Thatho Koyana Bends Two Worlds to Her Will

Mozel Chimuka, AfricaWorks, Agora Village, LUSAKA | 14 November 2025 — Thatho Koyana's focus shifts from a screen filled with STATA commands to the soft chime of a new client booking. One moment, she analyses mineral pricing data from central Africa; the next, she confirms a makeup appointment for a UCT peer. For her, these two worlds are not in conflict—one a macroscopic view of market forces, the other a microscopic study of a single consumer's decision to invest in a moment of confidence. Her unusual combination of data fluency and entrepreneurial instinct establishes her as a new kind of strategist who understands that every balance sheet is built on human behaviour

A Foundation of Rigor and Responsibility

Her dual perspective began to form long before her time at the University of Cape Town. As Head Student at Westerford High School, Thatho was already managing the complex dynamics of a large community. Leading groups like the People of Colour forum taught her how to communicate with diverse groups and guide initiatives. These early responsibilities established a pattern of taking on demanding roles that required both empathy and clear-headed administration. Her choice to attend UCT was a deliberate move to build a strong analytical toolkit.

Studying for a Bachelor of Commerce in Economics with Statistics, she immersed herself in the demanding world of quantitative methods. Courses in econometrics and operational research provided the hard skills to deconstruct complex market problems. Her work in consumer behaviour offered a theoretical basis for the human element she already intuitively understood. Her academic performance, including two distinctions in final-year economics courses, showed a capacity for mastering difficult material. Her education was not confined to the lecture hall but was always a set of tools she was eager to apply to real-world challenges.

From Theory to the Front Lines

Thatho actively sought experiences that would test her academic knowledge in practical, high-stakes environments. Her internship with Financial Insight Zambia was a direct entry into the meeting point of media, finance, and resource economics. Asked to create media content, she moved far beyond simple execution. While covering major industry events like Mining Indaba and the Africa Energy Forum, she operated as both a creator and an analyst. Filming interviews with high-level figures, including Zambia's Minister of Finance, gave her unfiltered access to the conversations that shape national economies. She learned to observe the nuances of power and influence, seeing that the most critical information is often found in off-script interactions.

Her time with the d-School at UCT added another critical layer to her skill set. Collaborating on a project to improve mental health engagement, she applied human-centred design principles to a deeply personal issue. Conducting user interviews and analysing qualitative data informed service delivery prototypes. The role was a formal exercise in empathy, teaching her to build solutions from the ground up by first understanding the unstated needs of the end user. Working remotely with a cross-functional team using digital collaboration tools further prepared her for the modern workplace.

The Entrepreneurial Proving Ground

While her internships provided corporate and creative experience, her own business serves as the most compelling evidence of her capabilities. Thatho founded ForHisGlory Makeup Artistry as a fully functioning enterprise from day one. She managed every aspect of the operation, from client acquisition and marketing to financial oversight and service delivery. Her venture became a personal business laboratory, a space to test ideas about branding, customer retention, and operational readiness without a safety net.

"Founding and growing a makeup artistry business has sharpened my instincts for client-driven problem-solving, strategic thinking, and navigating real-world trade-offs," she explains. The business provided immediate, unfiltered feedback on her strategic decisions. One campaign, a "Graduation Makeup Special," became an intense test of logistics and high-pressure performance. She successfully managed more than fifteen client bookings in less than five days, a feat that demonstrated an exceptional ability to organise schedules, communicate clearly, and maintain quality under extreme time constraints. She did this independently, proving her capacity for self-directed project management. The twenty-five per cent increase in enquiries that followed the campaign was the direct result of a well-executed strategy and the powerful marketing of satisfied clients. Through her business, she learned firsthand that a brand's value is decided by its ability to deliver on a promise.

A Blueprint for Modern Problem Solving

Thatho's entire professional and academic path appears to be a deliberate preparation for a career in management consulting. The field demands the ability to move between high-level strategic views and on-the-ground operational details. Her background is almost perfectly suited for this challenge. She possesses the quantitative rigor to dissect a company's financial performance and the qualitative insight to understand why its customers are not responding to a new product.

"My academic foundation has equipped me with advanced quantitative and market analysis capabilities," she notes, describing what she calls "a rare intersection of data fluency and entrepreneurial grit." Her leadership roles, from Head Student to Secretary General of the UCT Consulting Club, show a consistent drive to organize, communicate, and create effective systems. Her certifications, including the McKinsey Forward Program and the Harvard Aspire Leadership Program, signal a clear and focused ambition. She is not simply accumulating experiences but building a specific, integrated skill set designed to solve complex business problems.

When asked about her career direction, Thatho is clear about what drives her: "I'm drawn to roles that demand both rigour and creativity—where insight becomes impact." Thatho has shown that the mind of a data analyst and the hands of an artist can belong to the same person. In doing so, she has created a compelling blueprint for the kind of leader who will succeed in a world that demands both analytical power and a deep understanding of people.