Meet Business Executive Director: Confectionery at Nestlé South Africa, Zumi Njongwe

As Business Executive Officer for Nestlé’s confectionery category in East and Southern Africa, Zumi Njongwe brings a rare combination of strategic foresight, cultural fluency, and grounded emotional intelligence.

From championing inclusive brand culture to navigating changing consumer expectations around wellness and sustainability, Zumi is driving transformation in one of the region’s most beloved categories with heart, hustle and an unshakable sense of purpose. Here, she shares her insights on courageous leadership, the art of thoughtful disagreement, and how nature, family, and curiosity help keep her inspired and connected to her why.

Glamour: Your role at Nestlé places you at the helm of one of the most iconic and beloved categories; confectionery. What excites you most about leading in this space right now?

Zumi Njongwe: Confectionery is a strategic priority in our growth agenda across East and Southern Africa. We recognise its role in driving joy and pleasurable treats in the context of a balanced diet. My role is to ensure that I lead a cross-functional team to help them unlock this joy for our consumers and sustain profitable growth for the business.

Glamour: Consumer expectations have evolved significantly in recent years, especially when it comes to wellness, sustainability, and values. How is Nestlé’s confectionery category responding to this shift?

Zumi: That’s right, we’re in a fast-moving, ready for change and innovation kind of industry, and our confectionery category is no different. We educate our consumers on chocolate being a mindful treat, focusing on portion control, responsible promotions, and ensuring the safety and quality of our products. Our sustainability investment and position is clear on our packaging and it does not end there. We have a team dedicated to diligently ensuring our ingredients are communicated in simple, understandable terms. These are important steps towards meeting consumer expectations.

Glamour: Purpose-led innovation is a term we hear often, but what does it look like in practice under your leadership?

Zumi: My definition of innovation comprises value-added propositions throughout the value chain to unlock top and bottom-line growth for us. It starts with an innovative culture where a spirit of change is cultivated and celebrated. Innovative teams create innovative solutions to our business challenges. Whether that refers to ways of working, supply efficiencies, strong directed investments, or superior value propositions that leverage people, data, tech, and proprietary tools.

Glamour: You’ve worked on both global and local brand strategies. What have you learned about balancing global standards with local relevance?

Zumi: there is very little separation for me between global and local in the industries I have worked in. Global merely describes a place further than where my feet are currently planted, and local the inverse. And yes, there is local nuance and a cultural tone, and that is what I lean towards; rather than a global standard, for example. In today’s interconnectedness, the distinction is becoming less and less pronounced and over time it is clear that we have plenty to offer the world when it comes to solution-oriented partnerships and creative solutions to world issues

Glamour: Can you share an example of a recent campaign or product that reflects your vision for innovation and impact?

Zumi: There is one, I unfortunately cannot mention it as yet. Let’s talk again in October!

Glamour: What does an inclusive brand culture mean to you, and how are you helping shape that internally at Nestlé?

Zumi: Embracing diverse perspectives is non-negotiable. Many are invited to the dance floor, not enough are asked to dance and I want each team member to have a voice, share their perspective, lead and grow in the spaces they see their passion shine most. It is part of our way of working and leads to disproportionate personal growth.

Glamour: Leadership today calls for agility and emotional intelligence more than ever. What qualities do you believe are imperative for women in leadership today?

Zumi: The three big qualities for me: 1) a higher measure of courage in decision making, being able to take calculated risks; 2) a growth mindset, growing one's appetite to want to learn something ‘new’; 3) high affinity to embracing reality to be able to manage what we can control and leave what is out of our control.

Glamour: Who have been your biggest role models or influences in business, and what lessons from them do you carry with you?

Zumi: Too many to mention here, but I have learnt life-changing lessons from my family (both present and past), had the privilege to work with people who believed in what I could be before I did and pushed me to go beyond my comfort zone and friends who are constantly stretching their own boundaries in work and life.

Glamour: What advice would you give to young women entering corporate spaces who want to lead with both heart and results?

Zumi: Appreciate the art of thoughtful disagreements in any role you are in. It's important to have a point of view and then be able to debate and discuss this to stress test your thinking. So don’t shy away from difficult situations and soak up the knowledge others can give you in their respective areas of performance. This will increase the likelihood of you making better decisions and will accelerate your growth beyond your functional area.

Glamour: Finally, how do you personally stay inspired, balanced, and connected to your purpose amidst the demands of leading at this level?

Zumi: I enjoy nature and always prioritise having relaxation time to keep myself centred. Enjoying time with my family is sacred and my kids keep me young at heart and thoroughly entertained. I have an appreciation of how finite my life on this earth is and so I do my best to enjoy the good, the bad and moments in between.