INTRODUCING: MANDISA Mkhize (Energy and Utility Sector Desk Analyst)
by Sinenhlanhla Ngubane (Green Economy Intern)
WHAT IS YOUR FIELD OF EXPERTISE AND HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO YOUR ROLE HERE AT GREENCAPE?
I did my BSc and Honours in Organic Chemistry at UCT however, I felt it wasn’t something I could do for the rest of my life and wanted something more technical which lead me to doing my Masters in Metallurgy and Material Science at Wits University, which focused on making mining tools out of diamond. From there I started work as a credit analyst at Transaction Capital then moved to being a management consultant at Essex Lake Group. This is where my interest in finance grew stronger, which inspired me to obtain my BCom in Financial Analysis and Portfolio Management at UCT, which I’m currently studying towards.
The GreenCape Energy Sector analyst role came as interesting opportunity to me because the scope of work covered industries aligned with my background in science, mining and finance except that the focus was doing everything ‘cleaner’ and more sustainably. My role here at GreenCape falls under the Utility scale renewable energy sector, and while this is a bit of a different role to what I’m used to, it still encompasses a lot of engineering, science and financial information that I have to stay updated and report on.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT GREENCAPE SO FAR?
There are a number of things but firstly, it would have to be the people. Everyone here is genuinely friendly and willing to help. Secondly, it’s that I am not limited in my responsibilities in the sector desk and I receive great support from colleagues. It’s easy to make connections in the office and there’s always a way for you to be involved in other projects that are outside your role. Lastly, I just love what GreenCape does, its impact on the economy and communities really makes you proud of being a part of an organisation that makes a real difference.
WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING ON?
Currently, I am working on the 2020 Marketing Intelligence Report (MIR), which is due very soon. This involves a lot of researching, keeping track of any changes in the market and identifying any possible new opportunities to look out for in order to ensure that all the information that we put on there is up to date and useful to our stakeholders. Just last week, I attended the TENTRANS (Tendering Sustainable Energy Transition) Workshop with my colleague Francis where, as GreenCape, we serve as part of the
Advisory Committee to a Danish research unit, UNEP-DTU, that’s currently conducting cross-sectoral research on SA’s REIPPP programme. This engagement emphasized and highlighted how highly GreenCape’s insights are regarded, locally and internationally. A very proud moment to be a GreenCaper! I was then in charge of the set-up and execution (supported by the GreenCape team) for GreenCape’s stand at the Windaba Conference, where we got a chance to interact with many industry players, network and market ourselves as GreenCape and what we do as well as gain insight on what’s happening in the industry at the moment.
WHY DO YOU DO WHAT YOU DO?
I do what I do because I am able to make a contribution to South Africa’s gradual transition into the Green Economy, through fun, exciting and challenging work that’s primarily aimed at promoting the upscale of renewable energy in South Africa.
