2023 Definitive List of Women CEOs

Africa.com and Standard Bank Release the 2023 Definitive List of Women CEOs

The third annual Africa.com Definitive List of Women CEOs, sponsored by Standard Bank Group, was revealed on April 19, 2023 during a virtual event. No other list of  African business women running big businesses is grounded in this type of quantifiable research. The list is unique in that it is based on data-driven research, with data provided by Bloomberg.

“This year’s list of 93 women represents 17 countries who have qualified based on either large scale revenue or large scale market capitalization. The list includes 40 women from South Africa, 12 from Nigeria, and 6 from Egypt, Ghana and Kenya respectively.”

Teresa Clarke, Chair of Africa.com

Africa.com analyzed 2,020 companies listed on the 24 African stock exchanges. Of the 2,020 companies, Africa.com screened for those companies with revenue of $100 million or more, or a market cap of $150 million USD or more, which yielded a list of 787 companies.

The public websites of all 787 companies were examined to identify female C-suite executives. The team then researched each woman to determine those who have a title of chief executive officer or managing director or president AND conducted a review to confirm that these executives have bottom line, profit and loss responsibility for the companies. This resulted in 40 women CEOs on group 1.

The methodology for group 2 is identical to the methodology for Group 1, except that the entities evaluated were the divisions of the 787 companies, such that the divisions themselves have standalone revenue of $100 million USD or more. The women running these divisions must have a title that clearly demonstrates that they are the chief executive with profit and loss responsibility for the division. This analysis yielded 28 women division heads.

Group 3 started with an analysis of global corporations with revenue over $10 billion USD who have operations in one or more countries on the African continent. The regional heads of these companies were analyzed to identify women executives for an Africa region or an African country, with profit and loss responsibility for the country or region. This analysis yielded 25 women. Women in this group are ranked by prioritizing those who run the Africa region ahead of those who run a single African country.

The three groups make up the final Definitive List of 93 women.

GROUP I

1 Natascha Viljoen, CEO, Anglo American Plc

2 Nompumelelo Zikalala, CEO, Kumba Iron Ore Ltd

3 Mpumi Madisa, CEO, Bidvest Group

4 Bertina Engelbrecht, CEO, Clicks Group Ltd

5 Dr Nombasa Tsengwa, CEO, Exxaro Resources

6 Albertinah Kekana, CEO, Royal Bafokeng Holdings

7 Miriam Chidiebele Olusanya, Managing Director, Guaranty Trust Holding Company

8 Jane Karuku, Group Managing Director & CEO, East African Breweries

9 Ntombi Felicia Msiza, CEO, Raubex Group Ltd

10 Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, Managing Director & CEO, Fidelity Bank

