Saudi women given freedom to open businesses
Women in Saudi Arabia have been given the go-ahead to start businesses without the permission of a male guardian, the Saudi government announced on Sunday. Whereas in the past women needed a guardian’s approval and had to visit a notary to document the founding of a...
Trapped Free State Miners: Women to the Rescue!
The team of Eskom workers who rescued 955 miners from Sibanye Gold mine, who were trapped for more than 24 hours below ground last week, were led by a dynamic group of women. The miners, who were rescued on Friday morning, were trapped when a storm caused an electric...
Never give up on your dream
As an entrepreneurial woman striving to establish a business legacy making headway is anything but easy, but Top Woman Dolly Mbuyane is living proof that persevering will come to change your own life, as well as many others. In 2002, CEO Dolly Mbuyane established...
Step it up, South Africa: Planet 50:50 by 2020
Sixty years ago former textile factory worker Sophia de Bruyn helped lead 20 000 women on a historic march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to protest against the pass laws. When she thinks back to that day on August 9, 1956, De Bruyn she says she still becomes...
Video | Top women are big business
Research confirms: having more women at the top is good for bottom line performance. Standard Bank Top Women Leaders presents the Standard Bank Top Women Conference: Day One. Click the video below to watch.
Africa Focus: Women entrepreneurs are driving growth in Botswana
Mastercard’s Index of Women Entrepreneurship (MIWE) revealed that 34.6% of businesses in Botswana are owned by women, making it one of the top-performing countries highlighted in this global index. We talk to two businesswomen in Botswana about their success....
Video | Women leaders on their next success
Standard Bank Top Women Leaders asked South Africa’s top businesswomen leaders … #WhatsYourNext? Here’s what they said at the 2017 Standard Bank Top Women Conference! Click the video below to watch.
Video | South Africa awards its top women leaders
Top Women Leaders, in association with Standard Bank of South Africa, honoured 27 women leaders and gender-strong companies on 17 August. Click the video below to watch.
Welcome Speech by Ralf Fletcher, Topco Media CEO
14th annual Standard Bank Top Women Awards 17 August 2017 “Good evening Honoured Guests, Finalists of the Top Women Awards, esteemed Judges and Ladies and Gentlemen.” Tonight we will recognise 27 award winners. Each has been supported by our amazing category...
Writer of her own success story: An interview with entrepreneur and author, Nokwazi Mzobe
Nokwazi Mzobe searched far and wide for a one-stop shop where she could find the resources and advice she needed to start her own business. After a number of futile searches, she decided to create her own. The New Small Business Handbook offers guidance and advice to...
Laying the right foundations: An interview with Thandi Ndlovu
Dr Thandi Ndlovu – the woman at the helm of one of the most successful black women-owned construction companies – has broken down barriers and cemented the role and influence of women in an industry that for years has been dominated by men. With resilience and...
Breaking Barriers: Top Sectors for Women Entrepreneurs
Africa is the global leader in women entrepreneurship. According to The World Bank, 50% of all enterprises in Africa are owned by women and 25% of African women have grown businesses from the ground up – the highest rate globally. The growing community of women...
The double-edged sword of social media
While most of us happily update our Facebook and Instagram accounts with selfies, check-ins and hashtags, there’s a monster lurking in the social media closet, ready to rear its ugly head in our workplace and private lives. Social media expert Emma Sadleir explains....
2017 Standard Bank Top Women Awards winners announced
Global research studies have shown empirical evidence that companies which put women in key leadership roles experience improved business performance. It’s a pattern borne out by the impressive achievements of some of South Africa’s top women leaders, who were...
Spectacular Technology: An interview with techpreneur Stephanie Cowper
A South African techpreneur with a passion for making a difference – Stephanie Cowper and her business partner Giacomo Parmegianni – developed a revolutionary mobile app, BeSpecular, that through the power of technology, forever changes the way visually impaired...
The early bird of SA television
Q&A with Morning Live presenter and news anchor, Leanne Manas For nearly 14 years, Leanne Manas has been the name and face of SABC’s flagship breakfast programme, Morning Live. As she marks this amazing milestone, the award-winning television anchor and mother of...
Bells-a-ringing for an empowered stock exchange
Every year in March, more than 30 stock exchanges around the world chime their bells – not only to mark the beginning and end of the day’s trading, but to support gender equality and transformation in the financial sector. To commemorate International Women’s...
Backwards and in high heels
By Chantell Ilbury Chantell Ilbury is a scenario strategist, co-author with Clem Sunter of The Fox Trilogy, and founding partner of the strategic intelligence agency Mindofafox. She is also one of the few women guiding the strategic conversations of some of the...
The five (s)heroes who led the 1956 women’s march
On 9 August 1956, 20 000 South African women from all walks of life broke the apartheid barriers and marched to the Union Buildings to protest the pass laws. This year marks the 61st anniversary of this historic event. “WATHINT’ ABAFAZI, WATHINT’ IMBOKODO!” “WHEN YOU...
