Leadership Insights

CEOx1DAY Alumni: A Conversation with Amogelang Kgaladi, Group Chief Actuary at Guardrisk

5 min read

We sat down with Amogelang Kgaladi, actuary and strategist, whose career trajectory exemplifies the power of intentionality, leadership, and lifelong learning. An inspiring alumnus of the CEOx1DAY programme, Amogelang shares his reflections on leadership, strategy, and the importance of access and opportunity.

Q: What have been some of the most significant learnings in your career so far?

One of the biggest learnings in terms of my career to date has really been around strategy and people leadership.

Amogelang Kgaladi Group Chief Actuary at Guardrisk

Coming from a technical background as a qualified actuary, Amogelang made a deliberate pivot to broaden his commercial acumen. His MBA journey was a turning point, allowing him to focus on strategy, M&A, and organisational design. “I wanted to more well-round my skill set… and really frame myself in terms of the leader that I wanted to be.”

His time at McKinsey & Company further sharpened his strategic thinking across industries such as telecommunications, healthcare, mining, FMCG, and financial services. “It shows that if you apply first principles thinking, you can formulate solutions and solve your way across multiple industries.”

Q: What role did your MBA play in shaping your career?

Amogelang is unequivocal, noting that his MBA was integral to his success. However, importantly, he cautions that the value of an MBA lies in having a clear purpose.

If you don’t have a clear ‘why’… you won’t find it to be very useful.

Amogelang Kgaladi Group Chief Actuary at Guardrisk

He approached his MBA with a clear and intentional mindset. He didn’t pursue it for prestige or as a checkbox exercise - he pursued it with purpose. He tailored his MBA experience to align with his aspiration of becoming a CEO, identifying developmental gaps and actively seeking opportunities to close them.

He utilised his MBA studies to address specific developmental areas, focusing on:

Strategy and Commercial Acumen: Coming from a technical background as an actuary, he used the MBA to build his capabilities in strategy, mergers and acquisitions, and organisational design.
Leadership Development: He sought to define the kind of leader he wanted to become, using the MBA as a platform to explore and refine that vision.
Practical Application: Post-MBA, he deliberately moved into consulting at McKinsey & Company to apply his new skills across industries, accelerating his learning curve.

Q: Are you still aspiring to become a CEO?

“Yes,” he says, “although, that path isn’t always linear, it’s a combination of skill, expertise, networks, and exposure.”
He reflects on the importance of someone believing in your potential: “Ultimately, someone has to believe that if we give him the chance, he’ll be resilient enough to learn and drive the organisation forward.”

Q: What advice would you give to future CEOx1DAY participants?

Clarity of purpose is key. Amogelang encourages participants to:

Define Their Purpose: Understand what kind of leader you want to be and what you hope to gain from the experience.
Be Targeted: Use the CEOx1DAY opportunity to ask focused questions and seek exposure aligned with your goals.
Prepare Thoughtfully: Go into the programme with a set of intended outcomes and objectives. This preparation allows you to extract maximum value from the experience.

He also stresses the importance of nurturing relationships formed during the programme. “That’s probably one of my big regrets, not actively nurturing that relationship. Invest in that relationship so it remains a network and a contact.”

Q: Would you consider giving back to the programme as a CEO one day?

“One hundred percent, without a shadow of a doubt.”

Amogelang is passionate about access and opportunity. “Even if I had all the drive and ambition, had the South African Actuaries Development Programme not funded my studies, I may not be sitting here today.”

He sees the CEOx1DAY platform as a powerful catalyst: “You inspire an individual to say, ‘Maybe I also want to be like that person.’ And if we all start driving for it, we’ll start seeing the change we’d all like to observe.”

Final Thoughts

Amogelang Kgaladi’s journey is a compelling reminder that leadership is not just about technical excellence, but about vision, adaptability, and the courage to pursue growth. His story offers invaluable insights for aspiring leaders and seasoned executives alike.

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