Open to opportunities

Akona Makoboka

@akonamakoboka

Message

I am a global HR and employee relations leader focused on compliance.

South Africa

Message

What I'm looking for

I seek senior/global HR or ER leadership roles where I can drive compliance-led transformation, build HR capability, advise executives/boards, and shape the future of work while combining practitioner impact with teaching and thought leadership.

I am an award-winning, strategy-driven HR and employee relations leader with over 15 years' experience across Financial Services, Professional Services, FMCG, and Retail. I hold senior certifications including SPHRi, Chartered Fellow CIPD, and MHRP, and I am an internationally accredited commercial and civil mediator.

In my current executive advisory role I lead global employee relations strategy, ER governance, compliance and workforce planning, providing counsel to executive teams and boards while shaping policy and risk mitigation across jurisdictions. I have delivered large-scale restructuring, performance management and cross-border M&A HR support.

As a practitioner-educator I teach and assess for the University of London and the London School of Economics (LSE), designing applied lessons in HRM, leadership, change and people management. I translate complex workplace challenges into accessible learning, delivered through case studies, summits and conference presentations.

I am passionate about the future of work, DEI and building HR capability — driving efficient ER models, pragmatic policy, and ethical governance while coaching leaders and enabling organizational change that balances legal compliance with strategic business outcomes.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Vice President: Global Employee Relations

Current

Makosi Strategic Advisory

Jan 2025 - Present (9 months)

Advise executive teams and boards on global employee relations, compliance, and jurisdictional workforce risk; lead policy, investigations, and strategic workforce planning to enable international growth.

Employee Relations Employment Law ER Investigations Policy Development Workforce Planning Mobility DEI

Current

Associate Instructor

Current

2U / University of London / LSE

Apr 2023 - Present (2 years 6 months)

Designed and delivered undergraduate Human Resources Management modules including compensation, performance management, DEI, and talent management; assessed student work and maintained course quality since appointment.

Human Resources Compensation Performance Management DEI Talent Management Recruitment Employee Relations Learning Development

Current

Assessor

Current

2U / LSE

May 2021 - Present (4 years 5 months)

Assessed learners on the Leadership and Change executive course, evaluating participant submissions and providing developmental feedback to strengthen change leadership capability.

Leadership Change Management Assessments Coaching Feedback

Current

Tutor & Assessor

Current

2U / LSE

Feb 2021 - Present (4 years 8 months)

Tutored and assessed participants on the Managing People and Teams course, delivering practical people-management training and evaluating assignments to ensure applied learning outcomes.

People Management Assessments Coaching Feedback Employee Engagement Performance Management

Employee Relations Lead (Global)

Makosi

Oct 2022 - Dec 2024 (2 years 2 months)

Developed and executed global ER and labor strategies, ensured multi-jurisdictional compliance, and advised senior leadership on restructuring, performance management, and ER risk mitigation.

Global ER Strategy Compliance Restructuring Performance Management Risk Mitigation DEI

Employee Relations Lead

Accenture

Apr 2019 - Oct 2022 (3 years 6 months)

Integrated global ER strategies with regional compliance, advised on cross-border M&A and large-scale change, and led high-stakes conflict resolution and ethics investigations.

Employee Relations M&A Investigation Conflict Resolution Change Management Training

Assessor

GetSmarter / 2U / MIT

Mar 2022 - Jun 2022 (3 months)

Assessed participants on the six-week Leading the Future of Work program, providing evaluation and feedback to support application of future-of-work strategies.

Future of Work Assessments Feedback

Group Employee Relations Manager

Smollan

Jan 2016 - Apr 2019 (3 years 3 months)

Led regional ER function, developed a three-year ER strategic plan, implemented an external hearing-chairs model to boost consistency and efficiency, and advised on complex misconduct and union matters.

Employee Relations Labor Law Dispute Resolution Policy Development Strategic Planning

Industrial Relations Manager

AVI Limited

May 2015 - Jan 2016 (8 months)

Designed and implemented industrial relations strategy, conducted sensitive workplace investigations, and led stakeholder engagement and collective bargaining to maintain constructive labor relations.

Investigation Stakeholder Management Compliance

Employee Relations Manager

The Foschini Group

Mar 2013 - Apr 2015 (2 years 1 month)

Managed the regional ER portfolio across Southern Africa, maintained zero lost workdays through proactive union engagement, and represented the company in labor tribunals to protect business interests.

Employee Relations Union Relations ER Strategy Stakeholder Engagement