Celebrating Fearless Women This International Women’s Day

Amelia Beattie – Chief Executive – Liberty Two Degrees

There is no doubt that women continue to make formidable inroads across a number of sectors – directing strategies, shaping discussions, encouraging equitable action and championing advocacy efforts. And while International Women’s Day marks a call to action to accelerate women’s equality, it is also a day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women.

Making up just over 51% of South Africa’s population, South Africa’s women are resilient. Not only did women entrepreneurial activity rates in South Africa increase in a year when many other economies did not, but two years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, more women are emerging as strong leaders and are doing more to support their teams and advance diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

And today, viewing gender inclusion as a driver of financial performance as well as making the advancement of women a formal top business priority offers a competitive advantage for those businesses looking to challenge the status quo, innovate and drive progress amidst an uncertain market.

Armed with courage, business acumen and passion, below are 4 southern African female powerhouses changing the game in their industries:

Women in Property

As theChief Executive of Liberty Two Degrees (L2D), Amelia Beattie not only led the reconstitution of L2D to a Corporate REIT, but was instrumental in investor alignment, effectively positioning the business for sustainable growth. Today, L2D is co-owner in South Africa’s most iconic shopping centres, namely Sandton City, Nelson Mandela Square, Eastgate Shopping Centre, Melrose Arch and Liberty Midlands Mall among others across the country focused on the company’s purpose of creating experiential spaces to benefit generations.

Passionate about serving the property industry, Amelia’s experience spans 24 years in the property sector – a challenging environment where there are opportunities to apply analytical, strategic thinking and business and investment skills across a broad range of responsibilities in the development of Good, Smart, Interactive and Safe Spaces.

Creating sustainable spaces that introduce innovative and unique experiences to attract tenants and shoppers, while pursuing operational excellence and staying abreast of retail property trends is core to the L2D business. L2D made some bold commitments and implemented bold initiatives that introduced many firsts in the property industry, making L2D malls today the most innovative and most sought-after environments in the retail space.

Today, L2D malls do not only offer experiential Interactive Spaces, but Good Spaces that focus on the sustainability of the natural environment and Safe Spaces that hold the highest standard of safety and security for tenants, shoppers and communities.

As one of the few women Chief Executives in the property industry that is passionate and also leads one of the most diversified and inclusive companies in the sector, Amelia is a proud advocate for diversity and inclusion to be fully embraced within the business and a vital aspect included in L2D’s current vision, strategy and purpose. And with a #1WomanAtATime manta, Amelia is certainly a disruptor in the property space.

Women in logistics

37-year-old, Esha Mansingh, is no stranger to the corporate world, with a strong history in investor and media relations, and ESG, having worked within some of South Africa’s Top 40 JSE-listed companies, including Kumba Iron Ore and Harmony Gold Mining Company prior to her current role at Imperial, a DP world company, as the first, and only, woman – and currently the youngest member of the executive committee of Imperial Logistics. She is also a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum 2022, 1 of only 11 Africans chosen in this cohort.

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Esha is known globally, through many awards and accolades, for her dedication to driving women empowerment and social impact projects across Africa. Under Esha’s leadership, Imperial became a signatory to the global Women Empowerment Principles (WEP) community, endorsed by the United Nations (UN), among many efforts to transform the logistics industry.

Women in Healthcare

Kety Guambe is a doctor from Maputo, Mozambique, working as the in-country deputy medical director for International SOS– which exposes her to another layer of the field including management of the different teams in addition to putting her expertise to work as a medical advisor.

With licenses and certifications such as Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support for Experienced Providers, Basic and Advanced Life Support for Healthcare Providers, American Heart Association Instructor, International Trauma Life Support Instructor and OEUK examining doctor, Kety was instrumental during the pandemic in the region. Not only did she serve as a frontline worker, but she was also a coordinator for the testing, quarantine and isolation protocols established by International SOS for their clients.

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Kety has worked in almost every province of Mozambique, learning from the different communities, and while skills and training are paramount to maintaining high working standards, Kety believes that passion is undoubtedly the best quality that any health professional can exhibit; it’s passion for helping those in need that makes the real difference.

Women in Recycling 

Having joined Danone Southern Africa in 2019 as the Scientific and Regulatory Affairs Manager, Registered Dietitian Leanne Kiezer drove the business’s mission to deliver health through foods to as many Southern Africans as possible.  Inspired by the company’s One Planet. One Health vision, she discovered that the sustainable production of healthy foods is dependent on the wellbeing of the planet, stimulating a passion point for protecting and preserving the planet’s resources while producing nutritious foods. 

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As Head of Corporate Affairs, Leanne has subsequently become the voice for the health and planet pillars for Danone locally, driving key conversations around the responsibility and impact of corporate South Africa on these areas.  She has become an advocate and driver of key planet related initiatives and launched the first End Producer Responsibility programme within Danone’s industry: Tubs2Classrooms.

The aim of the project is to stimulate the circular economy of yoghurt tubs while educating children about the importance of recycling and the value of waste. As a company that has made a commitment to encourage recycling, the Tubs2Classrooms project addresses responsible end of life usage of yoghurt tubs, delivering on Danone’s promise to protect the planet.