PEAKFORD MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS

2027 CALENDAR OF PROGRAMMES

Peakford 2027

Conferences, Seminars and In-House Training

Practical, timely programmes on the issues shaping Africa in 2027: AI and cyber security, public sector performance, procurement, energy, infrastructure, health, agriculture, entrepreneurship and leadership.

Learn what’s next. Lead what’s next.

▲ Welcome

2027 will be a year of major change across Africa. New procurement laws, opening electricity markets, AI in every sector, rising cyber threats and pressure on all budgets mean leaders need new knowledge, fast.

Our 2027 calendar brings you programmes built around these changes. Each one combines expert speakers, real case studies and hands-on sessions, so you leave with practical tools you can use immediately, and a network of peers facing the same challenges.

▲ 2027 Calendar at a Glance

In-house training: we come to you

▲ Conferences

Where Africa’s next generation of farmers turns land into business.

About the programme

A continental conference helping young and emerging farmers build profitable, sustainable agribusinesses. It covers funding, farm business management, market access, AgriTech (IoT, AI and drones), land access, animal health and climate-smart farming. It follows the December 2026 edition, whose speakers include leaders from YES, the Land Bank and the Agricultural Research Council.

Who should attend

Young and emerging farmers, cooperatives and farmer organisations across Africa

Agro-processors, retailers, buyers and exporters

Land Bank, agricultural banks, DFIs and agri-insurers

Government agriculture and rural development departments

Corporate enterprise and supplier development (ESD) and CSI managers

Agricultural colleges, researchers and extension officers

Why you can’t miss it

Learn how to access funding and what lenders look for, directly from financiers

Meet buyers, processors and retailers looking for reliable suppliers

See the AgriTech changing farming: IoT, AI and drones

Get practical guidance on biosecurity, climate-smart farming and land access

Build a network of mentors and fellow producers from across Africa

Get ready for the biggest change in public procurement in over 20 years.

About the programme

A national conference preparing supply chain management (SCM) practitioners and leaders for the Public Procurement Act and its regulations. The aim is fewer irregular expenditure findings and more clean audits. It includes a live bid committee simulation, a mock tribunal hearing and an SCM policy health check.

Who should attend

Accounting officers, CFOs and heads of SCM

Bid specification, evaluation and adjudication committee members

SCM practitioners in national and provincial departments, municipalities, SOEs and public entities

Internal auditors, audit committees and risk and compliance officers

Suppliers and business chambers that need to understand the new rules

Why you can’t miss it

Understand exactly what the Public Procurement Act and its regulations change, and when

Practise bid evaluation and adjudication in a live simulation critiqued by experts

Learn how to prevent, detect and deal with irregular expenditure

See how bid challenges will work before the Public Procurement Tribunal

Assess your SCM policy’s readiness for the new law and leave with an action plan

Doing the Right Things Right – for the People.

About the programme

A flagship conference with more than 20 speakers on delivering measurable public value with limited resources. It features eight discussion panels, seven international and African case studies (Singapore, Estonia, Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa, the United Kingdom and New Zealand) and academic paper presentations. Delegates leave with a Public Value Performance Framework and a Service Delivery Scorecard for their institution.

Who should attend

Ministers, directors-general, heads of department and senior managers

CFOs, accounting officers, planning and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) units

Municipal managers and heads of SOEs and public entities

Public service commissions, schools of government and HR leaders

Academics, researchers and postgraduate students (call for papers)

Development partners, think tanks and GovTech firms

Why you can’t miss it

Hear from more than 20 reformers, senior officials and experts

Learn from real reforms in Singapore, Estonia, Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa, the UK and New Zealand

Design a Public Value Performance Framework and Service Delivery Scorecard for your institution

Join eight panels debating the toughest questions in public sector performance

Leave with practical tools and a 100-day implementation plan

Intelligent care for Africa: see what AI can really do for health.

About the programme

A continental summit on how AI and digital technology can close Africa’s healthcare gaps safely and affordably. Tracks cover AI in clinical care, digital health systems, AI governance and ethics, health data and cybersecurity, the future health workforce, insurance technology and rural health. Signature features include AI Clinic Live, an Ethics Court mock trial, a Health-Tech Pitch Arena and CPD masterclasses.

Who should attend

Hospital CEOs, clinical directors and medical managers

Health ministries, departments of health and health regulators

Doctors, nurses, pharmacists and allied health professionals

Medical schemes, insurers and administrators

Health CIOs, data and cybersecurity teams

Health-tech start-ups, investors and researchers

Why you can’t miss it

See AI diagnostic tools tested live against real anonymised cases

Understand the legal, ethical and liability questions before you invest in AI

Learn how to protect patient data from ransomware and data breaches

Earn CPD points through practical masterclasses

Meet the health-tech innovators and investors shaping African healthcare

Strong councils, accountable colleges, skills for Africa’s youth.

