Grace Harding has enrolled at the Henley Africa Business School, not as a fresh graduate but as the chief executive of a multinational restaurant chain. At 61, she is the latest senior South African leader to enrol in a Global Executive MBA programme, a move that underscores the value of formal education even at the top of a career.
Harding’s journey began in the early 1980s as a shop assistant in Johannesburg. After a stint in fashion retail and a senior marketing role at Edgars, she launched her own consultancy focused on employee engagement and change management. In 2012 she was hired as a consultant by Ocean Basket, the seafood restaurant brand founded in Pretoria in 1995. By 2014 she had taken full operational control and was appointed CEO, steering the chain through global expansion and supply-chain optimisation.
The Global Executive MBA (a postgraduate degree that combines classroom learning with real-world business projects) is designed for senior managers who want to sharpen strategic thinking, finance acumen and leadership skills. Harding told BusinessTech that the programme will help her “navigate the changing consumer landscape and drive innovation” at Ocean Basket.
Ocean Basket, now operating in 16 countries, is already testing new formats beyond its traditional sit-down casual dining model. Harding said the group will launch a new concept in Cyprus before bringing it to South Africa, aiming to offer seafood at lower price points and in delivery-friendly formats. The brand’s own app, with more than 200 000 users, and partnerships with aggregators such as Uber Eats and Mr D, illustrate the shift toward digital “mall” channels.
For owners of small and medium enterprises, Harding’s decision sends a clear message: continuous learning can be a strategic asset, not just a personal goal. An MBA can provide fresh perspectives on digital distribution, cost structures and customer experience, areas that many SMEs are grappling with as consumer habits evolve. While the investment of time and tuition is significant, the potential payoff in strategic clarity and network access may outweigh the costs.
Harding’s story also highlights the importance of resilience. From a turbulent childhood that included periods of homelessness to leading a global brand, her narrative reinforces that personal adversity can translate into business tenacity. As she balances board meetings with coursework, other entrepreneurs may see a roadmap for integrating formal education into an already demanding schedule.
For those considering similar upskilling, the SME & Entrepreneurship section offers tools on strategic planning and digital transformation that can complement academic study.
Harding often recalls that her mother’s Egyptian roots sparked her creativity, while her father’s Lithuanian background taught her negotiation skills. She spent seven months in a Jewish children’s home after her mother’s hospitalisation for a mental health illness, an experience that made her aware of how misunderstood such issues can be. Growing up on the outskirts of Hillbrow with a sister, she learned resilience early, especially when the sheriff of the court visited their home during financial strain. Those childhood moments, she says, forged the work ethic that later helped her steer a multinational brand through turbulent markets and expansion.
The Global Executive MBA blends classroom instruction with real-world projects, allowing senior leaders to apply theory directly to their organisations. Participants typically split time between on-campus modules and remote work, balancing board duties with assignments that focus on finance, strategy and leadership. For South African owners, the programme offers exposure to international best practices and a network of peers facing similar market pressures. Watching upcoming cohort announcements and the release of programme curricula can signal emerging trends that may affect local talent development and competitive positioning.
Ocean Basket’s shift toward “digital malls” such as Uber Eats, Mr D and its own app with more than 200 000 users illustrates a broader move away from large casual-dining footprints. The new format slated for launch in Cyprus first aims to deliver seafood at lower price points and in delivery-friendly settings, a response to changing consumer habits. SMEs should monitor how aggregators influence pricing, customer acquisition and data collection, as well as the performance of pilot concepts in smaller markets. Keeping an eye on rollout timelines and consumer feedback will help businesses decide whether to adopt similar multi-channel distribution models.
