Venessa Cowan

Vanessa specializes in change management and internal communications.

Vanessa has an MBA (cum laude; Gold medallist) from the University of Cape Town, an honours degree in Industrial Psychology (UNISA) and a Bachelor of Arts degree (University of Cape Town).

Vanessa works as a change management and communications specialist, with particular focus on understanding, re-aligning and/or shifting organisational culture, so as to ensure that culture becomes a source of competitive advantage for the organisation and that change, initiated from the inside out (where deep-rooted and difficult-to-change internal beliefs, values and attitudes reside) is sustainable in the long-term.

In the past, Vanessa has worked with a number of global management consultancies (IBM Consulting, Gemini Consulting and IQ Business Group, to name a few) on large-scale, transformational change projects as well as transitional and developmental/emergent change interventions. She has garnered considerable experience working across a diverse range of industries, in a varied capacity, taking accountability for the full change function and its long-term legacy.

Prior to her career focus on change management, Vanessa worked as a media and investor relations/communications specialist, for a number of years. This, coupled with her background in journalism, has equipped her with excellent communications and people skills as well as media, investigative, research, competitive analysis, writing and crisis communication competencies.

Vanessa is passionate about playing a role in the process of creating and enabling positive, long-lasting change, both for individuals, organisations and our greater society. She believes in the enormous potential of all people and remains committed to helping people unearth and realise their true purpose.