Catherine Young 2024 Speaker

Managing Partner

Grindstone Ventures

Biography

Catherine has more than twenty-five years professional experience and is an African entrepreneur with executive level experience across several businesses, including a successful corporate career, holding various senior and executive positions in companies including Deloitte, Chevron and SAP, managing multi-million dollar budgets and large teams. She is the founder of Thinkroom and Managing Partner of Grindstone and Grindstone Ventures. Her capabilities are underpinned by deep engagement and care for people across her work career, with an astute ability to build and grow businesses. As the founder of Thinkroom, she is involved in entrepreneurial ecosystem development across Africa and has grown businesses into Southeast Asia and the UK. Catherine is an SME ecosystem influencer in Africa and works with clients in the space of entrepreneurship development across the continent. Catherine has co-authored various books, represents Africa on various panels and has been an invitee to WEF. She holds a Bachelor Degree in Commerce from the University of South Africa, Diploma in Procurement from Nelson Mandela Bay University and a Venture Finance Certificate from Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.