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WIGE Speaker

Kalnisha Singh is a Development Economist and Strategic Industrial and Economic Transformation Specialist. She has experience in developing and implementing transformative strategies at all levels of the economy. 

Kalnisha started her career in the fields of industrial and economic efficiency advising on the design of policy and incentives, local industrialisation and local content optimisation; as well leading teams that implemented industrial cluster models and development zones. 

Her career currently spans the local economic development, social impact, transformation and sustainability segments consulting to and implementing projects on behalf of the Financial, Mining, Energy and Public Sectors. 

Kalnisha is passionate about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion with a particular interest in discussing concepts of African identity, intrinsic bias and gender mainstreaming. She is also vocal about her position on rethinking economic models that serve Africa, as well as the benefits of transformative thought to drive development outcomes. 

She is the Founder and Director of KD Strategies, a boutique advisory firm – and the Director of Women Energy Connect (WE Connect), a platform connecting and advocating for women and under- represented individuals within the Energy Sector. 

Kalnisha was a recipient of the Nelson Mandela Economic Scholarship 2003; and is one of the Young Independents’ Top 100 Influencers of 2016.  She has been recognised as one of the top 12 leaders in CSI for 2022/2023; was awarded the Inclusive Leader and Positive Role Model Awards at the 2022 Accenture Gender Mainstreaming Awards in Gauteng. In 2023 KD Strategies was recognised by the MEA Markets African Excellence Awards as the Most Transformative Business; and Kalnisha was recognised by South African National Energy Development Initiative, receiving the Women In Energy Award.