CECO Article

CECO – bringing the world to SU

Situated in the second oldest town in South Africa, Stellenbosch University has been home to arguably one of the most spectacular campuses in Africa. Committed to the continual quest for growth, the university has continued to expand its offerings and its reach, developing a series of world-class facilities aimed at complimenting the town’s historical Cape Dutch architecture. For decades, Stellenbosch University staff, students, and alumni have been privileged to work and play in one of the most beautiful campuses South Africa has to offer.

What began as pilot study in 2018 at the Adam Small theatre in turn, highlighted the potential of using SU’s premises for commercial good. The Central Events and Conferencing Office (CECO) was formally launched in January 2020 under the banner of Factory209 – Stellenbosch University’s general purpose trading utility for commercialisation. Both CECO and Factory209 fall under SUNCOM – an important division of Innovus aimed at generating a 5^th-stream revenue for Stellenbosch University.

Aimed to make the process of bringing Stellenbosch University to the world a seamless one, CECO is a one-stop-shop for all your meeting, event, and conference needs. The company has created a series of unique offerings that aim to fulfil a host of meeting, conference, and recreational needs – all facilitated and expertly managed through the passionate women who are part of the CECO team.

Catherine Channing

Catherine’s unique background in the commercial wine trade and the performing arts provided her with an incredibly unique skill set that made her the ideal candidate for her current role at CECO where she is responsible for managing the entire unit.

Catherine believes the entrepreneurial superpower she brings to the CECO team lies in her ability to trust her gut and make the right decision quickly. She also believes that a quality all entrepreneurs need in their toolkit is the quiet confidence that comes from not seeking validation from others.

When asked about the female role-models that had a profound impact on her, Catherine mentions Anita Nel – the Chief Director of Innovation and Commercialisation at Stellenbosch University and Chief Executive Officer of US Enterprises (Pty) Ltd. In addition to being a good mentor, she credits Nel as being an instrument of success – something that has had a profound impact on not just Catherine’s career but on the careers of so many other women at SU. She goes on to stress the importance of having strong female role models in positions of power, based on the fundamental role representation plays in helping to overcome the barriers to entry faced by women in business.

As for the advice she would give to her younger self: “sometimes, you just have to stop, breathe, look up at the sky, and then get on with it.”

Ulrike Vorndran

Ulrike Vorndran has been surrounded by entrepreneurs her entire life. After completing a Bachelors in Drama and Theatre studies and an events management short course at the University of Cape Town, she was inspired by her entrepreneurial parents and started her own events company specialising in children’s parties.

Her vast experience in the events industry has served her well in her current role at CECO – where she heads up the division for short term rentals and events management. Included within her responsibilities is managing a team of coordinators and assisting in organising various events for clients.

Ulrike believes her entrepreneurial superpower lies in her ability to work with people – a skill she has honed throughout her entrepreneurial journey. When asked about the female role-models that made a lasting impact on her, Ulrike mentions Oprah Winfrey and Zimbini Peffer – owner and creative director of ZIMBINI PEFFER Co. and ZIMBINI1982. She also credits figures such as her mother, sisters, and grandmother as being incredible shaping forces in her life.

The qualities all entrepreneurs Ulrike believes need in their toolkit are resilience, creativity, confidence, great communication skills, and the energy to actively mould your mindset. She also stresses the importance of cultivating healthy habits along the way and having a good support system that reminds you of why you started in the first place.

Ulrike believes that it is often the expectations we create for ourselves that are the greatest barriers to entry facing female entrepreneurs. Her advice to her younger self would be as follows: “trust your own instincts, focus less on what other people think, and let your own value reveal itself.”

Madeleine Mitchell

Madeleine Mitchell completed a BTech in Public Relations Management from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology before completing the Management Development Programme through the Stellenbosch Business School in 2013. Madeleine spent several years working in the tourism industry before joining the team at CECO. Currently, she is the Division Head for Conferencing and Business Events – playing an important role in helping to make Stellenbosch and Stellenbosch University a business events destination.

Her secret to success? Madeleine believes her superpower lies in her ability to network and connect the right people to each other. To be successful in business, she believes it’s important to be adaptable and agile, to persevere, and to not get weighed down thinking about all the ‘what if’s.

Madeleine credits her mother and grandmother as being her biggest female role models – teaching her how to believe in herself and how to become a strong, resilient woman. As for the advice she would give her younger self: “as important as it is to succeed, it is also important to pause and take some time to recharge and look after yourself – it will only make you stronger.”

Nicky Adams

Nicky Adams has been the Promotions Officer for the letting office division of SUNCOM for the past 19 years. She joined the CECO team in 2021, and is responsible for managing all the activations, film, and still shoots on the Stellenbosch University campuses.

Nicky believes the entrepreneurial superpower she brings to the CECO team is the love she has for doing what she does. She is always willing to go the extra mile and is deeply passionate about working with people and serving others. When asked about the female role-models who have made a lasting impact on her, Nicky says it took becoming a working woman and a mom to truly realise how much her mother had shaped and influenced her. She taught her the value of serving others, striving to make a difference in someone’s life, and to always try.

Nicky believes the most important qualities all entrepreneurs need to succeed are confidence in yourself, a strong work ethic, a deep passion for what you do, and a respect for others and those you work with. She also believes that some of the greatest barriers to entry facing women entrepreneurs lie in the multi-faceted lives women lead. Being more than just career people means that women, more so than their male counterparts, balance a lot of responsibilities and this can often lead to an overwhelming fear of failure – ultimately hindering their progress in a professional capacity.

Her advice to her younger self: “don’t be so hard on yourself: believe you are worth it and that you were created to achieve wonderful things.”

Beth Petit

Following the completion of her undergraduate and postgraduate studies in accounting at Stellenbosch University at the end of 2017, Beth Petit pursued a professional career in auditing. She joined the CECO team in April 2021 where took on a financial management role, handling the general accounting of the company as well as assisting in managing several of the company’s projects.

Beth believes her entrepreneurial superpower lies in her organisational ability as well as her willingness to always help. She credits her mother and grandmother as two of her biggest female role-models – while her grandmother inspired her career path, with Beth following in her professional footsteps, her mother taught her how to be strong and independent.

As for the most important qualities required for success, Beth believes the ability to organise and prioritise, having patience and understanding, and good management and leadership skills all lend themselves to entrepreneurial success. Her advice to her younger self: “it is okay to give up on old dreams and to pursue something different and new.”