As an example of a conversation that counts, Telana invited Desray Clark, a women’s leadership development specialist, to talk about the topic of feminism today. They cover how being a feminist has been misconstrued and how the movement has impacted some of the challenges we face today in terms of gender equality.  They explore the conversations both men and women need to be having, and how we can have more of these conversations.  What are the skills we need, and the mindsets that will help us put the issues on the table, and be more curious to unpack them for change?

Podcast:

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About Desray Clark:

leadership development specialistDesray is a leadership development specialist, her ability to combine her analytical abilities and conceptual skills, combined with her deep theoretical understanding of the issues surrounding leaders in the workplace enable her to design and deliver exceptional programmes for developing leaders.

She launched and has run Abellard Business Innovation since 2000, a management consultancy that specialises in the design and roll out of women’s development programs, learning integration, team coaching and project management.

Desray’s MBA research report focused on women executives in South African corporates paying particular attention to the reasons they terminate their employment.

She is currently a professional associate at the Gordon Institute of Business Science lecturing in the fields of women’s leadership, coaching and project management. She is employed by Anglo American where she is a principal specialist at the state-of-the-art Centre for Experiential Learning.

Previously Desray was divisional manager of the systems continuity division for a listed IT company. Her division consisted of 150 consultants and she was responsible for the entire business delivery of the division. Prior to joining the listed company she spent 10 years in an IT maintenance environment where she performed numerous technical roles progressing through the ranks to senior departmental manager for large logistic systems until her resignation.

16 years experience in consulting:

Clients:

  • SANDF – consultant to SANDF to combine 3 large logisitcs systems into 1 system – successful completion.
  • DLACDH & Microsoft : Strategic consulting to Microsoft SA regarding the development of their women leaders. (current)
  • JSE, Durban Metro :- Strategic consultant and solution implementor regarding mainframe Y2K projects.

Academic Background:

  • MBA cum laude (Gordon Institute of Business Science); Dean’s List.
  • BSc (Maths and Computer Science) and HED from University of Pretoria.
  • Diploma in Project Management from the School of Project Management.

Publications:

  • Why they leave – reasons executive women flee South African Corporates : Convergence Magazine (2007)
  • Why should the stay – Top Women in Business (October 2007)
  • Why do they leave – Voluntary turnover of South African women executives in Leadership, Gender and Organisation, Werhane; P and Painter-Morland M (2011)

Contact and Info:

Website: abbellard.co.za
Email: desray.clark at abbellard dot co dot za
Telephone: +27834500054

Bibliography:

Credits:

Music:
“Mesmerize” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/