My career story: Sharmla Chetty
Our latest book captures the essence of optimism and the power of positive disruption. We’ve filled the pages with stories of innovators who are transforming businesses and changing lives for the better. It’s a road map for anyone who dares to dream and has the courage to act.
Our first story encapsulates this wholeheartedly: meet Sharmla Chetty: CEO, Duke Corporate Education, a global organisation running custom leadership programmes that help business leaders to adapt, innovate and be catalysts for change. Sharmla’s story is truly inspiring; here’s our interview with:
My mission
As the CEO of Duke Corporate Education, my mission is centered on strategic leadership, fostering innovation and nurturing growth through a diverse and inclusive culture. We want to transcend traditional learning environments by using customised education to transform people and businesses, as well as wider society. We’re committed to driving sustainable social change and creating impactful community relationships. I am passionate about being an integral part of our current dynamic ecosystem of change, staying relevant by embracing emerging trends such as artificial intelligence, sustainability and workforce evolution. I’m continuously learning — and unlearning.
Career highlight
A defining moment was when I left a secure, well-compensated position in banking to establish Duke’s South Africa operation. Despite the difficulties and uncertainties of starting something new, I was driven by a strong belief in the DukeCE brand and the opportunity for nation-building. I saw a unique opportunity to redefine education for economic upliftment. I started as the MD for South Africa, became the Global Head for Europe, UK, and Africa, which then expanded to President of Global Markets, and was later promoted to CEO. My career progression underscores my unwavering commitment to the belief that education is a fundamental human right and can empower people to achieve their full potential.
Time of growth
As we expanded in Africa, we faced many challenges. We had to set up the entity, build a compelling value proposition and deliver innovative, cost-effective and scalable customised education in a tough market. This time reinforced the importance of a growth mindset and being forthright about the risks and uncertainties. Resilience and commitment were crucial. It taught me valuable lessons about leadership, such as leading by example, the necessity of being deeply involved in all facets of the business, the power of open communication, and celebrating wins to maintain team morale and drive.
Biggest challenge
One of our greatest challenges was working with a large mining company, where we faced language barriers and issues of scalability. We took a deeply customer-centric approach, involving 10,000 frontline supervisors in codesigning the programme. I immersed myself in their environment: riding the bus with the miners and going underground with them to understand their needs. This led us to reshape our programme to focus on safety and trust, and it had a transformative impact: a high-performance culture with accident-free operations and increased productivity. It taught me the value of empathy, listening and collaboration, and reinforced my belief in a personal, hands-on approach to leadership.
Sliding doors moment
A pivotal moment in my career was the decision to leave a stable banking career to establish Duke’s South African operation. Transitioning from finance to the relatively uncharted territory of custom corporate education was a significant risk. It was a bold move, at a time when personalised educational offerings were novel in the region. Despite initial scepticism and numerous rejections, I persisted. I was driven by a vision of transformative education that could impact post-apartheid South Africa. Through relentless networking and deep market analyses, I eventually secured our first clients. The decision tested my resilience and laid the groundwork for Duke’s influential role in reshaping corporate and societal leadership landscapes in South Africa.
My ambition
I am driven by two primary ambitions. First, elevating women in leadership roles. We are developing and delivering women empowerment programmes for clients globally. The Women’s Legacy Program, a partnership with FASSET and IWFSA, for example, is an initiative to prepare 1,000 women executives across Africa. Second, the development of resilient economies and societies. We strive to build a diverse team that cultivates leaders at all levels. This approach extends beyond internal team dynamics to building a strong business presence in South Africa, driving broader economic and societal growth.
This is an excerpt from our 2024 book: Optimism. If you’d like a copy, request it here.
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