Two South African ICT personalities, Vinny Lingham and Alan Knott-Craig Jnr, have been included in the prestigious World Economic Forum's (WEF's) Young Global Leaders' list.
However, they still have to work out what it means.
According to the WEF's Web site, Young Global Leaders organises regular events throughout the year, including summits, which provide an opportunity for them to meet, share ideas and discuss ways to collectively shape the future.
The WEF says The Kennedy School Leadership and Public Policy for the 21st Century Module provides a convening opportunity for the Young Global Leaders to gain critical skills and knowledge in key issue areas, as well as leadership skills.
Lingham, a well-known Internet entrepreneur and CEO of Web 2.0 firm SynthaSite, says it is an honour to be nominated to the forum. He sees it as an opportunity to network with a diverse group of people with unique skills, from multiple countries.
“I'm looking forward to the interactions to come, and attending the WEF Summit, in Davos, next year,” he says.
Details about what his actual involvement will entail are still being forwarded to him, Lingham says.
Flattered and puzzled
Knott-Craig Jnr, CEO of wireless service provider iBurst, and son of recently retired Vodacom CEO Alan Knott-Craig, says he is flattered by his nomination although he is somewhat puzzled as to how this was achieved.
“I replied to my nomination e-mail asking for more details. I have no idea how I came to be nominated to this list. However, I do think it will be a great networking opportunity,” he says.
The WEF appears to have more in mind for its Young Global Leaders (YGLs) than just attending cocktail parties and conferences.
The WEF blurb says the YGLs often initiate different task forces around the biggest global challenges facing the generation - health, education, the environment, global governance and security, and development and poverty.
“Often, when YGLs meet, new ideas and task forces are initiated. Some concrete activities stemming from the task forces include addressing hunger in the developing world, promoting mass de-worming in schools for children affected by parasitic worms, and spreading the principles of dignity in schools around the globe,” it says.
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