Professor Mike Roberto chose to hold his Leadership Seminar’s discussion with Vimbai Masiyiwa ’17 in the Ellen Wilson Leadership Center because it was a nice change of place in a comfortable, informal space. But it was soon apparent that the location would have a special relevance.

As Masiyiwa — the CEO and chief creative officer of Batoka Hospitality Group and a visiting Presidential Executive in Residence — spoke about the role business can play in improving the lives of others, she was framed by a giant mural of the university’s igNight celebration, an annual candle-lit ceremony that initiates new students into the Bryant community.

The symbolism was clear: We are stronger together.

Over the course of the class, Masiyiwa discussed her own journey as a young leader, from growing up as the daughter of Strive Masiyiwa, founder and executive chairman of Econet Group, to her time as Bryant, where she learned the tools that enabled her to strike out on her own, to her current role with Batoka, the first Black female-owned safari lodge group in Africa.

The conversation was dotted with personal stories about her successes and challenges, including making deals across international borders and diverse cultures, facing down elephants on safari, and winning over skeptical executives.

“You will meet people who want you to prove that you deserve to be in the room,” she advised. “The best thing you can be is well-informed and well-read. We can argue about opinions, but no one can argue you about facts.”

Masiyiwa also entreated the students to look beyond their own personal success and consider the role they can play in uplifting and empowering others. “If you are a member of a community, you should invest in that community — and invest in its growth,” she suggested. “That is a conscious decision we all need to make.”

Cassandra Hierl ’25, the president of Bryant’s award-winning chapter of the nonprofit Best Buddies organization and a member of Project Playhouse — which builds dream playhouses for children with serious illnesses — has decided that wherever her career takes her she wants to make a difference in the lives of others. But now she had new options to consider.

Masiyiwa’s discussion of social entrepreneurship, which mixes both business and service, was especially exciting to her. She left the class eager to learn more, which, Heirl reasoned, was the key point of the Executive in Residence program in the first place.

“It not only opens you up to new possibilities; it shows you that the ceiling for those possibilities is so much higher than you ever expected, especially when you’re getting the perspective of someone who has done so much at such a young age,” she points out.

Bryant’s Presidential Executive in Residence program is a platform for global industry executives and leaders from Bryant’s alumni community to share their expertise through mentoring and enhanced experiential learning opportunities. Over her two-day visit, Masiyiwa immersed herself in life at Bryant by speaking to a wide range of classes, meeting with students, faculty, and university leaders about Bryant programs and partnerships, and mentoring student entrepreneurs.

A far-ranging community conversation, led by Kristie DeJesus, the director of Bryant’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Design Thinking, allowed Masiyiwa to share lessons about management, how business can improve the world, and business owners’ responsibility to those around them.

“From a very young age, my parents encouraged us to give back,” she told the crowd — and the value of that mission crystalized for her during an early safari trip when her guide told her to ignore the poverty that was around them as they made their way to camp in one of the most beautiful natural sites in the world.

“We cannot just look away from the things that make us uncomfortable,” she stated firmly — especially when we have the power to help change them.

That ethos has fueled her work with Batoka and her approach to business, including the emphasis she’s placed on working with local communities. Using Batoka’s Tesse Fund, through which 10 percent of the revenue from guest stays at its Zambezi Sands resort are used to create and support development projects suggested by Batoka’s staff, she stressed that partnership is paramount.

“I think the biggest skill that I've learned is effective communication,” she mused.

That focus on communication is bolstered by the project management education she earned at Bryant, and she notes that she still shares a project management framework she used as a senior with her employees. “It’s so important to make sure that we all share the same vision and the same goal,” she said.

Masiyiwa is also working to change the global narrative surrounding Africa. “I think sometimes we have two branches: We talk about “the mainstream” and we talk about Africa. I want to make Africa mainstream,” she said. Originally, Masiyiwa shied away from her distinction as the CEO of the first Black female-owned safari lodge group in Africa, preferring to see herself as just an entrepreneur. But over time, she began to see its importance as a symbol, and a tool to help open up spaces for others.

“Now I wear the badge proudly,” she stated.

Everywhere she went, the soft-spoken Masiyiwa seemed to make a new connection and leave behind a trail of inspiration. Natalie Sims ’25, an International Business student whose family comes from South Africa, was so excited for the community conversation that she checked in with the organizers the day before to confirm time and location. Afterwards she stayed behind for a one-on-one conversation with the Executive in Residence.

“I think I love her,” she laughed before turning serious. “I’ve loved having the chance to talk with her and the other Executives in Residence who have come to Bryant. It’s a reminder of all the different paths my life can take.”

Connor Kincaid ’25, who aims to go into the fashion industry after graduation, had an off-the-cuff discussion with Masiyiwa — known for her creative eye and a fashion sense that secured her a spot in the best dressed list of the Condé Nast publication Tatler Magazine — before an event in the university’s Academic Innovation Center. He came away energized, noting that it was a rare opportunity to talk to someone who was so accomplished in such a unique space.

Masiyiwa concluded her trip by helping to judge a pitch contest organized by the Rhode Island Business Competition. Students from five colleges and universities shared their ideas for game changing companies and received feedback on their presentations, business plans, and ways to make their products truly stand out.

Allison Carra ’26 pitched Makeup Express, a makeup-focused salon start-up. When her presentation concluded, Masiyiwa offered praise. “You’re storytelling was very impressive,” she told Carra with a broad grin. “You nailed it.”

Even after the competition, Carra was still beaming. “I’ve worked so hard on this and to have that validation from someone who’s done so much — that feels amazing.”