3 August 2005
Airports Company South Africa managing director Monhla Hlahla has been named South Africa's Businesswoman of the Year for 2005.
The award was made at a ceremony in Johannesburg on Tuesday night where Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka was the guest of honour.
'Role model'
"Hlahla's accomplishments are an inspiration to us and she is a role model for other women," said Businesswoman's Association (BWA) president Namane Magau.
Hlahla heads a successful, commercialised and semi-privatised state company that paid its shareholders a dividend of R360-million in 2004 (2003: R330-million).
Hlahla has restructured the company, improved earnings, accelerated and intensified the process of transformation, reinvigorated and incentivised the workforce, and widened the scope of corporate social investment interventions.
"This year's winner has demonstrated that transformation, sound leadership and a customer driven culture have become an intrinsic part of doing business the South African way," Nedbank CEO Tom Boardman told Engineering News. Nedbank has sponsored the award for the last five years.
Previous winners of SA's premier award for women in business, now in its 26th year, include Futhi Mtoba of Deloitte & Touche (2004), Nicky Newton-King of the JSE Securities Exchange (2003), Kim McFarland of Investec Asset Management (2002), Maria Ramos when she was with the National Treasury (2001), and Irene Charnley of Johnnic Holdings (2000).
The Businesswoman of the Year award seeks to honour the achievements of South African women business leaders, and to help create a cadre of women role models.
It also makes a sustainable contribution to the next generation of women business leaders, as all proceeds of the annual awards banquet go to the BWA's Bursary Fund, which has assisted more than 45 women to further their tertiary business studies since 1988.
The other finalists
The other four finalists for the award were: Angela Dick of Transman, Robyn Heathfield of Torquip Earthmoving Equipment, Yvonne Johnston of the International Marketing Council of SA, and Maserame Mouyeme of FCB South Africa.
Angela Dick
Angela Dick, managing director of Transman, has been instrumental in growing the company's revenue from R85 000 in 1983 to a R350-million operation.
Since the company's inception, Dick has been responsible for recruiting and placing between 7 000 to 10 000 temporary and contract staff into the workplace, with a focus on previously disadvantaged individuals.
Robyn Heathfield
Robyn Heathfield, managing director of Torquip Earthmoving Equipment, is the sole owner of Torquip Mining Svc, Torquip Earthmoving and Torquip Construction Equipment.
In 2001, the company was awarded Best International Terex dealer for overall contribution to the brand, and in 2003 Torquip was appointed to take over the South African distribution of the Fiat-Hitachi.
Yvonne Johnston
Yvonne Johnston, chief executive officer of the International Marketing Council of South Africa, has been in this position since December 2001. The IMC is a presidential initiative created to change perceptions about South Africa, to encourage tourism, trade and investment, and to build national pride.
Johnston, a frequent speaker at conferences, has held many industry-related positions, including chairman of the Media Directors Circle. She was voted the best media director in the country, is a patron of Life College and Take A Girl Child to Work Day, sits on the board of South African Tourism and is a member of the International Woman's Federation of South Africa.
Maserame Mouyeme>
Maserame Mouyeme is the group managing director of FCB South Africa branded Advertising Agencies and Specialist Communication Companies. Mouyeme plays a leading
role in the advertising and communications industry as chairperson of the Association for Communication and Advertising.
She also sits on the Loerie awards committee and is involved in the GCIS monitoring and steering committee for the transformation of the advertising and marketing industry.
SouthAfrica.info reporter
