The Zenex Foundation Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms Sibongile Khumalo as the organisation’s new Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 August 2026. The appointment follows an extensive and carefully considered succession process.
About Sibongile Khumalo
Sibongile brings two decades of leadership, strategic insight, and deep industry knowledge across South Africa’s education development and social impact sectors. An accomplished education advocate, social impact leader, and executive coach, she has held senior leadership positions at the South Africa Washington International Programme, The Learning Trust, and DataDrive2030; where she played instrumental roles in advancing education innovation, organisational strategy, and systems change.
She holds a Master of Philosophy from the University of Stellenbosch and is a member of the prestigious Africa Leadership Initiative. Her vision, experience, and leadership qualities make her well suited to guide the Foundation into its next phase of impact.
Honouring Gail Campbell’s Legacy
The Board also expressed its deepest gratitude to outgoing CEO Ms Gail Campbell for her exceptional and dedicated leadership over the past 23 years. Under her stewardship, the Foundation earned wide respect for supporting innovative programmes grounded in rigorous evidence, robust monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning.
Today, the Foundation stands strong with a highly skilled team whose technical and strategic expertise has strengthened its effectiveness and impact. Gail’s grounded understanding of the realities facing South African education enabled the Foundation to invest strategically in initiatives with lasting systemic potential; positioning Zenex as a thought leader and strategic partner in the sector.
Looking Ahead
As Sibongile Khumalo takes the reins, the Board looks forward to building on this strong legacy to advance the Foundation’s 2030 Strategy.
— Adv. Thandi Orleyn, Chairman: Zenex Foundation Board of Trustees
