Leadership
Based: Johannasburg
Leanne is currently the anchor of SABC 2’s flagship breakfast program Morning Live.
She is also one of the countries top MC’s and Guest Speakers.
Early Years:
Leanne is a qualified Speech and Drama teacher which she completed through London Trinity College and also has an Honours degree in English.
She started her career as a weekend and late night news anchor for Talk Radio 702 and then moved to Johnnic Publishing’s African Business Channel (Now Avusa Media) where she became the news anchor for Classic fm.
Leanne has also done extensive work for radio stations across South Africa including Radio Algoa, Jacaranda, East Coast Radio and SAfm.
She started off her television career as the main news anchor for South Africa’s essential Business Channel – Summit Television. Leanne also produced and presented a series called IT News.
She took a keen interest in Finance journalism and completed a postgraduate diploma in Economics Journalism from Rhodes University.
After anchoring for 2 years at Summit, Leanne joined the SABC in 2003 and presented 2 programs on SABC 3 called Business Update and Business Focus.
It was after the 2004 national Elections where Leanne took on the role as one of the lead anchors that she was asked to take over the female reigns of Morning Live. She assumed that post on the 1 August 2004 and is still going strong.
Awards:
• Winner – Best overall SA TV Presenter for the You Magazines “You spectacular” 2010
• Winner – Best overall SA TV Presenter for the You Magazines “You spectacular” 2009
• Nominee – SA’s favourite Celebrity for 2008 in the You Magazine awards
• Winner – “Best South African Female Television Presenter” at People magazines “Crystal Awards 2008
• Winner – “Best South African Female Television Presenter” at People magazines “Crystal Awards 2007
• Winner – “Best South African Female Television Presenter” at People magazines “Crystal Awards 2006
• Winner – “Best South African Female Television Presenter” at People magazines “Crystal Awards 2005
• Winner – People Magazines “Best dressed female presenter” Crystal Awards 2006
• Winner – People Magazines “Best dressed female presenter” Crystal Awards 2005
• Winner – “You” Magazines most Stylish television presenter for 2006
• Winner – Sunday Times/Elle most stylish news/actuality/continuity
presenter award for 2004
• Nominated – One of Cosmopolitans most awesome woman of 2004
• Nominee Sanlam’s Business Journalist of the year awards in 2002.
• Leanne is as an Ambassador for Nelson Mandela’s 46664 campaign
• She is the only Television anchor in the world to join the elite list of
Ambassadors handpicked by Madiba.
Speaker:
“Leading during dark times” – book now for this most inspiring and thought provoking keynote by Leanne Manas, award-winning journalist, TV anchor, and UNHCR ambassador. In her talk, Leanne shares her insights on how to overcome challenges, adapt to change, and find hope in the most difficult situations. She draws on her experiences of traveling to refugee camps across Africa and the Middle East, where she witnessed the resilience and courage of people who have lost everything.
She also reflects on her two decades of working at the forefront of breaking news in South Africa and abroad, covering stories of conflict, crisis, and transformation. Leanne’s talk is a powerful and moving exploration of what it means to be a leader in today’s world, and the leadership lessons found in the unlikeliest of places.
