Aletta Rochat, DTM

Relevant work experience and how it relates to Toastmasters and your role as a Board Member:

Building Brands has been my passion for more than 30 years. My career in Marketing Management with multinational companies taught me international best practices. As a marketing professional, I was responsible for decision-making on all aspects of brand building. As an entrepreneur, I always examine the practical aspects of any strategy and policy to ensure that it works at the customer level. As a Coach, I work with global business teams, senior executives and academics to hone their communication strategy and skills.

What experience do you have in strategic planning?

My career in Marketing Management has taught me the value of a pragmatic approach towards strategic planning. That means setting strategies that can be implemented and managed at the operational level. Working on communication strategies with clients, I have learned the importance of clear messaging. Strategy needs to be repeatedly communicated on a variety of channels and messages to be resonate with customers and stakeholders. As an International Director and as a member of the Executive Committee, I had the opportunity to contribute to and shape our Strategic Plan.

What experience do you have in the area of finance?

As a Marketing professional, I managed large budgets for international corporations. As a Trustee of the Allegro Trust, I manage finances for the Trust beneficiary. As a Trustee of The Eden, I manage finances for a residential apartment block on behalf of 75 property owners. As a Co-owner of Rodenro Investments, I help manage the finances of a retail business.

What experience do you have in developing policies?

My experience as the co-owner of a retail business has required me to consistently ensure that company policies are up-to-date, relevant and comply with legislative requirements. I have led a number of Board Committees including the Diversity Equality Inclusion Belonging and Accessibility Committee, the International Campaigns Committee as well as the Recognition Committee. Each of these committees required me to examine existing policies as well as potential changes to present to the board for approval.

What lessons did you learn from previous leadership positions?

We make far better decisions when we consult widely to get a diversity of opinions. Board work requires much collaboration, so team building is essential. Continued dialogue between our members, leaders and the board is powerful. We never stop learning, provided we continue to listen, engage and are open to new ways of doing.

What experience and key strengths would you bring to the Board of Directors?

I bring a global perspective. My life has been filled with both geographic and cultural diversity. My experience working with teams from different cultures and nationalities has taught me to listen to understand new perspectives. One of my key strengths is the ability to inspire others and build teams that achieve exceptional results. My collaborative leadership style makes for a positive working environment. My experience working for multinational companies has taught me best practices in leading an organization. My entrepreneurial experience has brought the customer experience very close to me. This has allowed me to see the continuum of strategy, policy and tactics as a cohesive whole.

Why do you want to serve as an International Officer/Director?

We have experienced extraordinary challenges both during and after the pandemic. Strong leadership and vision helped us navigate those circumstances. As we enter our second century as an organization, our leaders have to be wise, bold and innovative. Together with the rest of the board, my desire is to identify opportunities, promote dialogue with our members and seek solutions.

What volunteer experience do you have outside of Toastmasters?

Even as a child, I always volunteered to be part of the solution and served on multiple school committees. As an adult I volunteered to do fund-raising for the schools my children attended. I also volunteered my time to assist our local Scout Troop.

Have you worked with other Boards of Directors outside of Toastmasters? If so, describe your experience.

As a Trustee of the Allegro Trust I've worked with my fellow Trustees to manage funds for the Trust beneficiary. As a Trustee of The Eden, I work with the other board members to manage a large residential apartment building on behalf of 75 property owners.

In your opinion, what are Toastmasters International’s major objectives and how would you work to achieve them?

At this point in time, our primary focus should be on growing our membership. As Districts build new clubs and support all clubs in achieving excellence, (i.e. achieve the District mission), we produce revenue. That revenue helps us deliver value to our members, build capacity and fund Districts. As we increase revenue, we have more opportunity to improve our education program, our customer service levels and new revenue streams.

Additional information about candidate:

Aletta lives in Cape Town, South Africa. She loves spending time with her husband Rory and her children Nicole, Kate and Trevor. She can often be found walking, hiking and running, (including the occasional Half Marathon).

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