Cape Town: Member of the Mayoral Committee for Economic Growth – Alderman James Vos together with CapeBPO has officially launched the Leadership Excellence Programme. At the launch, he also announced that the city has made a record of 11,496 jobs that were created in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector during the 2025-26 financial year.
Reportedly, Cape Town’s position as a leading global BPO destination has taken another step forward with the launch of the CapeBPO Leadership Excellence Programme, which is funded by the City of Cape Town.
City’s Special Purpose Vehicle for the BPO sector, administered by CapeBPO is the programme, designed to strengthen the industry’s leadership pipeline. The pilot group consists of high-potential team leaders who have been identified by their organisations as future operational leaders. The programme is designed to equip them with the skills, knowledge and confidence, needed to successfully advance to manager-level roles and lead high-performing teams.
Considering this, Alderman James Vos stated that the Leadership Excellence Programme addresses a critical part of strengthening Cape Town’s BPO value proposition. They are moving beyond entry-level skills development to invest in the next generation of industry leaders. They are also giving international companies greater confidence to choose Cape Town as the location for their operations, by helping talented employees advance their careers.
CEO of CapeBPO – Clayton Williams said that leadership is one of the most important drivers of sustainable growth in the industry. He stated that the Leadership Excellence Programme is designed to equip senior staff with the practical skills, strategic mindset and confidence they need to take the next step in their careers.
According to Williams, by strengthening the leadership pipeline, they are creating opportunities for individuals while helping businesses to build resilient and high-performing operations. The three-month pilot programme brings together team leaders from leading BPO operators across the Western Cape and focuses on leading self, leading teams, leading metrics and leading clients through a combination of workshops, mentoring and practical application.
Furthermore, the participating companies have already nominated employees for the initiative who have been paired with experienced mentors, who will guide and support them.
Alderman James Vos added that this initiative once again demonstrated the City’s commitment to create real economic opportunities for Capetonians. Through the continued investment in CapeBPO and its programmes, the industry created a record of 11,496 jobs during the previous financial year. He expressed that he is encouraged that many of these opportunities are being created in communities where employment is needed the most.
Alongside the investment in local skills development, the City continues to support international investment promotion campaigns that aim at attracting more companies to establish operations in Cape Town.
Considering this, CEO Williams said that the sector’s continued growth and success in attracting international investment make leadership development increasingly important.
As the sector continues to attract international investment, they must ensure that the talent grows alongside the industry. Developing exceptional leaders today will enable them to manage more complex global operations, deliver greater value to the clients and unlock even more employment opportunities for the people of Cape Town and the Western Cape. This is how they will build a globally competitive industry for the future.
Notably, residents interested in pursuing opportunities in the contact centre industry can connect with CapeBPO via their website for information on training, employment or business pathways.