THE WATT CLUB
Building a stonger alumni community
Dr Heriet Kudakwashe Mhondiwa takes up her role as the new Watt Club President
The Watt Club has entered an exciting new chapter with the appointment of Dr Heriet Kudakwashe Mhondiwa as President of the Watt Club Council.
“I am excited and honoured to serve in this role. My motivation to lead the Watt Club is deeply personal and rooted in my experience as a doctoral student representative,” Heriet explains.
In that role she helped bridge communication between doctoral students and the University, ensuring that their concerns, ideas and experiences were heard. “It saw me engaging with a diverse global community of researchers, encouraging collaboration across regions and disciplines, and helping students feel connected, supported and represented throughout their academic journey,” Heriet comments. “I feel a deep responsibility to contribute meaningfully to the community that has supported my growth,” she adds.
A recent graduate of Edinburgh Business School, Heriet completed her Doctor of Business Administration, focusing on strategy, in 2025, adding to an impressive professional career that spans more than a decade across consultancy, financial services, and business transformation. As Managing Consultant at JIDE Consultants – a business strategy firm she founded in 2020 –she advises companies across the private, public and third sectors, helping them develop strategies that drive growth, innovation and performance.
I feel a deep responsibility to contribute meaningfully to the community that has supported my growth.”
Dr Heriet Kudakwashe Mhondiwa
A passion for building communities
For Heriet, however, leadership is about more than business success. Her passion for building communities and creating opportunities for others has been a defining feature of her Heriot-Watt journey. As a doctoral student representative, she worked tirelessly to foster connections among students from around the world, creating a thriving online community of more than 200 members, establishing a peer-to-peer buddy system, and launching online writing retreats to help students stay motivated and connected throughout their studies.
“I spent seven years studying my doctorate. While I was doing so, I experienced the powerful impact that a strong, supportive community can have on its members,” she comments. “The initiatives I championed were all born from a desire to combat isolation and build a sense of belonging.” Heriet regards her appointment to the Watt Club presidency as an opportunity to build on her experiences and strengthen the global alumni community.
Herriet speaking at WTS Taxmatrix, a leading tax consulting firm in Zimbabwe.
Herriet presenting at Young Moguls Mixer (YMM), an African professional networking community for young entrepreneurs and professionals based in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Energy, vision and new initiatives
I believe the Watt Club is uniquely placed to connect graduates across countries, industries and generations, and I am excited to help unlock that potential.”
Dr Heriet Kudakwashe Mhondiwa
“I believe the Watt Club is uniquely placed to connect graduates across countries, industries and generations, and I am excited to help unlock that potential,” Heriet comments. To realise that potential she intends to establish a formal and cross generational mentorship programme that can connect recent graduates with experienced alumni for career guidance, but also to facilitate wider knowledge transfer, and help create valuable professional pathways for all members. “I’m also really keen to foster a global and accessible digital community,” she adds. “Building on the success of the WhatsApp group and the online writing retreats I initiated, I intend to launch a dedicated digital programme to host virtual events, skill sharing workshops, and support regional platforms to host virtual events.”
Without doubt, Heriet brings energy, vision and a proven ability to unite people around a shared purpose. She brings more than a decade of international professional experience and a strong record of community leadership to the role from a career where she has demonstrated a commitment to listening, building relationships, and creating opportunities for others to succeed.
At home in Zimbabwe
Behind the consummate professional is a mother of four children, and a previous restaurant owner. “My typical day starts at 5am getting my children ready for school and dropping them off before turning my attention to my work,” Heriet explains. She helps with her children’s homework in the evenings and often continues working later on. “I catch up on my sleep at the weekends!” she comments. Amidst this busy schedule, one of her favourite ways to relax is to drive to the Nyanga and Vumba Mountains in the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe: “I love nature and the views here are stunning and the scenery is breathtaking. This is where I go whenever I need to recharge,” she explains.
A strong social conscience has always guided her work. While running a restaurant that served local cuisine, she built this into her business. “Every quarter I hosted underprivileged children from my area for a full day, providing free meals and games,” she explains.
Heriet’s social ethos continues through ENDOSAT (Endocrine Southern African Trust), a non-profit organisation she founded in 2023 to support children born with rare endocrine disorders, who without access to medicine face life-threatening risks. ENDOSAT helps source the treatment they need.
Herrit works with young children with rare diseases as part of her role with ENDOSAT.
Every quarter I hosted underprivileged children from my area for a full day, providing free meals and games.”
Dr Heriet Kudakwashe Mhondiwa
Steering The Watt Club into the future
As she steers the Watt Club into the future her vision is clear – to create a more connected, supportive, and internationally engaged alumni network: “Leading a network of over 182,000 alumni across 190 countries is both a tremendous responsibility and an extraordinary privilege. I intend to listen, to learn, and to lead with integrity and inclusivity, and am filled with hope and determination as we write this next chapter in our global alumni story together.”
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