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Published by tasch, 2019-09-02 04:57:44

Celebrating Women 2019

Keywords: Celebrating Women,Women,Sunday Times,Sunday Times Celebrating Women,Sunday Times Magazine,Business Women,Women South Africa,Business South Africa

Moving Beyond the

TRANSFORMATION DEBATE

Differing views on how far South Africa’s financial services entities and banks have come in terms
of transformation ensures that the transformation debate remains front and centre. Yet in terms of

transformation, are we focusing on what counts?

In South Africa, banks control over R5-trillion in assets. The six largest banks It is very difficult for non-chartered accountants (CAs) from different
control 91 per cent of these assets. Our financial system is ranked 18th out of 140 academic backgrounds to break into the corporate finance market. The
countries in terms of the soundness of banking in the World Economic Forum’s Bravura graduate intern programme aims to bridge this gap and provide
2018 Global Competitiveness Report. opportunities for talented, driven youngsters from slightly different academic
backgrounds to move into the mainstream investment banking space. Last year,
But whether or not the financial services sector is meeting South Africa’s Bravura selected two graduates to work in the Bravura team for a period of
transformative mandates and policy requirements remains a contested space 12–24 months with the hope that they may become full-time employees at the
with different interests presenting differing views. For example, a 2017 Financial conclusion of the programme.
Mail ranking survey of 465 stockbroker analysts found that only 18 per cent
of stockbroker analysts were women and 14 per cent were black women. The intensive programme expects newly-qualified graduates to become
Meanwhile, the Banking Association of South Africa reports a 26 per cent active members of the corporate finance team. This year, both graduates will
increase in the number of black board members from 2016 to 2017 with also be undertaking the JSE Supervisory Development Programme (SDP).
a 40 per cent increase in the number of black women at board level. Although quick at integrating themselves into the team, becoming involved
in live deals and taking on everything at once, it is up to the more senior
In South Africa’s investment banking sector it is a challenge for women, members in the team to mentor, guide and pace them.
especially black women, to get a foot in the door — and they must work
a great deal harder to carve a place for themselves. The graduate programme aims to increasingly widen the hiring net and
catch young female graduates and train them in the “Bravura Way”.
Even at Bravura, a firm that was co-founded by Soria Hay 20 years ago
when she was just 29 years old, an organic skew towards male employees is Transformation in investment banking and the wider financial services
evident, resulting from a recruitment pipeline in South Africa that continues to sector requires a concerted effort by multiple parties from pipeline through
attract and produce male candidates. To remedy this, Bravura actively searches promotion to independent dealmakers. Unless those with potential are
for female candidates at all levels. trained, guided and mentored with a long-term
view, our ability to transform as a sector will
Additionally, Bravura’s graduate programme is aimed specifically at attracting remain contested.
young, talented, black female graduates with exceptional academic results.

SORIA HAY, HEAD OF CORPORATE FINANCE AT BRAVURA

Soria Hay is head of Corporate Finance at Bravura, an investment banking firm specialising in corporate finance
and structured solutions services now in its 20th year. Bravura Holdings has a primary listing on the Stock Exchange
of Mauritius and a secondary listing on the NSX. It has offices in Mauritius, South Africa, Namibia and Australia.

“Transformation in investment banking and the wider nancial services sector requires
a concerted e ort by multiple parties from pipeline through promotion
to independent dealmakers.” — Soria Hay

www.bravura.net

FINANCIAL SERVICES

SPONSORS
are the secret to success
T hree women in finance share
the challenges they face in their The challenges women face anxieties. So, I took it upon myself to do what I
areas of operation and what can, wherever I could.
they believe will help women in the financial services sector
to advance in their careers and “There needs to be a clearer focus on women.
become more empowered. are nothing new, finds With the fourth industrial revolution upon us,
women need to be given meaningful opportunities
THANDO PATO and positions to impact the leadership pipeline.”

point in my career. Whereas before I’d been Ngonyama says that one of the metrics to her
‘swimming alone’ in the corporate pond, I was now success, besides diligence and hard work, were
given the space and opportunity to have my ideas her sponsors, many of whom were men. “It is
heard and to test my own limits to see what I could important to lift as you grow. If we want to see
do professionally.” women succeed, we as women need to be at the
forefront of empowering other women.”

