South Africa's leading female CEO's in 2010

Legacies of Women Source:http://www.iwfsa.co.za/

Gail Curtis: Gail Curtis began her career in marketing and strategic account leadership during the 80s and was first appointed as a board director at the age of only 26 (a testament to her exceptional business acumen and negotiation skills). In 1993, Gail founded The Old Shanghai Firecracker Factory to promote a unique agency with a dynamic service model. This agency was acquired by Saatchi & Saatchi in 2005 and continues to operate as an independant agency. Gail was appointed as CEO to Saatchi & Saatchi in October 2005, and in 2006 was appointed to the EMEA CEO board. Curtis has played a major role in the reinvention of Saatchi & Saatchi in SA and Africa growing the company into the 6th largest marketing and communications group in SA. Under her leadership, a brand new, energetic attitude and creative focus has become the driving force of the company and over the last 5 years she has led the company back to the award tables and profitability.
CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi Group

Sebiletso Mokone-Matabane: Sebiletso Mokone-Matabane, has extensive experience in the broadcasting, film and telecommunications sectors in the US and in South Africa. Currently she is a member of the Presidential National Commission on Information Society and Development. In 2007 South Africa Most Influential Business Women in Business and Government in the ICT Category.
CEO of Sentech Limited

Nonkululeko Nyembezi-Heita: Nonkululeko Nyembezi-Heita is the current Chief Executive Officer of ArcelorMittal SA. She began her career as an engineer at IBM's Research Triangle Park in Raleigh, North Carolina. She then worked for IBM in Dallas before returning to work for the company in South Africa. Nyembezi-Heita then switched direction to head the financial services group, Alliance Capital Management before joining Vodacom as head of its Mergers and Acquisition division.
CEO of ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA)

Siza Mzimela: Siza Mzimela is the first female Chief Executive Officer of South African Airways (SAA), appointed in February 2010. Mzimela is the first woman to be appointed to the International Air Transport Association’s board of directors in 67 years. She was previously CEO of South African Express Airway (SAX). Mzimela's first job was in the small business and retail division of Standard Bank in 1991. Three years later she joined Total SA as a Corporate Planning Analyst responsible for managing capital projects, before joining SA Airways (SAA) in 1996 as a research analyst. After various promotions at SAA, Mzimela was appointed Executive Vice-President of global passenger services in 2001, later taking on responsibility for global sales and the airline's Voyager programme. She is also a board member of SA Tourism and the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls. In 2002, she was a finalist in the Nedbank Businesswoman of the Year Award.
CEO of SAA's domestic partner SA Express (SAX)

Yolan Friedmann: Yolan Friedmann is the CEO of Endangered Wildlife Trust. She serves as Council Member of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Friedman is also Chair of the Global Cheetah Forum.
CEO of Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT)

Cynthia Carroll: Cynthia Carroll is the Chief Executive Officer of Anglo American Corporation. She is the first Anglo American outsider to reach the top and first woman Chief Executive Officer of Anglo. Carroll is also Chairman of Anglo Platinum Limited.
CEO of Anglo American

Mpho Letlape: Mpho Letlape is the Managing Director of Sasol Inzalo Foundation (an initiative of the Sasol Limited BEE transaction that aims to be a significant contributor to sustainable economic growth in South Africa by focusing on skills development primarily in the Mathematics, Science and Technology environments). She specialises in Human Capital Management; Education Systems Reform; Non Governmental Organisation Management.
Managing Director of Sasol Inzalo Foundation

Shirley Lue Arnold: Shirley Lue Arnold was appointed as Chairman of Telkom SA Limited in November 2006. Arnold has consulted to various companies and institutions in the United States including Unisys, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Investor Responsibility Research Center (IRRC) and the National Geographic Society. Arnold's public service work includes being Trustee of the Maths Centre and Thuthuka Bursary Fund.
CEO of Telkom

Lauren Siebrits: Lauren Siebrits is the Chief Executive Officer for Simba, making her the first woman and South African to lead the Simba snacks business. She has 18 years experience in the FMCG environment such as Borden Foods, Dairybelle (South Africa) and Glaxo SmithKline Beecham.
CEO of Simba

Vuyo Mahlati: Vuyo Mahlati is the Chairperson of the South African Post Office Board of Directors which includes the Post Bank.She spent four years at the Development Bank of Southern Africa working as Program Manager of the Department of Trade and Industry's investment facilitation program focusing on agri-tourism investments.
Chairperson of the South African Post Office

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