In a world where narratives about Africa too often focus on its challenges, Dr. Puleng Makhoalibe is telling a different story—one of creativity, innovation, and boundless possibility. A scientist, business strategist, and global thought leader, Dr. P. as she is fondly known, isn’t just changing the game—she’s redesigning the entire playing field.
Born with a curious mind and a passion for problem-solving, Dr. P. began her academic journey with a BSc in Computer Science and Statistics.
Her drive for knowledge and impact soon propelled her further. Dr. P. earned an MBA and a PhD in Business Management from the University of Cape Town, completed an executive programme in exponential technologies at Singularity University, and received a neuroscience for business certificate from MIT.
She also holds a coaching qualification from Henley UK.
This unique blend of technical expertise and business acumen became the foundation of her life’s mission: to empower individuals and organisations to innovate boldly and think differently.
Dr. P. is the founder and chief executive officer CEO of Alchemy Inspiration, a startup dedicated to helping organisations unlock their creative potential.
Through leadership development, coaching and consulting, she has inspired thousands of leaders to embrace innovation as a mindset rather than a checkbox exercise.
With 25 years of experience spanning the private sector, government, and academia, she has worked across Africa, Europe, the UK, the USA, and the Middle East. Her work centres on design thinking, creativity, and innovation—tools she believes are essential for Africa’s transformation.
Dr. P. operates at the intersection of science, creativity, and business, weaving an alchemy that propels organisations and individuals forward. She is part of a growing movement of African innovators shifting the global narrative from dependency to ingenuity.
She believes Africa’s greatest resource is its people—and that by nurturing creativity and innovation, the continent can solve its own challenges and lead on the world stage. Dr. P. has shared this vision as a keynote speaker and panellist at numerous international conferences.
At the heart of Dr. P.’s transformative impact is her signature methodology: the Project Artistry Framework.
Developed over more than a decade as part of her PhD research, this approach weaves together design thinking, creative problem-solving, and human-centred leadership to help individuals and organisations navigate complexity with imagination and purpose.
When Project Artistry was first introduced in 2011, it was met with scepticism—especially in corporate environments where creativity was often dismissed as unstructured or impractical.
But as the world has entered an era defined by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA), the demand for approaches that are both imaginative and rigorous has become undeniable.
This holistic model enables teams to move from ambiguity to clarity and from fragmentation to a shared, co-created vision. In 2023, Dr. P. published a white paper on the framework, which you can download here:
Alchemy Inspiration uses the Project Artistry framework across the three pillars of its offering: strategy and consulting, leadership development, and executive coaching.
Alchemy Inspiration often gets asked to facilitate strategy sessions for organisations. Whether it is organisation-wide, boards, EXCO, or teams at work, at the heart of the facilitation is tapping into the creative genius of individuals by creating a psychologically safe space for engagement. “Play” is a major role in creating this psychological safety. The process of facilitation is always well thought to engage imagination and logic to ensure that participants’ engagement is optimal.
Some of the organisations that have engaged Alchemy Inspiration for strategy facilitation are Metropolitan, ABSA, FNB, Standard Bank, Alliance Lesotho, Central University of Technology, Zutari (Previously Aurecon), Accenture, Deloitte and many others.
The use of design thinking in strategy facilitation enables a more bottom-up approach, often referred to as open strategy. Unlike traditional top-down models, open strategy actively involves the people closest to customers—those in customer-facing roles—who are often best positioned to provide valuable insights for shaping future direction.
This shift is gaining traction as organisations recognise that effective strategy is no longer developed in isolation. Alongside customer insights, technological advancements and the growing importance of ESG considerations are playing a pivotal role in defining organisational strategy. As a result, multidisciplinary co-creation has become essential to cross-pollinate ideas and build more robust, future-fit strategies.
One notable example is Alchemy Inspiration’s work with the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) in 2023.
SAICA embarked on an initiative to open up their strategic planning process to a wide range of stakeholders. From the board and executive committee to management teams, employees, and external partners, Alchemy Inspiration facilitated a series of sessions designed to gather diverse perspectives.
One of Dr. P.’s most impactful contributions is her work with the African Science Leadership Programme (ASLP), an initiative led by the University of Pretoria and the Global Young Academy. ASLP was created to equip early-to mid-career scientists across Africa with leadership skills that reach far beyond the laboratory—cultivating collaboration, systems thinking, and a commitment to societal impact.
Under the facilitation and mentorship of Maggie Dugan and Dr. P., the programme has transformed scientists into visionary leaders capable of addressing Africa’s grand challenges, from climate change to public health. Dr. P.’s approach ensured that African science is not only globally competitive but also firmly anchored in local relevance.
The use of art, collaborative tools, and reflective practices proved to be fundamentally paradigm-shifting. Participants arrived expecting a conventional leadership programme, only to find themselves painting, drumming, singing, journaling, and forging connections across boundaries and disciplines.
Stories of scientists emerging from ASLP continue to illustrate its profound impact as they thrive and lead change across the continent. In recognition of this pioneering work, Dr. P. and the facilitation team were awarded honorary African Science Leadership Fellowships in November 2024 at Future Africa in Pretoria. Internet
