About Akhram Mohamed
I didn’t take the traditional path. At 19, I was married, and at 20, I became a father. While many people my age were deciding what to study or where to begin, I was figuring out how to provide for a family, without a university degree or a safety net.
My working life started with selling second-hand goods and helping my father sell samosas. Those early experiences taught me to listen, understand what mattered to people and explain the value of what I was offering, often with very little to work with.
I eventually found my way into the technology industry, building a career across retail, product, marketing and operations. Over nearly two decades, I progressed into executive leadership, including Chief Marketing Officer and, ultimately, VP Operations at Huawei South Africa’s Consumer Business Group.
Along the way, communication became central to my work: helping teams understand a direction, explaining products to customers and representing a business in public. It remains central to what I do today.
Building a new chapter
In 2024, I stepped out of corporate life to build my own businesses and make more room for writing, speaking and working directly with people.
Through The Blank Canvas, Geekhub and my retail ventures, I’ve continued to apply what I learned in corporate leadership while experiencing the everyday realities of entrepreneurship. Starting again has brought its own uncertainty, responsibility and lessons in asking for support.
I also serve as a board member of The Movement for Good, contributing to governance and fundraising through awareness, relationships and support for its work.
These experiences shape the perspective I bring to my speaking and coaching. I understand the responsibility of representing an organisation, but I also understand what it feels like to enter unfamiliar territory and have to find your footing.
Experience on both sides of the microphone
For nine years, I served as Huawei South Africa’s official spokesperson, representing the company through product launches, media interviews and periods of intense scrutiny.
Alongside my executive responsibilities, that role required me to explain complex subjects, respond to difficult questions and communicate clearly when the conversation could affect confidence in the business. Preparation mattered, as did listening carefully and knowing when an answer needed more thought or information.
Today, as founder and editor of Geekhub, a speaker and a podcast co-host, I continue to work with stories, questions and audiences. That combination gives me a useful perspective on communication: understanding what you want to say while paying attention to what the person listening needs to hear.
What this means for you
You may be preparing your first presentation, finding the confidence to contribute in meetings or stepping into a role that requires you to speak for an organisation. Each situation brings different challenges, and our work starts with understanding yours.
My coaching combines preparation, practical speaking exercises and constructive feedback. We’ll work on how you organise your thoughts, support your message and deliver it clearly, with time to practise the situations you want to handle better.
I draw on my experience in leadership, media and public speaking while adapting the sessions to your goals and level of experience. You don’t need an executive title or previous stage experience to begin.
The aim is to help you develop a way of communicating that feels natural, gives your audience something useful and leaves you better prepared for the next conversation.