Persistence matters

Kirshni Totoram, global head of Institutional

Business at Coronation Fund Managers, says one

of the most common challenges for women in the

sector is that success and likeability are positively

correlated for men, but negatively correlated for

women. “There is the perception that a demanding

Soria Hay, head of Corporate Finance at Bravura female leader is difficult, as opposed to a man who

Don’t swim alone is simply in charge,” Totoram says.

At the age of 29, Soria Hay took a leap of faith and The biggest challenge faced in getting
started her own business., Bravura.
Babalwa Ngonyama CA(SA), CEO of Sinayo Securities more women to the top is the small pipeline.
Hay is acutely aware of the challenges women “Fortunately, we do see many young women opting
face in the investment banking sector, including
the “old boys club” mentality that results in more to study a financial degree, so this creates a good
men in senior positions than women. “The research
on gender diversity on JSE-listed companies is an Gender inclusivity base from which to work. But, this requires
indication of how far women still need to go in all greater mentorship and sponsorship
industries,” she says.
Babalwa Ngonyama CA(SA), CEO Fast fact programmes for young female
“There must be a deliberate and concerted effort of Sinayo Securities, says starting professionals. We also need
to develop programmes and initiatives that focus her own stockbroking company Research by McKinsey more visible female role models
on female candidates. And, those programmes was always her ambition. and Company shows that to inspire younger women to
must be widely marketed so that potential achieve and to show them that
graduates are aware of such before graduating. “I was very clear about my 56 per cent of senior- success is reachable.
timelines in my various roles. level women agree that “Persistence matters, as
“We actively seek out female candidates at Corporate experience helped individual sponsorship we cannot change societal
all levels. We have also developed a graduate me understand how to make
programme aimed at newly-qualified, black female money and assisted in building my is a key success stereotypes without women
graduates. Over a 12- to 24-month period, the factor.
candidates become active members of the corporate
finance team. At the conclusion, we hope to see networks — vital for my business.” staying and continuing to
them become permanent team members.”
Ngonyama started Sinayo Securities in rise to leadership positions in the
Hay believes a key to success for women is
sponsorship. “Finding a sponsor was the turning 2015. Throughout her career, developing women industry. Efforts to achieve gender

has been second nature. She was the founding equality in the financial sector

president of the African Women Chartered benefit everyone, as diversity leads

IMAGES: SUPPLIED Accountants (AWCA) organisation and took on to stronger business results and

the leadership role at Deloitte’s Women’s Forum. stronger businesses.” ■

“I was struggling as a woman in the corporate

environment, there were not many female role Kirshni Totoram, global head of Institutional
models or peers who I could turn to and share my Business at Coronation Fund Managers

51 C E L E BR AT I NG WOM E N

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Along the road less travelled

PUSELETSO MOMPEI finds that the path to achieving success in the legal profession is
varied and often unpredictable

