Our Patrons
Dr Shirley Zinn
Dr Shirley Zinn was the former Group Head of Human Resources at Woolworths Holdings Limited. Prior to this, she served as Head of Human Resources at Standard Bank, Nedbank, SARS, and Reckitt (Africa & Middle East). She was an Extraordinary Professor in the University of Pretoria’s Department of Human Resource Management and a former Adjunct Professor at the University of Cape Town.
She hails from the Cape Flats in Cape Town, and started her career as a secondary school teacher of English, then moved to the University of the Western Cape where she lectured in Teacher Education. She currently serves as an independent non-executive director on several JSE listed Boards (Sanlam, SpurCorp, Spar Group), as well as serving on Academic Advisory Boards, Trusts, Foundations and NPOs. She also served on the University of Cape Town Council and is the Past President for the Harvard Alumni Association, South Africa. She is also the Chairperson of the V&A Waterfront and WESGRO.
In 2015, she wrote her autobiography, a best seller, entitled Swimming Upstream which focuses on her personal and professional journey. She recently co-published a second book called the Power of Visualisation. She holds a BA (University of the Western Cape); Higher Diploma in Education (University of the Western Cape); B.Ed Honours (UNISA); M.Ed (University of the Western Cape); Ed.M (Harvard), and Doctorate in Education (Ed.D) (Harvard).
She has been awarded several Top Women in Business and Government awards, the most recent being the Inspirational Leader award for 2024. She is a mentor to several young women and has spoken at many local and international conferences. She has completed ten Two Oceans Half marathons and is a keen hiker.
Jeremy Olivier
Jeremy Olivier is a Zimbabwean-born, Cape Town-based singer-songwriter, guitarist and composer renowned for his warm vocals, musical artistry and heartfelt songwriting. After beginning his musical journey in Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe, where he toured with a rock band from the age of 14, he moved to South Africa to study at the University of Cape Town’s College of Music, earning a BMus Honours degree in Jazz Performance.
Since launching his solo career, Jeremy has released a string of successful singles, including Serendipity, It’s My Time, What About Now and Beautiful, the latter becoming widely recognised for its powerful message inspired by the adoption of his son and its association with a UNICEF South Africa awareness campaign. In 2016, he captured the hearts of South African audiences as a finalist on The Voice South Africa.
After spending six years living and performing in the Netherlands, Jeremy recently returned to South Africa, where he has embraced a new season of creativity. His “welcome home” performances have celebrated both his return and his deep connection to home, including the debut of a new song aptly titled Home.
Over the years, Jeremy has shared the stage with leading local and international artists, including Daniel Bedingfield, Johnny Clegg, George Benson and Jonathan Butler. Alongside his recording and performance career, he is also an accomplished composer and arranger, creating music for television, film and major commercial projects. Known for his engaging live performances and authentic storytelling, Jeremy continues to inspire audiences with music that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.
