CEO, Duke Corporate Education

Sharmla Chetty is a visionary driven by transforming organizations and society through leadership. She is passionate about achieving sustainable outcomes through diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and environmental, social, and governance (ESG). Her research areas include board leadership, the future of work, and people practices.

Sharmla brings deep global experience across industries from working with clients in 80 countries. She founded Duke CE’s Lead with Her event for women, is a co-founder of mentoring circle #MillionYoungMinds, sits on the board of Women Leading Africa, and helped to launch Duke CE’s ESG Academy. She is a former board trustee for the AVI Group of black shares scheme and Chairperson of the BCG Development Trust, and she is currently a member of the Advisory Board for the Thabo Mbeki African School for Public and International Affairs (TM-SCHOOL) at the University of South Africa. She is also a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. Sharmla has been named 2023 CEO of the Year – Private Sector by the African Women Chartered Accountants (AWCA).  

Sharmla obtained her MBA from Henley Management Business School in the UK and a masters in management and executive coaching from Wits Business School. Sharmla studied at Johannesburg University and holds a qualification in human resources development and a masters certificate in training and development. She is currently working on a Public Works Doctorate at Middlesex University London.