A New Zealander by birth, Dianne worked in a broad range of service industries before departing the antipodean shores to “see the world”.
She has a post-graduate diploma in strategic marketing and, after a career in the hospitality industry, she spent 4½ years in London, UK, at a leading full-service marketing agency working on blue chip accounts.
After marrying, she moved to South Africa in 1989, where she founded what was arguably one of the first full-service agencies in the country.
In 2002, Dianne focussed on her growing demand in the strategic business consulting arena and she has successfully completed work in Australia, the UK, the EU, and Southern and East Africa. Her client base has been broad, both in terms of size and sectors.
Focusing on business performance management and corporate governance, Dianne received repeated requests for assistance with newly elected/promoted non-English speaking senior teams. Early in 2021 she completed a TEFL Level 5 Business English certificate programme to expand her services to encompass business English and Board etiquette for senior executives and board members.
Dianne currently Chairs several of her Clients’ Boards and ManCo meetings and serves several Clients as a trusted third party Non-Executive providing guidance for effective corporate governance, especially within family businesses.
Community service has always been core to Dianne’s philosophy. She was the first female member of the Rotary Club of Pietermaritzburg and served a term as a Board Director. She has served several terms on school Boards and, in addition, she was a non-Executive Director of WESSA (the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa), serving as Vice-Chair of the Board from 2007 to 2015.
Dianne is married to Keith, a veterinary epidemiologist and they have two children.