Leading Lady: Wendy Luhabe
Social entrepreneur, Wendy Luhabe, is considered one of South Africa’s most successful and prominent women. An advocate for women empowerment, Luhabe revolutionised the economic landscape when she founded Women Investment Portfolio Holdings in 1993 – a company that...
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka: Taking the fight for equality to the world
Champion of women’s rights, women empowerment and gender equality. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka was born in 1955 to parents Michael and Sabbath Mlambo and grew up in Claremont, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. She graduated from the National University of Lesotho with a BA...
The impact of technology on job creation and business growth
By Jane Thomson – Managing Director, South Africa Qlik Master Reseller Technology has enhanced and transformed the capabilities of visual analytics and business intelligence across sector and industry. What is business intelligence? Forrester, one of the most...
Ceder-sisters brewing up a storm
Two sisters from the Cederberg are brewing up a storm with their premium and wildly popular Nieuw Brew craft beer. From humble beginnings in their anchestoral farm’s old goat quarantine to bitter legal battles with neighbouring farms and saving the region’s endemic...
Model, prosecutor, poet: Thando Hopa is fighting stereotypes – one campaign at a time
Model Thando Hopa is multi faceted. She’s a former prosecutor, an aspirant actress, poet and an activitist for people whose inherited condition could make them a target for murder. When you were still working as a prosecutor, how did you balance life between working...
SweepSouth is mopping the floor with SA’s unemployment rate
Aisha Pandor is the CEO and co-founder of SweepSouth, the tech platform that took South Africa by storm. With an inquisitive mind and a nick for solving problems, Aisha together with her partner (in business and in life) – not only offer much needed solutions to...
Gender Parity: How well are we faring in South Africa, BRICS and globally?
Whilst there is much work still to be done at home regarding parity and closing the gender gap, we need to place our performance in context and look at how South Africa is measuring up to its BRICS partners, and world trends in general. In its eleventh year, The...
The power of positive thinking: An interview with Catherine van Heerden
Catherine van Heerden is a psychologist, coach, speaker, facilitator and author. She has been instrumental for the last 21 years in facilitating change and has been highly responsive to her passion and drive to make a difference in corporates as well as in people’s...
Secrets to a successful startup from SA’s entrepreneurs
Today, women-owned entities represent 37% of enterprises globally. Woman entrepreneurs are an underestimated force that can rekindle economic expansion in South Africa. We hear from some of South Africa’s most successful self-made entrepreneurs. Entrepreneur: Dr...
Oticon – 20 years of putting people first
International hearing aid manufacturer, Oticon, was built on care and empathy from the very beginning. Celebrating its 20-year anniversary in South Africa, country manager, Lezanie Bakker, gave us some insight into what this predominantly female company has been up to...
Disruption anticipated at Standard Bank Top Women Conference
What’s your next? As an entrepreneurial, ambitious woman, the best place to answer that question is at the must-attend event this Women’s Month: the 2017 Standard Bank Top Women Conference. World-renowned South African HIV/Aids research pioneer Doctor Glenda Gray and...
Watch this space
The work carried out by Dr Rendani Nndanganeni, space science researcher at the South African National Space Agency (SANSA), is, literally, out of this world. She talks to us about ‘space weather,’ her aspirations and the challenges of being a black woman scientist in...
There has never been a more exciting time for Africa – or for Africa’s women
With a recent report by Ernst & Young showing the continent to be well on track towards an economy value of nearly R40-trillion by 2030, given 5% expected growth in 16 countries, the long-term outlook for Africa is emboldening. Particular focus continues to fall...
Stokvels as vehicles for women empowerment
In the 1800s, English settlers in Eastern Cape held rotating cattle auctions known as ‘stock fairs’; these fairs later became known as ‘stokvels’ by the locals who traded livestock. Today stokvels are community-based savings or investment schemes – traditionally made...
The meteoric rise of Aarti Takoordeen
The 129-year-old JSE is showing the way, outshining other organisations by surpassing the 50/50 gender parity goal. In an exclusive interview, we chat to the stock exchange’s youngest (and first female) CFO, Aarti Takoordeen (36) about her responsibility as a Young...
Entries are open for the 2017 Standard Bank Top Women Leaders Awards: #SheWhoDaresWins
Are you ready to showcase your gender agenda? Entries are open for the 2017 Standard Bank Top Women Leaders Awards. These annual awards honour and applaud outstanding leadership, inspiration, vision and innovation, in organisations that play a role in advancing women...
Meet young rising netball star Tshina Mdau
Meet rising netball star and wing attack, Tshina Mdau from Gauteng North, regarded as one of Netball South Africa’s most talented young players. Tshinakaho Zorah Mdau, or Tshina (as her friends affectionately refer to her), was born and raised in Johannesburg. She’s...
