Rosanna is a skilled professional with extensive experience in Governance, Controls, and Risk Management, specialising in Cybersecurity and Information Technology within the South African energy sector. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Information Technology, as well as the Certified Information Systems Auditor and Certified Internal Auditor designations. Rosanna is also an alumnus of the International Women’s Forum of South Africa and completed her Executive MBA at Henley Africa in 2023 with distinction.

Her MBA studies inspired her to explore the challenge of employee retention in the energy sector, particularly how organisational purpose and ecological commitment can influence retention positively.

Rosanna’s research on employee retention and organisational purpose was shared with Rosanna’s employer’s Executive Management and the Research departments, receiving positive feedback. She is actively working to create more awareness among employees for implementing the recommendations.

Through the International Women’s Forum of South Africa, Rosanna participated in a Women’s Leadership Programme, which included a trip to Kenya. This experience expanded her global networks and provided platforms to further share her research. Her travels across Africa and internationally have deepened her understanding of global working cultures.

In addition to her career, Rosanna balances her roles as a wife and mother. She is passionate about nature, wildlife, hiking, and sustainability, aiming to make a positive contribution to these areas both academically and professionally.

Rosanna’s MBA project is available to read here.