Experience & Leadership

Experience and Leadership

Bernadette has served in senior executive and advisory roles, including as Chief Executive Officer of a national public policy think tank, where she led evidence-based policy work across critical sectors such as:
• Infrastructure development
• Education and skills
• Economic governance
• Institutional reform

Her work has engaged key partners including AUDA-NEPAD, the African Union, and the United Nations, contributing to regional integration and continental development frameworks.

She is widely recognised for her leadership in infrastructure-led development, having convened and hosted high-level forums promoting sustainable and inclusive infrastructure solutions. Notably, she played a leading role in the Zambia–China Infrastructure Development Cooperation Seminar, an initiative aligned with the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) resolutions, aimed at strengthening Zambia’s infrastructure through partnerships that prioritise environmental, social, and economic sustainability.

Voice in Policy and Public Discourse

Bernadette is an active contributor to public debate and policy thinking. She has published widely in academic journals and in the Zambia Daily Nation, writing on inclusive development, sustainable infrastructure, and Africa’s transformation agenda. Her work continues to shape national conversations on development that works for ordinary citizens.

Technology, Education and Jobs

She is the Chief Executive Officer of Hero Control Systems, a technology company operating in Zambia and the United States, specialising in smart infrastructure solutions, energy management, and industrial automation. Through this work, she has championed African-led innovation and digital transformation.

Hero Control Systems is the parent company of ZStudy, an education technology platform dedicated to expanding affordable and accessible digital learning for students and teachers. ZStudy focuses on bridging the digital divide and ensuring young people—especially in underserved communities—can access quality learning tools and future-ready skills.