About the programme

A continental conference on governance in TVET, community, polytechnic and private colleges, with South Africa as the main case study. It covers board roles, financial oversight, procurement, ethics, intervention and recovery, industry partnerships and digital colleges. Features include a Council in Crisis simulation, a Country Governance Scorecard and a new board member bootcamp.

Who should attend

College council and board chairs and members

Principals, rectors, deputy principals and CFOs

Audit, finance and risk committee members and council secretaries

Ministries and national TVET authorities across Africa

Private college owners and boards

SETAs, industry bodies and development partners

Why you can’t miss it

Understand your legal duties as a council or board member

Learn how to oversee finances, procurement and large projects to achieve clean audits

Hear candid lessons from colleges that faced intervention, and how to avoid it

Benchmark your country’s college governance and leave with an improvement plan

Network with college leaders and TVET authorities from across Africa

AI, automation and the customer: what the next contact centre looks like.

About the programme

A conference on how AI, automation, data and omnichannel platforms are reshaping customer service, contact centres and marketing. Topics include AI agents and chatbots, the human-plus-AI workforce, customer experience (CX) measurement, data-driven and personalised marketing, POPIA and direct marketing compliance, and agent wellbeing and retention.

Who should attend

Contact centre heads, CX directors and operations managers

Marketing directors, CMOs and digital marketing teams

BPO and outsourcing operators

Workforce management, quality assurance and training managers

CRM, IT and data leads

Government service centres and hotline managers

Why you can’t miss it

See how leading operators use AI agents without losing the human touch

Learn to measure and improve customer experience

Use data and personalisation to make marketing more effective

Stay compliant with POPIA and direct marketing rules

Learn how to keep and motivate agents in a changing industry

Securing Africa at AI speed.

About the programme

A curated executive summit on cyber resilience for banks, industry and government across Africa. Themes are AI-driven cyber threats, agentic AI governance, quantum-safe cryptography and sovereign infrastructure. Signature features include a live cyber war-game simulating an attack on a pan-African bank, a Quantum-Safe Africa Clinic, a regulators’ roundtable and a board briefing track.

Who should attend

CIOs, CISOs, CTOs and IT security directors

IT software and infrastructure leaders

Risk executives and compliance officers in banks, insurers and fintechs

Telcos, mining, energy and SOE technology leaders

Central banks, financial regulators and data protection authorities

Board members and non-executive directors

Why you can’t miss it

Watch a live cyber war-game and learn how leaders respond under pressure

Prepare your organisation for quantum-safe cryptography before regulators demand it

Learn how to govern AI agents safely inside your organisation

Hear directly from regulators on what they expect

Network with Africa’s most senior security and technology leaders

Build, fund and scale your business across Africa.

About the programme

A five-day gathering for African start-up founders and scale-up leaders on raising capital, scaling across borders, using the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), building AI-first business models and governing a growing company. The five-day format allows masterclasses, investor meetings and a pitch day.

Who should attend

Start-up founders and co-founders, from seed to growth stage

Scale-up executives and management teams

Angel investors, venture capital funds and DFIs

Corporate innovation and venture teams

Incubators, accelerators and tech hubs

Government enterprise development agencies

Why you can’t miss it

Pitch to and meet investors actively looking for African deals

Learn how to raise capital at each stage, from angels to venture capital

Plan your expansion into new African markets under AfCFTA

Build stronger governance and finance foundations for growth

Join a community of founders building across the continent

Innovation from the lab to the patient: building Africa’s medicines capacity.

About the programme

A conference on innovation in pharmaceutical and chemical science and manufacturing. Topics include local manufacturing of medicines and active ingredients, regulatory pathways, quality and good manufacturing practice (GMP), green chemistry, AI in research and development, and the role of pharmacists in a changing health system.

Who should attend

Pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturers

Research and development scientists and laboratory managers

Regulatory affairs, quality assurance and quality control professionals

Industrial, hospital and community pharmacists

Academics and postgraduate researchers in chemistry and pharmacy

Regulators, procurement and supply chain managers

Why you can’t miss it

Understand the opportunities and regulatory pathway for local manufacturing

Learn the latest in quality, GMP and green chemistry

See how AI is speeding up research and development

Earn CPD points as a pharmacist

Connect with manufacturers, scientists and regulators

▲ Seminars and Workshops

Moving Africa from pit-to-port to processing and manufacturing.

About the programme

A seminar on how African countries and companies can capture more value from critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, manganese, vanadium and platinum-group metals. It covers beneficiation and processing, local content rules, export restrictions, partnership deals, financing processing plants, and community and ESG expectations.

