Babongile Mandela brings over a decade of progressive leadership experience in public affairs, communications, sustainability, and international relations.

Currently serving as Senior Director: Public Affairs, Communications, Sustainability at Coca-Cola Africa, Babongile leads the strategic direction and execution of public affairs, government relations, and sustainability initiatives in South Africa, Lesotho, and eSwatini. As a dynamic leader, Babongile drives project-based and crisis communications, provides counsel on Brand PR, and oversees internal and external communications for three subsidiary companies. Their expertise also encompasses disaster relief coordination, empowerment projects, policy advocacy, and holding key leadership roles, such as Chair of the South African Sugar Master Plan Task Team on Product Tax Policy and Board Member of the American Chamber of Commerce and former task team member of the Presidential Gender Based Violence Response Task Team.

He is recognized for strategic vision, crisis management expertise, and stakeholder engagement. With a proven track record in navigating complex regulatory environments in the financial and fast-moving goods sector. He holds a Master’s in International Relations from a joint program between the Peace Research Institute of Oslo and Stellenbosch University and a Bachelor of Social Science from the University of Cape Town. Babongile has played a pivotal role in strengthening business continuity, reputation management, and policy advocacy across multiple sectors, making him a valuable addition to the board.