F or Thabile Fuhrmann, Cliffe Dekker Patricia Fokuo, Bowmans’ head of Strategy for Business Changing the game IMAGES: SUPPLIED
Hofmeyr (CDH) chair and director Development
in the dispute resolution practice Named the 2019 Woman Professional of the
area since 2012, embracing change Reinventing your career Year by the South African Professional Services
is crucial to crafting a successful Academy, Ziyanda Ntshona’s expertise spans all
career. With over 20 years of experience in Patricia Fokuo’s journey to becoming Bowmans’ aspects pertaining to mergers and acquisitions,
commercial and insolvency dispute litigation, in head of Strategy — Business Development, is an reorganisations, private equity and general corporate
both the public and private sector, she is putting unusual one. When her mother was diagnosed transactions in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2013, Ntshona
her wealth of expertise to use by contributing to with breast cancer, Fokuo decided to pursue was appointed as an equity partner at Webber
the training of young lawyers. a career in cancer research. A year in, she Wentzel, and three years later she was appointed to
realised it was not her passion and her mentor the firm’s board.
Having previously owned her own law firm, in the lab pointed out that her work in the lab
Fuhrmann is used to wearing the dual hats of needed protection. “It was an affirmation that the partnership
businesswoman and lawyer. It allows her to buck recognised my leadership abilities and could
the trend of treading the well-worn and somewhat She went to law school to become an place its trust in me to form part of the leadership
predictable tracks of family law and criminal law. intellectual property lawyer, but found her team responsible for the firm’s strategic direction.
passion in the courtroom where she litigated Furthermore, as a black woman, it underscored
She believes in trailblazing with a purpose. “If in the Chicago courts for close to nine years. the firm’s commitment to having a diverse
I don’t get out there and secure projects that can In 2010, she and her family moved to Nairobi, leadership group.”
be assigned to my subordinates, particularly Kenya. Being in a foreign city and unlicensed
young black and female lawyers, they will never before the court necessitated a shift from lawyer Ntshona says that the complexities of a society such
get the exposure or the opportunities. We to business support. as South Africa’s require a multidimensional, diverse
operate in a competitive terrain, and that is why leadership team to be in place to lead the firm to the
empowering others is more important than ever.” “Business development, much like litigation, next level.
is always changing — the market and clients
“We operate in a competitive dictate the work and those two things are always As a leader, she believes in developing a
terrain, and that is why changing — making it a dynamic career,” she says. collaborative spirit, but encourages independence.
empowering others is more “Well-founded independence comes from confidence
important than ever.” – The best leadership decision she made to and the knowledge that one is equipped with the
date was participating in Bowmans’ Leadership requisite skills to succeed.
Thabile Fuhrmann Development Programme, which shifted her focus
away from people’s weaknesses to their strengths. “Flexibility is key and a necessary skill when
Thabile Fuhrmann, chair and director She says: “It’s easier to improve one’s strengths leading people. The millennial generation values a
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr (CDH) than to change one’s weaknesses. And if you keep more balanced lifestyle, and I encourage working in
building the strengths of the team, the results are a manner that suits the team, provided client targets
phenomenal, both personally and professionally.” and deliverables are met.”

The ability to be a game-
changer and transform her
environment for the better is a
major motivating factor as is
the ambition to be a catalyst
for change.

“Opportunities do not
always present themselves
in the expected manner.
One must be prepared and
open to them, in whatever
form or shape they may
arise,” she says. ■

