As Co-founder of ATG Samata, she has deployed over $11M into innovative women-led businesses and gender-diverse teams, proving that intentional inclusion drives both commercial success and social impact. Holding a PhD in Gender, Race and Entrepreneurial Finance, she translates rigourous research into evidence-based frameworks that guide global investors, start-ups, corporates and policymakers.
In all her roles, Dr Lelemba has built inclusive leadership pipelines that advanced women and under-represented groups, directly linking diversity and inclusion to business growth.
Operational Leadership:
- As Regional Managing Director at Zoona, a pioneering fintech in Southern Africa, she doubled revenues year-on-year, grew staff teams of 100+ and scaled an agent network to over 5000 across Zambia and Malawi.
- As co-founder of Pranary, the leading AI-first business school, she played an instrumental role in scaling the business across 50+ markets and supporting over 12000+ entrepreneurs to access business education on the edtech platform.
- As Regional Head of Fixed Assets at MI-Swaco, an environmental solutions engineering company, she managed fixed assets across eight African markets, embedding cultural intelligence into market entry and scale-up strategies.
Gender Lens Investments Expertise:
- As Co-founder and Partner at ATG Samata, a gender lens investment firm targeting a $50M fund, she is investing in innovative women-led and gender diverse teams in climate, value-added agriculture and technology sectors in across Eastern and Southern Africa.
- As Founder of Africa Trust Group, she oversaw $11M+ assets under management, financing 25+ women-owned
businesses across various sectors in six countries. - As Founder of the Empress Fund, a pioneering gender lens angel syndicate group, she mobilised local capital from high net-worth individuals and designed innovative financing instruments for investing in early stage women-led businesses.
Research and Advisory:
- Author of The Intersection AdvantageTM, a seminal work turning academic insight from her PhD research into practical tools that business leaders can implement for driving profitable inclusion.
- Her strategic advisory roles have included clients such as GIZ, the World Bank, UN Women, UN University, the
Government of Zambia, shaping global policies and instruments for gender equity and climate finance. - She delivers lectures at ESADE Business School in Spain (Gender, Inclusion & Sustainability) and the University of Turin in Italy (Social Innovation).
Recognition and Leadership
Dr Lelemba’s work has been recognised globally earning her various awards and leadership seats:
Awards:
• 2024: Best VC Investing in Female Start-ups (Government of Zambia).
• 2021: Africa’s Inspiring Women LeadHers (Meta/Facebook).
• 2017: Named among 50 Change-Makers Advancing Gender Equality in South Africa.
• 2016: Cordes Fellow – 50 Most Promising Social Entrepreneurs Globally.
• 2014: One of Africa’s Most Influential Women in Business (CEO Magazine)
Speaking and Consulting Focus
For Global Investors
• ESG and climate capital deployment in African markets.
• Gender lens investing frameworks that deliver superior returns.
• De-risking frontier markets through inclusive investment strategies.
For Policymakers & Development Institutions
• Policy frameworks for women’s economic empowerment.
• Innovative financing mechanisms for SME development.
• Climate adaptation strategies aligned with inclusion.
For Multinational Corporates
• African market entry and expansion strategies.
• Culture transformation programs that accelerate growth.
• Leadership development for diverse, high-performingteams.
For Startups
• Investment readiness and fundraising strategies
• Market expansion playbooks for scaling across diverseAfrican contexts.
• Building inclusive leadership and team cultures thatdrive sustainable growth.