11 Zanele Matlala, CEO, Merafe Resources

12 Ramasela Ganda, Group CEO, Zeda Ltd

13 Ruth Zaipuna, CEO, NMB Bank Plc, 

14 Nasim Devji, Group CEO & Managing Director, Diamond Trust

15 Dr Hend El Sherbini, Group CEO, Integrated Diagnostics Holdings

16 Mukwandi Chibesakunda, CEO, Zanaco

17 Faith Mukutu, CEO, Zambeef Products Plc

18 Catherine Lesetedi, Group CEO, Botswana Insurance Holdings Ltd

19 Godrey Ogbechie, Group Executive Director, Rainoil

20 Owen Omogiafo,  President and Group CEO, Transcorp Plc

21 Anne Juuko, CEO, Stanbic Bank Uganda

22 Mercia Geises, CEO, SBN Holdings Ltd

23 Lamia Tazi, CEO, SOTHEMA

24 Diane Karusisi, CEO, BK Group Plc

25 Mansa Nettey, CEO, Standard Chartered Ghana

26 Dr Helene Weesie, Managing Director, Guinness Ghana Breweries

27 Keabetswe Pheko-Moshagane, Managing Director, ABSA Bank Botswana

28 Mapula Bodibe, CEO, MTN Rwandacell Plc

29 Jackie van Niekerk, CEO, ATTACQ Ltd

30 Dr Leila Fourie, Group CEO, JSE Ltd

31 Val Nichas, CEO, SPUR Corp Ltd

32 Valentine Dzvova, CEO, African Equity Empowerment Investments Limited

33 Njilan Senghore, Managing Director, Trust Bank Ltd

34 Oyeyimike Adeboye, Managing Director, Cadbury Nigeria Plc

35 Tomi Somefun, Managing Director & CEO, Unity Bank Plc

36 Mama Tajmouati, President, SNEP

37 Amelia Beattie, CEO, Liberty Two Degrees

38 Magda Wierzycka, Founder & Executive Chairman, SYGNIA Ltd

39 Bronwyn Knight, CEO, Grit Real Estate

40 Faith Mabu Nteta, Managing Director, Sechaba Breweries Holdings Ltd

GROUP II

41 Aline Cote, Industrial Lead, Zinc and Lead, Glencore Plc

42 Kerrin Land, Managing Director, Personal Finance and Wealth Management, Old Mutual Ltd

43 Prabashini Moodley, Managing Director, Old Mutual Corporate, Old Mutual Ltd

44 Kanyisa Mkhize, CEO, Sanlam Corporate, Sanlam Ltd

45 Mariam Cassim, CEO, Financial and Digital Services, Vodacom Group

46 Kerry Cassel, CEO, Mobility Solutions, Motus Holdings Ltd

47 Zyda Rylands, CEO, Woolworths Food, Woolworths Holdings

48 Fhulu Badugela, CEO, MultiChoice Africa Holdings, MultiChoice Group

49 Yolisa Phahle, CEO, General Entertainment and Connected Video, MultiChoice Group

50 Nevin Wefky, CEO, Corporate Credit and Investment, Commercial International Bank

51 Nagham Kandil, Head of Retail Banking Division, Qatar National Bank

52 ​Maha El Refaai, Head of Corporate & SMEs Direct Banking Division, Qatar National Bank

53 Richelle Crots, Regional CEO, SA Commercial, Aspen Pharmacare

54 Kate Rycroft, Managing Director, Venture Business, Distell Group Holdings

55 Sally-Anne Jackson, Managing Director, Miladys, Mr Price Group

56 Rosemary Oduor, General Manager, Commercial Services & Sales, Kenya Power

57  Elize Groesbeek, Managing Director, Arxo Logistics, Tharisa Plc

58 Jacquelyne Waithaka, Director Corporate & Institutional Banking Division, Co-Operative Bank

59 Hélène Echevin, CEO, C-Care, CIEL Ltd

60 Yasmine Galal, Head of Consumer & Business Banking, Egyptian Gulf Bank

61 Dina Samaha, Group Head of Corporate Banking, Société Arabe Internationale de Banque

62 Anet Ahern, CEO PSG Asset Management, PSG Konsult Ltd

63 Jacqui Carr, CEO, Equipment, Fleet Management, and Leasing Business, ENX Group Ltd

64 Ann Leepile, CEO, Alexander Forbes Investments, Alexander Forbes

65 Pearl Nkrumah, Executive Director, Retail and Digital Banking, Access Bank Ghana

66 Nanees Adel, Managing Director, Cairo Specialized Hospital, Cleopatra Hospitals Group

67 Boitumelo Masoko, General Manager Consumer Sales, Botswana Telecom

68 Annastacia Kimtai, Managing Director, KCB Bank Kenya Ltd

GROUP III

69 Teju Ajani, Managing Director, Nigeria, Apple Inc.

70 Juliet Ehimuan, Director West Africa, Google (Alphabet Inc.)

71 Mariam Kane-Garcia, Managing Director & CEO Total South Africa, TotalEnergies

72 Taelo Mojapelo, CEO, BP South Africa, BP

73 Lillian Barnard, CEO, South Africa, Microsoft Corporation

74 Nicole Roos, Managing Director, Eastern and Southern Africa Region, Nestlé

75 Yvonne Ike, Managing Director, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa, Bank of America Corporation

76 Brenda Mbathi, President, East Africa, General Electric Company

77 Ireti Samuel-Ogbu, CEO & Country Officer for Nigeria & Ghana, Citibank/Citigroup Inc

78 Aminata Kane Ndiaye, VP, Mobile Financial Services, Orange Middle East and Africa, Orange Group

79 Patricia Obo-Nai, CEO, Ghana, Vodafone Group

80 Luisa Ortega, President, Africa, The Coca-Cola Company

81 Cathy (Prim) Smith, Managing Director, Africa, SAP

82 Paola Pocci, President, Africa, Asia and Australasia Region, Imperial Brands

83 Aida Diarra, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa, VISA Inc

84 Edith Jiya, Group Chief Executive Officer, Old Mutual Malawi Ltd, Old Mutual Ltd

85 Nolitha Fakude, Group Director, South Africa, Anglo American Plc

86 Yolanda Cuba, Vice President, Southern and East Africa Region, MTN Group Ltd

87 Mitwa Ng’ambi, CEO, Cameroon, MTN Group Ltd

88 Vivien McMenamin, CEO, South Africa, Mondi Plc

89 Mizinga Melu, CEO and Managing Director, Zambia, Absa Group Ltd

90 Abena Osei-Poku, Managing Director, Ghana, Absa Group Ltd

91 Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, CEO, South Africa, Naspers Ltd

92 Amie Sow, Regional CEO, Central Africa, United Bank Africa

93 Abiola Bawuah, CEO, UBA Africa, United Bank Africa


Media Inquiries:
Sean Whitehead 
sean.whitehead@africa.com

Share
Scroll to Top