Ziyanda Ntshona,
equity partner at Webber Wentzel

52 C E L E BR AT I NG WOM E N



A DV E RT OR I A L

FINE DINING
at ITS BEST AT

Mosaic at The Orient

The award-winning Restaurant Mosaic is known for its innovative and impressive

Degustation menus, prepared by acclaimed chef, CHANTEL DARTNALL

R estaurant Mosaic is situated in the Chantel Dartnall has enhanced South Africa’s status
Orient Private Hotel, so be sure to as a gourmet destination on the international culinary
book a room and stay overnight to map, thanks to her meticulous approach to fine dining
enjoy the sophisticated and exotic at Restaurant Mosaic.
atmosphere of this award-winning oasis set in the
lush and tranquil 280h Francolin Conservancy. Chef Chantel Dartnall The chef whose beauty
transfers to the plate
The Orient Private Hotel was presented with
the highest honour of the Jury Prize for The Best Chantel has enhanced South Africa’s status as a
Hotel Wine List in the World during the World of gourmet destination on the international culinary
Fine Wine Awards in London 2018, and the highly map, thanks to her meticulous approach to fine
acclaimed Restaurant Mosaic at the Orient was dining at Restaurant Mosaic at The Orient.
named one of the top 200 restaurants in the world Chantel combines her classical French training
at the prestigious 2019 La Liste Awards in Paris. with her love of nature and is well-known for
artistic botanical dishes. She has twice been voted
The Tourism and Hospitality Council of South South African Chef of the Year at the annual Eat
Africa also named Restaurant Mosaic as Best Out Restaurant Awards in South Africa, named
Restaurant for 2018. It was also given a RASA Chef of The Year by the Restaurant Association
Award for innovation, elegance and style of of South Africa and placed at number 32 in 2018’s
international prestige. Restaurant Mosaic has been Top 300 Chefs in the World. In 2017, Chantel was
a pilgrimage site for discerning foodies over the named the Best Female Chef in the World by The
years. Set inside a Moorish palace, it pays homage to Best Chef Awards for 2017. She was also named the
acclaimed chef Chantel Dartnall’s love of Parisian Chef of the Year for Africa and the Middle East by
Belle Époque restaurants. Mosaic is known for its the prestigious Luxury Travel Guide Awards. The
impressive eight-course Grande Degustation menu Tourism and Hospitality Council of South Africa
as well as its six-course Degustation menu that also named Chantel Best Chef for 2018.
changes twice a year to reflect the seasons: autumn/
winter and spring/summer. From 84 selected restaurants across the globe,
Restaurant Mosaic is the first restaurant from South
Mosaic’s Wine Cellar Africa and the African continent to be awarded
the 2018 Grand Award by US publication, Wine
The wine cellar at Restaurant Mosaic at the Orient Spectator, and the prestigious 2019 La Liste Award
is unparalleled in this country with some of in Paris for the Best Wine List. ■
the most exceptional and rarest wines from
both South Africa and the globe, boasting more

For more information:
+27(0)12 371 2902/3/4/5
[email protected]
www.restaurantmosaic.com/www.the-orient.net

than 85 000 bottles and nearly 6 000 different
labels. Sommelier Moses Magwaza, who has been
with Restaurant Mosaic since its inception, has
a wealth of knowledge and experience. Magwaza
was the recipient of the 2017 and 2018 Eat Out
Wine Service Award. 

54 CELEBR ATING WOMEN

HOSPITALITY

“F ind your passion,” says Debbie Merdjan, CEO of the Camelot Group to almost convince others to acknowledge, ‘yes,
Debbie Merdjan, CEO of she is a winemaker’. When I first started in this
the Camelot Group that sytoaunrd business, I knew —
owns a network of spas and ground I could feel it — every word coming out of my
provides health and skincare mouth was scrutinised to see if I spoke the true
education countrywide. “Enjoy the journey and be language of winemaking.”
present in the moment.”
When Biyela started in the industry, she was not
Merdjan believes that passion helps keep the merely a female, but a black female. “Of course,
challenges of the hospitality industry in perspective some people carried an unconscious bias, but
— and she is not just referring to the long working I chose to focus on the positive.”
hours, essential communication skills, and
leadership responsibilities. She agrees with Dartnall that, “our biggest
barriers to entry in the hospitality industry are
“Having a goal and a vision the barriers within ourselves. As women, we doubt
our capability and strength. We forget how strong
is the crucial bedrock of we are”.

making it in this industry.” Soft skills stereotyping and
unconscious bias are some of
– Debbie Merdjan the challenges the hospitality
industry dishes up for women,
“While there is an increasing number of women writes NIA MAGOULIANITI-
in the upper echelons of the hospitality sector,”
says Merdjan, “they are viewed as possessing soft MCGREGOR
skills — attention to detail, for example — and not
viewed holistically. Not all their capabilities are to women. So many are reaching incredible
recognised, and they’re often taken less seriously
than men.” heights. The only barriers today are the ones in

Successful managers display a strong sense our minds. While there are fewer female chefsthan
of discipline with high staff and service level
expectations. “Good communication skills are there are men, many are achieving international
important. Regular training is imperative.
recognition. Women can help themselves by not Ntsiki Biyela, founder Aslina Wines
“But,” she adds, “having a goal and a vision is a setting limitations.”
crucial bedrock of making it in this industry.”
Award-winning vintner Ntsiki
There are ways to make yourself unstoppable,
says Merdjan: “Keep your eye on the numbers Biyela who started Aslina Wines Biyela says leadership is not a title: “It’s an action.
and reviews and be familiar with the competitor
landscape. Combine experience with sound in 2013, says women work double It’s the way we live our lives.”
business practices and grasp opportunity.”
the amount men do in this As part of the Pinotage Youth Development
“Stand your ground,” adds Chantel
Dartnall, award-winning head chef and historically male-dominated Academy (PYDA), which helps prepare
owner of Restaurant Mosaic at The Orient
in Elandsfontein. industry. “We have to make extra disadvantaged youngsters for work within the wine

