Dr Shirley Zinn is a respected South African leader, celebrated for her contributions to education, leadership, transformation, and social justice. Beginning her career as a secondary school English teacher and later a university lecturer, she went on to hold senior executive roles, including Group Head of Human Resources at Woolworths Holdings and Head of HR at Standard Bank, Nedbank, SARS, and Reckitt (Africa & Middle East). She has served as an Extraordinary Professor at the University of Pretoria, Adjunct Professor at the University of Cape Town, and on multiple boards such as Sanlam, SpurCorp, and Spar Group. A Harvard graduate with a Doctorate in Education, she is also Chairperson of the V&A Waterfront and WESGRO, and the bestselling author of Swimming Upstream. She is an Independent Non-Executive Board Director: Sanlam, MTN (SA), VNA, Spur Corporation and Spar Group among others.Recognised with numerous awards, including the 2024 Inspirational Leader award, Dr Zinn is a mentor to young women and an in-demand speaker at local and international events. Deeply committed to making a positive impact, she blends her professional expertise with her advocacy for dignity, equity, and opportunity. Her career exemplifies resilience, excellence, and the belief that education is a powerful force for personal and societal change.