Standard Bank Top Women Leaders interviews the remarkable Dr Glenda Gray
Dr Glenda Gray trials SA-first HIV vaccine and is included in TIME Magazine’ s list of Top 100 influencers. Pioneering medical researcher, scientist and HIV activist, professor Glenda Gray, who recently cracked TIME Magazine’s prestigious list of 100 most influential...
Standard Bank Grows Its Support For Entrepreneurial Women
Standard Bank and Top Media in partnership to host the 14th national Standard Bank Top Women Awards A new 3-year partnership has been inked between Africa’s biggest bank and South Africa’s platform for women in leadership, Top Women. The move will see Standard Bank...
Standard Bank Top Women Awards & Conference
Celebrating top women and the companies behind them The annual Top Women Awards honours outstanding leadership, inspiration, vision and innovation in organisations that play a role in advancing women to the forefront of the economy. The categories cover all major...
The complex case of Caster Semenya: Controversy and Olympic Glory
One of South Africa’s most decorated female athletes, South African track star Caster Semenya has been the victim of rigid gender stereotypes for too long. As a result, her victories and accomplishments are often shrouded in controversy. But despite all the hardships,...
Maria Ramos: Banking on Africa
Maria Ramos, CEO of Barclays Africa Group shares cogent, considered insights on doing business in Africa, gender parity and the value of diversity. Maria Ramos was Director-General of the National Treasury from 1996 to 2003 and in January 2004 was appointed as Group...
Thuli Madonsela gives address at Top Women Conference 2016
Thuli Madonsela is a South African advocate and served as the Public Protector of South Africa from 19 October 2009 to 14 October 2016. Click below to listen to Ms Madonsela’s address at the Top Women Conference...
The gender agenda
An interview with Honourable Minister of Women in the Presidency, Susan Shabangu By Fiona Wakelin Credit: Vision 2030 I had never been to Tuynhuis before. Situated in the heart of the Mother City it literally means “garden house” and used to be a tool shed for Jan van...
3 South African Global Icons
South Africa has many reasons to celebrate the multitude of iconic figures that have made an impact on the international stage – in this article we take a look at 3 women who have resonated across the globe. Phumzile Mlambo-Nguka Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka was born in...
Women at the forefront of innovation
Stem cell isolation Name: Anne Tsukamoto Profession: Executive Vice President of Scientific and Strategic Alliances Date of nvention: 1991 Tsukamoto co-patented the discovery of the properties of haematopoietic stem cells. They can be transformed and developed into...
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka addresses delegates at the 2016 Top Women Conference
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka is an Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Executive Director of UN Women. Click the video below to watch her speech.
Five differences women make to socio-economic transformation
An opinion piece by Zinzi Mgolodela Allow me to say, it should have been Broad-based Black and Women Economic Empowerment (BBBWEE) instead of B-BBEE. An extra letter in the acronym would not have hurt – it would actually have added value and provided a more deliberate...
Shirley Zinn speaks about the Top Women Awards
In this Top Women interview, Shirley Zinn speaks about her experience of the Top Women Awards and why it’s vital for businesswomen and entrepreneurs to attend. Click the video below to...
3 Multi-nationals focusing on empowering women in South Africa
Although South Africa has made significant progress in the gender empowerment stakes and was ranked in the top 20 (17th) out of 136 countries in the 2015 World Economic Forum’s ‘Global Gender Gap Report’, there is more work to be done. V anessa Rogers taps into the...
Shirley Zinn’s 12 steps to a more motivated life
Step 1 Remember your overall purpose as this will give you focus through tough times. Ground yourself in your goals, but also be prepared to change course when required. Make thought-through not “knee- jerk” choices. As articulated in the GROW model developed by Sir...
Women on Board: Harnessing the power of women
Over recent years, women have increasingly made progress in achieving seats on the corporate boards of South African companies. This change was brought about by corporations’ realisation that diverse boards can be of benefit to a company and its bottom line. With the...
What to expect in the 2017 Publication
2017 might well be the pivotal year for the entrepreneurial South African woman. In our 13th annual edition, we look at why 2017 is the start of the “golden age” for women entrepreneurs and celebrate female pioneers in various sectors ranging from business and finance...
Bang vir niks
BANG VIR NIKS Wendy Appelbaum an interview by Jocelyn Stiebel It’s not very often that people get to have a one-on- one with one of Africa’s wealthiest women. Topco was delighted to be able to secure a rare gap in Wendy Appelbaum’s demanding schedule for an exclusive...
Maria Ramos
“Across the continent, there is increased demand for infrastructure and IT services, opening up markets and creating significant opportunities for business” Maria Ramos was Director-General of the National Treasury from 1996 to 2003 and in January 2004 was appointed...
Top 100 Companies
The central focus of Top Women in Business and Government is gender empowerment in the workplace. In order to determine the ranking of the top 100 gender empowered companies in South Africa, organisations are evaluated according to a set of criteria which can be...