While women chefs are finally finding magic. As a woman, you have and fruit industries, she likes that girls look at her
themselves heading towards an equal playing
field, a gender imbalance still exists. But and think, “if she can do it, so can I”.
Dartnall takes comfort that the world
is changing. “We can expect a Biyela was in Japan recently
revolution in the industry.”
Fast fact and found Japanese women
Dartnall, who won Best struggled to take up
Female Chef in the World at the
International Best Chef Awards A recent report by Food XX, positions in this industry.
in Warsaw in 2017 says the word
“female” has now been removed a platform for empowering women “It’s the men. Like men
so the award is no longer gender-
specific. “We’ve been fighting for in SA’s food and drinks industry, in SA, they don’t like it
equal recognition for a long time.
The industry has opened up shows that only four head chefs when women step on

were women out of the 30 nominees their toes.”

IMAGES: SUPPLIED for SA’s Top Restaurant at the 2018 That hasn’t stopped
Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Biyela. “Stand up,” she
says. “Don’t trade your
Awards. One values. Never hold back.” ■
was Chantel Dartnall.

Chantel Dartnall, head chef and owner of 55 CE L E BR AT I NG WOM E N
Restaurant Mosaic at The Orient

THE ARTS

PASSION

before everything else

LIA MARUS chats to two women carving out creative careers

W ith the rate of unemployment at 29 per cent, according to the Quarterly Labour Force
Survey for the second quarter of 2019, there’s been an increased emphasis on creating
jobs that will give people a decent living wage. No emphasis is placed on people
getting jobs that they are passionate about.

On pointe made sure that my dedication and passion helped
me to get there.
Shannon Glover is the principal dancer at Joburg
City Ballet. Having started dancing at the tender “You have really difficult days in the studio
age of four, Glover has an impressive body of work where you have to come in, push through pain
behind her name. Not only has she performed roles and force your body into positions when it’s
in ballet classics such as Sleeping Beauty, Giselle and telling you that it can’t do it. The coaches are
Swan Lake, she is also an acclaimed choreographer. amazing and are there to have a great dialogue
with you. They are there to push you and make
Despite how effortless and graceful she makes you better — this definitely helps.”
her dancing appear to audiences, it’s taken a lot
of guts and determination to get to where she Ballet is not just about understanding the theory
is today. behind how you execute the steps and the finer
technical aspects behind stage production. It’s
“For me, starting out in the company as a young about getting people to feel something.
aspirant, I would always set goals for myself. Every
year, I wanted to be a higher-ranked dancer. I

“ You need to understand that when you’re in Shannon Glover, principal dancer at Joburg City Ballet
a field, you may know a lot, but you don’t know
everything.” – Ursula Pule

A girl’s best friend IMAGES: SUPPLIED

Ursula Pule is the creative director at Nungu Diamonds Ursula Pule is the creative director at Nungu Diamonds. If you were to describe her in one word
it would be creative. Having studied fashion design, she found the creative mindset that she had
developed gave her a great foundation to be able to make the transition into jewellery design. “My
husband opened Nungu Diamonds in 2013 and, at that stage, the business was solely focused on
diamonds. However, we saw a gap in the market for people who wanted bespoke pieces of jewellery
designed for them.”

In business, when family members work together there is a belief among other staff members that
it’s all due to nepotism. Ursula experienced this: “When I joined the company, I came in as part of
the marketing division. In the beginning, I received some quizzical looks — along the lines of ‘why is
his wife in the meeting?’ — but then I came to a decision. Although I didn’t know anything about the
diamond trade, I was going to learn about it.”

