Nicola White

Nicola White

Head of Investor and Media Relations - EY

I qualified as an attorney at Webber Wentzel Bowens before leaving the legal field to become a financial analyst at SG Frankel Pollak. I was honoured to be rated as a small market capitalisation analyst in South Africa. Over the following nine years, I gained experience in asset management, investment banking, strategic restructuring and deal sourcing, equity research sales and assisting in the development of the JSE’s Socially Responsible Investment Index. Feeling the need to understand government and its social objectives, I joined the National Treasury as a director of asset management to promote the optimal allocation and utilization of financial resources appropriate to each State-Owned Enterprise. It was through Treasury that I met Telkom and went on to lead their investor relations department where I produced and managed Telkom’s financial results, communicated the strategy, operations, and financial performance of the group to local and global investors, and advised the board and management on competitive business and shareholder value creation strategies. I then joined African Bank to assist the executive in potentially changing the business model. Alas, too late given African Bank's curatorship for which I managed the internal and external communications. A true experience in crisis communication for which I am grateful. My passion has always been the environment and the communities living in that environment. I was glad to accept the position of CEO of Linkd Environmental Services to effect meaningful change in South Africa to the benefit of all South Africans, fauna and flora included. I brought financial, strategic communication and business strategy development experience to Linkd’s table. I remain committed to assisting in the development of sustainable practices throughout South Africa wherever possible. My love for the environment drove my move to lead the due diligence exercise in Mozambique on a project designed to stimulate national agricultural development of both cash and high value crops, including CSI initiatives and development of the required legislative frameworks. I was then lucky enough to join EBS Advisory, a specialist ESG consultancy, as their business development and communications director. My hobbies include voracious reading, getting into nature as much as possible, and travelling the world. I believe every individual's ability to appreciate difference and diversity is fed through broadening ones horizons.