Who should attend

Mining houses: strategy, ESG and business development executives

Mineral resources ministries and departments across Africa

Processing, refining and battery-materials investors

DFIs, banks and mining finance specialists

Mining lawyers, consultants and special economic zone operators

Why you can’t miss it

Understand how leading countries are capturing more value from their minerals

Learn how local content rules and export policies affect your projects

See how processing plants are financed and structured

Meet ministries, investors and mining companies from across Africa

Crypto is borderless. Your tax system cannot afford to be blind.

About the programme

A specialist seminar for revenue authorities across Africa on taxing crypto and other digital assets. It covers how digital assets work, valuation and tax treatment, tracing transactions, investigations, and the OECD Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) for automatic exchange of information. Limited to about 40–50 delegates.

Who should attend

Revenue authorities: tax policy, audit, investigations and international tax units

Ministries of finance

Financial intelligence units and central banks

Tax and compliance teams of crypto asset service providers

Tax practitioners and advisers

Why you can’t miss it

Understand how crypto and other digital assets work and how they should be taxed

Learn practical techniques for tracing and investigating digital asset transactions

Prepare your administration for CARF information exchanges

Learn from peers in a small, focused group

Be market-ready before the market goes live.

About the programme

A seminar on Africa’s opening electricity markets, with South Africa as the main case study alongside Nigeria, Kenya, Zambia, Namibia and Morocco. It covers embedded and captive generation, wheeling and open access, electricity traders, wholesale markets and power pools, bankable PPAs, and green power for exporters. It includes a deal clinic on powering a mine.

Who should attend

Energy managers and CFOs of mines, manufacturers and large energy users

Independent power producers, developers and electricity traders

Banks, DFIs and investors

Regulators, utilities and energy ministries across Africa

Energy lawyers, consultants and engineers

Why you can’t miss it

Understand how open electricity markets work and where your country fits

Learn how wheeling, trading and embedded generation can cut your power costs

Get ready for South Africa’s wholesale market before it goes live

Structure bankable power purchase agreements

Leave with a 12-month energy procurement or market-entry plan

Find the fraud hidden in millions of transactions, in minutes.

About the programme

A practical seminar on using AI and data analytics to detect fraud, irregular expenditure and anomalies in large data sets. It covers duplicate and suspicious payments, procurement red flags, continuous auditing, digital evidence, and the ethics and limits of AI in audit and investigations.

Who should attend

Internal and external auditors

Forensic investigators and fraud examiners

Auditor-general staff and anti-corruption agencies

Audit and risk committee members

Risk, compliance and finance managers

Why you can’t miss it

Learn how AI finds fraud and anomalies that manual audits miss

Spot procurement red flags and duplicate payments quickly

Understand how to handle digital evidence so findings stand up

Use AI responsibly and know its limits

Build roads that last longer and cost less over their lifetime.

About the programme

A technical seminar on asphalt mix design and application for longer-lasting, more sustainable roads. It covers mix design, binders and modified bitumen, reclaimed asphalt (recycling), warm-mix technologies, quality control and testing, durable pothole repair and lifecycle costing.

Who should attend

Civil and pavement engineers and technologists

Road authorities: national, provincial and municipal roads departments

Road contractors and asphalt producers

Materials testing laboratories

Consulting engineers

Why you can’t miss it

Design asphalt mixes that resist cracking, rutting and potholes

Use recycled and warm-mix asphalt to cut costs and emissions

Improve quality control on site and in the laboratory

Earn CPD points

Lead smarter. Get SMART Certified.

About the programme

Peakford’s signature SMART Leadership Programme in conference format. It is a progressive, cross-industry leadership programme for senior managers, underpinned by technology, with SMART certification for delegates and their organisations.

Who should attend

Senior managers, directors and executives in all industries

Emerging leaders preparing for executive roles

HR, talent and learning and development directors

Public sector senior managers

Why you can’t miss it

Strengthen your leadership with a practical, modern framework

Earn SMART certification for yourself, and work towards it for your organisation

Learn to lead in a technology-driven, AI-enabled workplace

Network with senior leaders from across industries

Use AI to serve citizens better, without losing their trust.

About the programme

A seminar on adopting AI in government safely and effectively. It covers use cases in service delivery, AI policy and governance, procurement of AI systems, bias and fairness, privacy and data protection, accountability, and how to build public trust.

Who should attend

Government CIOs and digital transformation leaders

Policy, strategy and legal advisers

Information officers and data protection officers

Service delivery and operations managers

Regulators, oversight bodies and GovTech providers

Why you can’t miss it

Identify where AI can genuinely improve services in your institution

Draft an AI governance policy covering procurement, privacy and accountability

Learn how to avoid bias and protect citizens’ data

Build public trust in the AI your institution uses

Cleaner, cheaper, more reliable power: make the switch work for you.

