32-year-old energy CFO inspires rising stars at Youth Energy Summit 2025

Cape Town, 19 June 2025 – The Youth Energy Summit (YES!), co‑hosted alongside the Africa Energy Forum at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from 18–20 June, today brought together more than 6000 young professionals, graduates, and entrepreneurs. As one of the world’s largest forums for youth engagement in the energy sector, YES! aims to empower Africa’s emerging talent through mentorship, interactive workshops, and opportunities to connect directly with industry leaders.

YES! delivered a programme structured around storytelling, project finance, critical minerals, and green‑job pathways. This year’s theme emphasised “ownership of the energy transition” by Africa’s youth, building on a movement seeking to create 100 million green jobs by 2050.

CFO Layton Nenzinane Speaks on Leadership, Inclusion and Opportunity

Among the summit’s highlights was a session at the Executive Hub featuring Layton Nenzinane, Chief Financial Officer of Seriti Green. Tasked with mentoring Africa’s new energy leaders, he reflected candidly on his own journey—from advisory and investment banking to CFO at just 30, and now helping guide Seriti’s renewable energy transformation.

Drawing on those pivotal decisions, Layton encouraged attendees to “dare to say yes”: to accounting, investment banking, corporate finance, joining Seriti, and ultimately embracing leadership by age 30. He emphasised the importance of dedication during unguarded moments: “Fortune favours the brave. You make your own life. Work hard and show up when no one else does.”

Layton spoke of working alongside engineers – civil, mechanical, and chemical – who design solutions to live problems. He also stated that, if not in finance, he’d likely be an engineer too, reflecting on the value of problem-solving minds in the energy ecosystem.

Crucially, Layton tackled representation in his own team: his accounting unit is 80% Black women, and he championed the importance of giving voice and space to those historically marginalised. “Sometimes it’s important to take a back seat, to give someone else a bigger voice in the room.”

He also shared practical insights on ambition and boundaries: “Be discerning where your values lie. Sometimes it’s important to say no so that when you say yes, it is more impactful.” Reflecting on what he does beyond finance, Layton noted that his remit includes growth strategy and operational innovation,reporting that Seriti Resources also manages billions of litres of water annually, runs its own water treatment plants, and is actively exploring ancillary businesses built around water as a resource.

His final message resonated with the hungry crowd: “Your hard work is what speaks for you…I just showed up and put my best foot forward.” Young attendees, packed around the auditorium and standing in the aisles, listened in close attention.

YES! Summit: Building Ecosystems, Not Just Infrastructure

Through leadership forums such as “Ask the CEO,” interactive training, funding pits for entrepreneurs, and recruiter spotlights, the summit is investing in Africa’s next-gen energy workforce.

Throughout Cape Town this week, laylines have been drawn between ambition and action. Layton’s message is that leadership is not bestowed, it is demonstrated, day in and day out. His session, at once personal, prescriptive, and aspirational, underscored the event’s mission to inspire young Africans to own their roles within the continent’s clean-energy narrative.

As AEF transitions from Cape Town’s summit halls to South Africa’s impending G20 discussions, young South Africans like Layton Nenzinane lay the groundwork: they are the generation inheriting capacity, leadership, and responsibility, and they are more than ready.