Ursula’s approach to leadership and business is based on collaboration between people. “You need
to understand that when you’re in a field, you may know a lot, but you don’t know everything. To
supplement your knowledge you need to look to people who are in your company or, if the skills and
resources aren’t there, you may need to look further afield. You always have to put yourself in the
position of being able to grow as this is when you can reach more people.” ■

56 CE L E BR AT I NG WOM E N

Next edition WOIMNTEERNN’ASTIDOANAYL
coming soon in

March 2020

INSERT DATE: 6 MARCH 2020

TO ADVERTISE, CONTACT

JEANETTE NICHOLSON, SALES PROJECT MANAGER

Tel: 021 469 2566 Cell: 073 179 2196 Email: [email protected]



RETAIL

Beauty with integrity
D espite there being so many big
manufacturing companies Some women who have ventured into the retail beauty sector have
who are market leaders in the managed to make it look almost effortless, MASIBULELE LUNIKA spoke
field of beauty and skincare to three of them about how they managed to succeed against difficult
products, several South odds, without compromising their integrity

African women are successfully producing and

marketing their own eco-conscious brands.   challenges: “One was getting all of the red tape and

For these local female entrepreneurs entering documents in place in terms of policies, compliance

an already overtraded market characterised and processes. The other was funding. Together, this

by large brand name manufacturers with big is one of the biggest challenges that I’ve personally

budgets, and most of them male-dominated, has faced in the sector in terms of manufacturing.”

presented huge challenges. Soylites is also an eco-authentic product and the

company is uncompromising when it comes to the

quality of raw materials. “Our vision of contributing

to innovative solutions and sustainable products

guides our business ethic. We do not use any raw

materials that contribute to the deforestation of the

Amazon and our soy is guaranteed to contain no

genetically modified materials.”

Renchia Droganis, CEO and founder of Africology Our vision of contributing
to innovative solutions
Do no harm and sustainable products
guides our business
Trying to start a cosmetic company can be very ethic.” – Nicole Antoine

challenging, says metaphysical therapist, healer Family and work is a
delicate balance
and innovator Renchia Droganis, CEO and
On a personal level, Antoine says a healthy work-
founder of Africology, which offers a spa range life balance is one of the big challenges facing
professional women and entrepreneurs. “It’s not just
comprising organic, fair trade and ethically- a challenge for those in organised business, it seems
all working women are juggling being present for
Keshni Morar, founder and director at Styld formulated products. “Legislation around product their kids and dealing with unexpected challenges or
testing, toxicology reports and export rules and issues that crop up in motherhood, or other family-
related things, and work commitments.”
regulations can cause much frustration, so a
She believes that regular morning check-ins
Social media levels the field substantial amount of seeding capital is invested with her female staff help to ease some of the stress
in the initial development phases.” women experience. “I find that one of the
ways I have been able to overcome the
There has been an increase in women entering this Based on years of research, Droganis has challenges of owning a business
is by connecting both with my
market, thanks to social media, says Keshni Morar, in-depth knowledge about the chemicals used in staff and other women and like-
minded people, not necessarily
founder and director at Styld, a fully personalised cosmetics and the effect they have on the human women, who hold a much softer
space in terms of business than a
online styling service. “The rise in online beauty body. “The truth is,” she says, “that cosmetics can hard corporate stance.” ■

bloggers and consumer influencers has created either harm or heal.” Nicole Antoine,
co-founder of Soylites
markets that previously remained As such, she prefers to formulate

untapped by the conglomerates all-natural skin and body products

who hold majority revenue Fast fact that are holistic. Business has
market share.” taught her that money comes,
In June this year, L’Oréal Paris and money goes, but integrity
Morar says that over appointed a female president for remains. What goes into the
the last few years, there the first time. While the beauty formulations comes from
have been a few women industry has a better representation
who have made headlines a place of integrity, which
through the introduction of women in leadership roles
and production of their means far more expensive
IMAGES: SUPPLIED brands. “Entering the local than other industries, men still
market and surviving has ingredients, but also far
proven to be a challenge.” dominate the C-suite and
superior products.
boardroom at the biggest
Nicole Antoine, co-founder
companies.

of Soylites, agrees about the

59 C E L E BR AT I NG WOM E N

H E A LT H

Face the complexities together

While stereotypes persist, there is a healthy growth of female leaders in the
medical environment, finds NIA MAGOULIANITI-MCGREGOR

That’s because, says Naidoo, in her experience

many women have to conquer their fear of failure.

