From engineering to sales leadership, Nokwanda Shabalala’s unconventional path to the C-suite

From a rural childhood in KwaZulu-Natal to the C-suite of one of South Africa’s leading integrated facilities solutions providers, Nokwanda Shabalala’s career has been anything but linear. Trained as an electrical engineer, she swapped circuit boards for corporate strategy, moving through roles in finance, business development, and entrepreneurship before stepping into her current position as chief sales and marketing officer at Tsebo Solutions Group. Her journey reflects a blend of analytical precision, strategic vision, and a passion for creating tangible social and economic impact.

What first inspired you to do what you do – and what was the moment that really changed everything for you?

My inspiration was sparked during my Master’s in Engineering Management at The George Washington University. Originally trained as an Electrical Engineer, I was destined for a technical career. But graduate school opened the door to the world of business strategy, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate leadership. I was captivated. That curiosity evolved into a career spanning corporate finance, strategy, business development, and entrepreneurship. Each role was a stepping stone, leading naturally to the leadership position I hold today.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced on your journey, and how did you push through it?

Transitioning from a specialist role to leading teams was my steepest learning curve. As a specialist, I was accountable only for my own output; as a leader, I became responsible for aligning, motivating, and developing others to achieve shared goals. Early on, it was challenging to manage performance gaps and ensure buy-in. Over time, I invested in self-awareness, honed my communication skills, and learned to identify and nurture talent. Today, I achieve far more through the collective strength of my teams than I ever could alone.

What achievement are you most proud of, the one that still makes you smile when you think about it?

In 2018, I left the security of corporate life to launch my own health food business, TrueEarth. Within its first year, we secured leading retail clients including Checkers and Dis-Chem and later, Pick n Pay and Clicks. We navigated a market pivot, survived COVID-19 disruptions, and built a brand recognised even years after the business closed. It was a period of immense challenge and personal growth — the most fulfilling chapter of my professional journey

What makes your role or career path different or special in South Africa?

My journey defies the obvious path — from engineering to sales and marketing leadership — made rarer still for a woman in a developing society. A functional introvert, I’ve built on my analytical core to develop strong skills in persuasive communication and value proposition design. My time as a lobbyist for SABMiller Africa, negotiating with regulators across multiple countries, honed my ability to influence in high-stakes environments — skills that now underpin my role in sales leadership.

How do you think the work you do is making a difference – whether in your industry, your community, or for other women?

At Tsebo, every contract we win through our sales and marketing efforts creates a tangible impact: we employ local people, train them, and help them progress from unskilled roles to skilled positions with career paths. We also source from local suppliers, supporting SMMEs and driving economic growth in the communities we serve. Behind every new contract is a ripple effect of jobs, skills transfer, and sustainable development.

What’s the one piece of advice you’d give to a young woman who dreams of following a similar path?

B2B sales and marketing demand determination, tenacity, and agility. Technical skills can be taught; attitude and mindset are harder to instil. Success requires the discipline to pursue long sales cycles without losing momentum, the resilience to recover from setbacks, and the flexibility to pivot when markets shift. If you thrive in this space, the rewards are worth it.

Who’s been the biggest influence or mentor in your career?

Although many people have played a role at different stages of my career, my late father, a largely self-taught radio electronics engineer who, during apartheid, obtained his diploma in Radio Electronics through distance learning from a London-based college of engineering, is my greatest inspiration. Despite systemic barriers, he mastered his craft, trained others, and later became a union organiser advocating for fairness in the workplace. His journey instilled in me a love of engineering, a respect for hard work, and the courage to explore diverse career paths.

What’s one myth about your job or industry you’d love to clear up?

One of the biggest myths about the facilities industry is that it’s simply about “cleaning buildings” or “fixing things when they break.”

In reality, modern facilities management is a strategic, integrated discipline that blends hard services (engineering, maintenance, energy optimisation, water management) with soft services (cleaning, catering, security, workspace design, waste management), all coordinated through technology, analytics, and sustainability frameworks.

The myth persists because much of the work is invisible when it’s done well —people see the clean office or the safe event, but not the ISO-certified systems, predictive maintenance, energy-saving projects, ESG alignment, or data-driven decision-making that make it happen, or the many hours of training invested in our teams who execute so well.

In short, facilities management isn’t just about keeping the lights on—it’s about optimising environments to improve productivity, well-being, and sustainability while managing risk and cost across complex, multi-service operations. It’s about creating environments where people and businesses thrive.

If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?

Be unapologetically yourself. Authenticity may unsettle some, but you don’t need to dilute who you are to make others comfortable.

When you think back to the subjects you chose in high school or what you studied afterwards, did you ever imagine you’d end up where you are today – and how did that journey unfold?

Growing up in rural KZN, my subject choices — and later my tertiary studies in science and engineering — never hinted at a future in sales and marketing leadership. Yet by staying open to opportunities, embracing change, and pushing beyond my comfort zone, I have found myself on an unexpected but fulfilling path. Today, I am exactly where I am meant to be in my career. 

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