Liezl Gericke is a seasoned executive in the aviation industry, currently serving as Virgin Atlantic’s Head of Middle East, Africa, and India. She began her journey with Virgin Atlantic in 2012 and quickly ascended the ranks, becoming the Country Head for South Africa in 2015. Her leadership scope later expanded to include Nigeria and Dubai, and she now oversees operations in a broader regional role. With her team, she focuses on driving growth and delivering excellent customer experiences in these key markets.
Throughout her career, Liezl has been recognized as a strong advocate for innovation and efficiency, blending her passion for technology with her strategic acumen in the airline sector. Her dynamic leadership style and ability to inspire her team have solidified her reputation as a prominent figure in the industry
Sessions
March 12, Wednesday
Venue: Innovation City Cape Town
3.00PM – 5.00PM
Next Generation Leaders Roundtable (By Invite Only)
An intimate, sharing session for under-35 rising stars of travel to meet and learn from current generation travel leaders. How will the next generation of travel evolve? What changed mindsets and new skills will it require? What will it demand from professionals who have chosen to make travel their life’s calling? Learn valuable lessons and pick up useful insights so you can take your career in travel to new heights.
This by-invite session will include panel discussions with global and local travel leaders on how they have navigated their careers and the opportunities they see in the industry for young talent.
It will also include coaching circles where attendees can learn at a more personal level from our coaches, as well as reverse mentoring where travel leaders can learn from the next generation attendees.
Speakers/Coaches:
Maija de Rijk-Uys, Managing Director, Go2Africa
Bayo Adedeji, Group Chief Executive Officer, Wakanow
Velma Corcoran, Regional Lead, Middle East and Africa Airbnb
Liezl Gericke, Head of International, Middle East, Africa & South Asia, Virgin Airways
March 13, Thursday
Venue: Innovation City Cape Town
4.20PM – 5.00PM
WiT Africa Startup Showcase
We put the spotlight on a curated list of startups that are trying to shake things up in their respective spaces. Each will present for 5 minutes each, with a 3-minute Q&A by our panel of dragons.
Jeff Pan, CEO & Founder, Belli (Seedup Winner, Asia Pacific category, Global Startup Pitch)
David Gonahasa, CEO & Founder, Tripesa
Dragons:
Ross Veitch, CEO & Co-founder, Wego
Mike McGearty, CEO & Co-founder, Meili
Zachariah George, Managing Partner, Launch Africa Ventures
Liezl Gericke, Head of International, Middle East, Africa & South Asia, Virgin Airways
Facilitator:
Michelle Kleu, CEO, Innovation City
5.00PM – 5.30PM
Flying High In The Next Generation
From improving connectivity to modernising their retailing, the airline industry is facing changes on several fronts. How are the different players rising to the challenge, and what are their plans to capture the opportunities in this continent, with different distribution, marketing and commercial strategies?
Speakers:
Liezl Gericke, Head of International, Middle East, Africa & South Asia, Virgin Airways
John Friel, Regional Director, Qatar Airways