Azola joined the CCI board in 2023. She is currently CEO of a national institution that provides innovative and affordable housing finance solutions for the low-to-middle income market. She has over 15 years experience in the financial services sector, which includes a significant tenure as CEO of Sanlam Investment Management where she played a pivotal role in driving the company’s transformation objectives and fostering business growth. Under her leadership, the company witnessed consistent year-on-year growth in income and profits. Azola also served on the R40 billion Sanlam Umbrella Fund as a sponsor-appointed trustee and a member of its Investment Committee.

Azola previously held key positions at Vunani Fund Managers and Vunani Capital, where she served as Investment banking Executive, Group Strategy & Business Development lead and later as Executive Director, Head of Business Development. Azola’s expertise in crafting turnaround strategies was evident at Vunani Fund Managers, where she contributed to growing assets from R6 billion to R30 billion.

Azola’s multifaceted experience extends to investment banking, where she executed corporate finance advisory assignments and contributed to the growth of asset management products. She holds an MBA in International Business and Management and is an IWF Fellow after attending the IWF Leadership Foundation Programme, in Partnership with Harvard Business School and Insead. She also studied a Bachelor of Business Science with an Honours in Finance.