About the programme

A seminar on renewable energy, storage and energy efficiency for organisations and the public sector. It covers solar, wind and battery storage, corporate power procurement, energy efficiency, carbon reporting and green hydrogen, set against South Africa’s updated energy plan.

Who should attend

Energy, facilities and sustainability managers

Independent power producers and project developers

Engineers and energy consultants

Manufacturers and large energy users

Government and municipal energy units

Financiers and investors

Why you can’t miss it

Understand the national energy plan and where the opportunities are

Learn how to buy renewable power and storage for your organisation

Cut energy costs through efficiency

Strengthen your ESG and carbon reporting

Master the design techniques behind longer spans and slimmer structures.

About the programme

A technical seminar on designing pre-stressed and post-tensioned concrete structures such as bridges, long-span slabs, parking structures and precast elements. It covers design principles, prestress losses, anchorage and detailing, relevant design codes, construction methods, quality assurance and durability.

Who should attend

Structural engineers and technologists

Bridge and building designers

Contractors and precast manufacturers

Consulting engineering firms

Public works and infrastructure departments

Why you can’t miss it

Design pre-stressed and post-tensioned elements with confidence

Calculate prestress losses and detail anchorages correctly

Avoid common construction and durability problems

Earn CPD points

Fix the potholes for good and keep the water off the road.

About the programme

A practical workshop on building and maintaining roads and the storm water systems that protect them. It covers pavement design, maintenance planning and road asset management, pothole repair, storm water drainage design, flood resilience and contract management.

Who should attend

Municipal roads and storm water engineers and technicians

Provincial roads departments and national road agencies

Road maintenance managers and supervisors

Contractors and consulting engineers

Why you can’t miss it

Plan road maintenance using asset management principles

Repair potholes so they stay fixed

Design storm water systems that protect roads from flooding

Earn CPD points

▲ In-House Training: We Come to You

Train your whole team at once, at your premises and on your dates. Every in-house programme is tailored to your sector and challenges, for up to 20 delegates per session.

Why choose in-house training

One fee for up to 20 delegates: excellent value per person

No travel or accommodation costs, and less time away from work

Content tailored to your organisation, policies and goals

Your team builds a shared language and approach

Flexible dates that fit your operations

About: Sharpens executives’ judgement and decision-making: critical thinking, strategic and emotional intelligence, and reading complex situations.

Ideal for: Executive committees, senior management teams and high-potential leaders.

The result: Better, faster decisions from your leadership team.

About: Core people skills for managers: setting expectations, performance management, motivation, difficult conversations, delegation and fair labour practice.

Ideal for: New and middle managers, supervisors and team leaders.

The result: Managers who get the best from their people and avoid costly labour disputes.

About: How to apply discipline and accountability fairly, consistently and lawfully, including consequence management for irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure in the public sector.

Ideal for: Public sector managers, accounting officers, HR and labour relations staff; private sector line managers.

The result: Accountability that sticks and stands up to challenge.

About: Managing hybrid and remote teams, using digital tools, introducing AI into work, and protecting wellbeing and performance.

Ideal for: Managers in organisations adopting hybrid work, automation or AI.

The result: Teams that stay productive and engaged as technology changes how they work.

About: Building gravitas, confident communication, influence and boardroom presence.

Ideal for: Senior managers, executives and leaders preparing for board or executive roles.

The result: Leaders who command the room and influence decisions.

About: Excellence frameworks, process improvement, performance culture and measuring results across the organisation.

Ideal for: Executive teams, strategy, quality and operations managers in public and private sectors.

The result: Higher performance, less waste and clearer results.

About: Peakford’s Layers of Strategic Leadership model: strategic intent, thinking, envisioning, foresight and insight.

Ideal for: Executive and senior management teams, especially before strategy or planning sessions.

The result: A leadership team that thinks and acts strategically together.

About: Key account management, customer experience, retention, and growing revenue from existing clients.

Ideal for: Sales, account management, client service and business development teams.

The result: More loyal clients and more revenue from the clients you already have.

About: Board roles and directors’ duties, King Code governance principles, the PFMA for public entities, board committees and board evaluation.

Ideal for: Boards of companies, SOEs, public entities, NGOs and college councils.

The result: A board that governs confidently and meets its legal duties.

▲ How to Register

Book early: seats are limited, and many programmes sell out. Group bookings are welcome. Contact us to register, reserve places for your team or arrange an in-house programme.

Fees are per delegate unless stated otherwise. [Confirm: fees include or exclude VAT.] Dates and venues may change; registered delegates will be notified.