Solly Moeng is an experienced professional Political journalist and Branding Speaker with a career that has seen him manage a variety of branding projects in various sectors and in countries spanning several continents.
He is an established independent media professional with specialisation in Reputation Management, Stakeholder Engagement Strategies, Strategic Internal & External Communications, PR and Media Relations.
Who inspired you to pursue professional speaking?
While I developed organically into public speaking over the years (teaching, addressing professional groups, company leaders, or potential travelers in various parts of Canada and the USA (where I used to be, respectively, Marketing Manager and Country Manager for SA Tourism) I have also watched other people who did this with much admiration. Many of them are well established in this sector.
What do you like most about professional speaking?
Inspiring people to be better, for themselves, those around them, and the world we share. I often center some of my talks around the importance and impact of ‘personal brand’. I lecture on ‘Reputation Management’ and ‘Social, Company, and State Protocols’ at the respected EU Business School – Top Business School in Europe | EU Business School (euruni.edu)
What do you dislike most about professional speaking?
Nothing that I can think of
Why have you succeeded in a field where many have failed? (public speaking)
It has come naturally to me, and I believe that I have become better, more confident, over the years. One must be able to understand and read one’s audience and align tone and message content as one goes along, to retain audience engagement.
Where did you grow up?
I was born in Diepkloof, Soweto, where spent my formative years. But since we never really stop growing up and that we’re products of all of our life experiences, I have also lived and/studied in France, Canada, the USA and, now, Switzerland, and have travelled to speak at conferences places like Russia (Moscow and Ekaterinburg), India (Mumbai), Armenia (Yerevan), Zambia (Lusaka), Switzerland (Davos and Geneva), etc. I have also been to the UK, Hawaii, Nigeria, and Algeria. All these places have – and continue to – contributed to my life journey of growing up.
Where did you study?
Diepkloof, Soweto (all Schooling); Johannesburg (BA – WITS University); Besançon, France (MA – Université de Franche-Comté); Montréal, Canada (Restaurant & Hotel Management – ICC); Cape Town (Post-Graduate Marketing Diploma – Institute of Marketing Management); (PhD still to be completed – UCT);
Who is your celebrity crush?
Halle Berry, Kerri Washington, Olga Kurylenko…
What do you watch on TV?
News, current affairs, documentaries, action movies…
How did you get started?
As a French teacher, a presenter during sales & marketing shows…
What are your career goals?
To positively influence more people to be constructive contributors, irrespective of their chosen sector of activity.
What are your personal goals?
To keep learning, growing my global footprint, and to earn a decent living
What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work?
Road and off-road Cycling, photography, travel, enjoying and discovering more food & wine, reading, meeting interesting people…
Who are your heroes? Why?
Nelson Mandela: he had massive amounts of empathy, self-awareness, emotional intelligence, maturity, and balance. He understood the value of ethical, exemplary, leadership.
Any hobbies?
Cycling (MTB and Road), literature, Travel, Movies, Wine collection…
Do you have hidden talents?
Singing for my friends during/after intimate dinners while accompanied by guitar (I’m still taking my own guitar lessons) or in accompaniment of a favorite song.
Your biggest pet peeve and why?
Littering, illegal dumping, loud speaking in public, bosses who shout orders at their employees or otherwise humiliate them.
If you could invite any three people in the world (alive or dead) for dinner, who would they be and why?
Richard Bronson, Barack Obama, and Thuli Madonsela. While here would be some serious discussions about issues challenging our world, as well as possible practical solutions for them, there would also be some light banter and laughter. The two gentlemen would see to that.
Anything else you want to tell Hesketh Media?
While I thoroughly enjoy discussions about serious stuff – one-on-one/group – I also love light moments of music and laughter with friends. I love comedy shows and live jazz concerts. But I’m also a loner who must have regular solo outdoor moments. My regular cycling feeds my hunger for that. I am as happy being alone in the outdoors as being with others who also enjoy it.
Favorite Quote?
“Every (wo)man that I meet is, in some way, my superior.” – Ralph Wando Emmerson.
“A good leader must know how to keep a distance wide enough between himself/herself and the team – in order to be the leader he/she must be – but narrow enough to always remain accessible to the team” – paraphrased from a forgotten author.
“If you’re a leader, don’t think you have to be everybody’s friend. It’s not about being arrogant, or a jerk – it’s about preparing yourself (and your team) for the tough calls. Leadership isn’t about being cool. It’s about taking people from where they are to where they need to be.” – A Phil Cooke version
Tell us three things about you that nobody would guess.
Busy writing two books; one in French and the other in English
I enjoy singing
I’m somewhat of a loner; never been a groupie, even though I enjoy the company of others, provided I can quietly retreat into my own space when I want to.
Contact us at Speakers Inc and click here to find more Motivational Speakers
Speakers Inc chats with Chris Lemons | Meet the Speaker. In September of 2012, a freak failure of the dynamic positioning system of the vessel Chris Lemons was working under, resulted in the umbilical which provides him with breathing gas, light and heat being severed completely. He was left on the sea-bed, in complete darkness […]
Meet the Speaker Stephen McGown is from Johannesburg, South Africa. He obtained his degree in Finance and worked in some of the large South African banks. In order to expand his career, Stephen went across to the UK and worked in London for 7 years. While in London, Stephen met his wife, Catherine, who shared […]
Wildlife motivational speakers are unique in the world of keynote speakers. They draw from the wonders of nature and their experiences in the wild to inspire and motivate audiences. These speakers often possess backgrounds as conservationists, wildlife experts, adventurers, and environmentalists. Their messages are not only about protecting the planet but also about leadership, resilience, […]
Elevating the Customer Experience at Airports: How Airports are Enhancing Every Passenger’s Journey For travelers around the world, airports serve as the gateway to their adventures and journeys, but this Customer Experience at Airports can often be challenging due to stress, long lines, and crowds. In response, airports have started transforming their customer experience (CX) […]
My mind jumped from one random thought to the next, my heart raced, and my mouth went dry, Using stress to fuel performance. Radio calls were being made, but I wasn’t processing what was being said. I was behind the aircraft. I was experiencing a helmet fire. In reality, I was sitting securely in the […]
What are the warning signs of an empty resilience tank? HOW TO KNOW WHEN IT’S TIME TO PAUSE In my experience, there are four primary indicators that tend to show up each time my resilience tank is running low. They don’t always show up in the same order but, without fail, they will show up […]
Navigating Tomorrow: The Future of Hybrid Event Planning In the ever-evolving landscape of event planning, the emergence of hybrid events has marked a paradigm shift in how we gather, connect, and share experiences. As the world continues to grapple with the implications of a global pandemic, the hybrid model has proven to be more than […]
If you’ve ever seen expectant parents in a baby shop, you’d know that pregnancy is a life stage that usually triggers an avalanche of consumerism and to find Pink Sheets. I (thankfully) never tallied what I spent during my pregnancy, I just know that becoming a mum, while filling my heart, has drained my wallet […]
Our Mission:
© All rights reserved 2025. Designed using Voxel
