Start Up Brunch

Dariush Soudi is an international speaker, entrepreneur and executive coach with a strong passion for forming foundations that deliver through business enterprises. His goals consistently perform to educate and inspire individuals and businesses to achieve abundance. With over 30 years in the industry, he has been on his own path running his own business specialising in sales and marketing in industries including telecommunications, consumer goods and services, and health and beauty.

Reg Athwal is the Founder, Chairman & Managing Director of RTS Global Partners and the Athwal Family Business Academy with 4 Operating Solution Areas: Advisory, Education, Technology and Investments. RTS provides transformational family business solutions delivered predominately to Family Owned Businesses & Entrepreneurs and is the largest firm in the AMEA region, delivering solutions with a team of 19 Executives, Global Certified Partners, Corporate Staff & Consultants spread across Africa, Middle East & Asia, with the HQ in Dubai-UAE. RTS has a big vision to open RTS Global Licensed Partner Offices in 150 cities by 2033. Athwal is currently retained as a Global Trusted Executive Advisor by many entrepreneurs and family businesses, which he strategically supports via the Global Partners at ‘RTS’ with their respective clients. He has advised 126 family business groups to date from 1st to 6th generation. His philosophy is built upon One Family – One Legacy, by putting Family First to drive harmony and unity for any family who operates a business.

Vusi Thembekwayo is a world-renowned South African entrepreneur, public speaker and venture capitalist. Vusi is best known as one of the 'dragons' in the South African version of Dragons Den. Dragons Den was a DSTV Mzansi Magic reality show in which entrepreneurs pitched their ideas to a group of investors with hopes for investment in their businesses. Vusi Thembekwayo has invested in many businesses and is regarded as one of the richest South Africans under 35. His talks empower his audience with new knowledge, research findings, and tools to immediately apply in their businesses or careers to achieve "step-change" results. At 25, Vusi ran a R400mn division in a R17bn multi-national and today is widely regarded as one of the most disruptive forces in venture capital in Africa. Vusi was amongst the youngest directors of a listed in South Africa and now serves on several boards. Currently, Vusi is the CEO of a boutique investment & advisory firm in Africa. Leading by example, his firm forces medium, large and listed businesses into much needed and lucrative new directions. Having graced the covers of Entrepreneur Magazine, with features on Forbes and Inc500, Vusi's social media engagement often mirrors that of a Rockstar.