“I’ve found women tend to doubt themselves. Many

won’t try something if they haven’t done it before,

while some will only apply for top positions if

they’re guaranteed success.”

There are a couple of ways women can set

themselves up for success, she says: “Be authentic.

Build up a network of successful women and

identify a mentor. Step up and step in and put

your hand up for senior management and top

management positions.

“Entering the health sector at the bottom of the

SDr Gloria Tshukudu pyramid is relatively easy for women — after all,
outh Africa’s first black female plastic
surgeon, Gloria Tshukudu, says the majority of the sales forces and admin staff are Lynette Saltzman, co-founder and MD of Dis-Chem
challenges remain for women
in the health sector. Unconscious women,” she says. “However, going up the ladder
bias persists. She’s lost count of the
number of times she’s been called “sister” on a requires some planning, including finding that One customer told Saltzman: “Just because you’re a
ward round while “a male doctor will always be
addressed correctly”. work/life balance.” pharmacist’s wife, doesn’t make you a pharmacist.”

“At the time of my entry into plastic surgery, Personally, Naidoo says she’s had to overcome That changed incrementally over the years.
there were few black practitioners, never mind a
black female.” Tshukudu qualified in 2012. imposter syndrome — and work twice as hard to “I don’t believe there are barriers to entry for

Other issues include intolerance against women achieve the same amount of recognition women right now. Certainly, in our organisation
leaning in. “When women call out something they
don’t agree with, it’s often perceived as complaining that men get. senior positions are filled by women — and
or even labelled insubordination. Women must
also constantly be on their guard — if we show our She believes strongly in a Fast fact this has nothing to do with me. I don’t
emotions in frustrating situations we are perceived
as weak. few basic tenets: “If you take personally do any hiring.

“Women in this sector need to believe in care of the people, the The latest “Women pay attention to detail.
themselves,” she says. “We need to work people will take care of PricewaterhouseCoopers I also think that subconsciously,
together and support each other, this will
lessen the validation we need from men. the business, if you do Executive Directors Report women feel we must prove
That’s the way forward for us.”
the right thing, you’ll 2019 shows that men in ourselves, so we naturally work
“Go for it.” That’s the advice Angie
Naidoo, Business Unit Head Diabetes come out ahead, and set healthcare are paid roughly harder. We put in the hours — and
for Sanofi South Africa, Botswana
and Namibia, has for women trying your standards high and 28.1 per cent more than people notice. And yes, women do
to break into the higher echelons
of the health sector. lead by example. women. have families, but most are able to

Angie Naidoo, Business “Leaders should be teachers,” make a plan. Many have supportive
Unit Head Diabetes for
says Naidoo. partners who pull their weight in their
Sanofi South Africa,
Botswana and Namibia Lynette Saltzman, co-founder capacity as parents.

and MD of Dis-hem, believes the sector “The women I’ve met in this sector are

has come a long way since she and confident, passionate and ambitious. There is no

husband Ivan, Dis-hem’s CEO, reason for them not to rise to the top.”

started their first pharmacy As Naidoo says: “Lessons for men and women

together in 1978. They met in this sector are the same: We need to embrace IMAGES: SUPPLIED

while studying at the Wits’ learned leadership — that’s the principle that allows

pharmacy department. us to use what we know and learn what we need

“A few customers were collectively to address the complexities that we face

wary of a woman in charge.” in our industry.” ■

“Be authentic. Build up a network
of successful women and identify a

mentor.” – Angie Naidoo

60 CE L E BR AT I NG WOM E N




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