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South Africans placed on Choiseul 100 Africa Index

15 October 2015

Eight South African leaders are named on the Choiseul 100 Africa index, which ranks young Africans who will play a major role in the development of Africa in the near future.

The Institut Choiseul identified the eight South African leaders under the age of 40 on its list, which includes growing business leaders, successful entrepreneurs and investors who embody the dynamism and renewal of a whole continent and carry the hopes of an entire generation.

This ties in with one of the outcomes of the South African National Development Plan: creating a better South Africa, a better Africa and a better world.

Absa Capital chief executive officer Nomkhita Nqweni, who came in at number six, is the highest ranked woman on the Choiseul 100 Africa index. Cape Town angel fund entrepreneur Justin Stanford is South Africa's second top leader, ranked 28.

The others are: Ndalo Media chief executive Khanyi Dhlomo (42), Transnet Property general manager Raisibe Lepule, Namibian Stock Exchange chief executive Tiaan Bazuin (77), e-business entrepreneur Alan Knott-Craig Jnr (89), Gyft general manager Vinny Lingham (91) and Pioneer Foods chief financial officer Cindy Hess.

"Capital flows towards Africa reached $80-billion (R1-trillion). The figure should rise up to $100-billion (R1.34-trillion) in 2015," said Institut Choiseul chairperson Pascal Lorot.

"This remarkable dynamic is linked to the emergence of both a group of young economic leaders, well trained, open to the world and connected to major economic and informal flows worldwide, grown out of globalisation."

Established in 1997, the Institut Choiseul is an independent and non-partisan think tank, whose scope covers Europe, the Mediterranean and Africa.

Other young South African leaders in the Choiseul 200 are: Yolanda Cuba (Vodacom), Mpumi Madisa (Bidvest South Africa), Hanneli Rupert (Okapi), Bridgette Gasa (The Elilox Group), Lindiwe Mthimunye-Bakoro (PetroSA), Sibongile Sambo (SRS Aviation) and Babalwa Ngonyama (Sinayo Investment Holdings).

Finance, ICT and the service sector were among the most represented sectors, while the energy, transport and construction sectors were down compared to their potential.

Source: News24Wire