Former Unionist, Businesswoman, Irene Charnley receives the 2023 AWCA Woman of Substance Award

Businesswoman and social entrepreneur Irene Charnley was bestowed with the prestigious Woman of Substance award at this year’s African Women Chartered Accountants (AWCA) fundraising banquet, an event that celebrates and recognises the partners and stakeholders who have been instrumental in supporting the organisation and the profession over the years – while also raising funds for the AWCA Bursary Fund.

Irene Charnley’s achievements are numerous. She is the President of International Women’s Forum South Africa (part of the IWF), a global organisation of over 7 800 pre-eminent women of significant and diverse achievements across 36 nations and 6 continents.

Under her leadership at the International Women’s Forum South Africa (IWFSA), the FASSET Women Legacy Programme was launched. The programme aims to develop a thousand female professionals in executive and middle management in the finance sector, through structured leadership training with Duke University’s Duke Corporate Education.

“To date 65 women have successfully completed the IWFSA FASSET Women Legacy Programme, while 420 women are currently participating,” shares Irene. She adds: “In partnership with WDB Investment Holdings, we have also secured funding to roll out the catalytic strategy that advocates for gender equality, pay parity and women economic empowerment. The partnership is in the process of developing gender specific legislative changes to BBBEE and EEA and looking at gender-specific legislation.”

Charnley is the Chairman of Gibela Rail Transport Consortium and, also, recently served on the board of the Public Investment Corporation.

Charnley is the Founder and former CEO, and former deputy Chairman, of Smile Telecoms, a Pan-African telecommunications group established in 2007 with broadband operations in Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, and a presence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (“DRC”).

Prior to establishing Smile, Charnley was instrumental in transforming MTN Group into one of the most pre-eminent Telecoms operators in the Middle East and Africa regions.

As an Executive Director at Johnnic Industrial Corporation, she led the transformation of the organisation from an industrial conglomerate into a focused media and telecoms Group.

Charnley also spearheaded the Ikageng Scheme, one of the early Broad Based Black Empowerment schemes in SA in which 32 000 ordinary South Africans participated and received 400% return on their initial deposit.

Her career as a trade unionist and key negotiator for the National Union of Mineworkers, where she spent 13 years, precedes her tenure as a successful businesswoman.

Charnley says: “It is a great honour for me to receive the 2023 AWCA Woman of Substance Award. From my role as a trade unionist to my role in business, I have sought to transform organisations and businesses by empowering marginalised individuals. Mentoring the next generation of women leaders is also close to my heart. I am deeply honoured to be recognised for my work and my social causes.”

AWCA President Buhle Hanise says: “Businesswoman, social entrepreneur and IWFSA President Irene Charnley is an immense inspiration. With a business CV that has made her a force to be reckoned with, and a palpable purpose to lift others as she rises, Irene is more than deserving of being bestowed with the title: AWCA 2023 Woman of Substance.”