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...
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...
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...
