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,” said 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 listed below.
40 women from Group I are included here.
GROUP I
1 Natascha Viljoen, CEO, Anglo American Plc
Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$41.6 billion USD Revenue
South Africa
2 Nompumelelo Zikalala, CEO, Kumba Iron Ore Ltd
Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$6.9 billion USD Revenue
South Africa
3 Mpumi Madisa, CEO, Bidvest Group
Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$6.6 billion USD Revenue
South Africa
4 Bertina Engelbrecht, CEO, Clicks Group Ltd
Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$2.6 billion USD Revenue
South Africa
5 Dr Nombasa Tsengwa, CEO, Exxaro Resources
Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$2.2 billion USD Revenue
South Africa
6 Albertinah Kekana, CEO, Royal Bafokeng Holdings
Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$1.1 billion USD Revenue
South Africa
7 Miriam Chidiebele Olusanya, Managing Director, Guaranty Trust Holding Company
Nigeria Stock Exchange
$1.1 billion USD Revenue
Nigeria
8 Jane Karuku, Group Managing Director & CEO, East African Breweries
Nairobi Stock Exchange
$970 million USD Revenue
Kenya
9 Ntombi Felicia Msiza, CEO, Raubex Group Ltd
Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$781 million USD Revenue
South Africa
10 Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, Managing Director & CEO, Fidelity Bank
Nigerian Stock Exchange
$600 million USD Revenue
Nigeria
11 Zanele Matlala, CEO, Merafe Resources
Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$546 million USD Revenue
South Africa
12 Ramasela Ganda, Group CEO, Zeda Ltd
Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$518 million USD Revenue
South Africa
13 Ruth Zaipuna, CEO, NMB Bank Plc,
Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange
$485 million USD Revenue
Tanzania
14 Nasim Devji, Group CEO & Managing Director
Diamond Trust
Nairobi Stock Exchange
$370 million USD Revenue
Kenya
15 Dr Hend El Sherbini, Group CEO, Integrated Diagnostics Holdings
Egypt Stock Exchange
$333 million USD Revenue
Egypt
16 Mukwandi Chibesakunda, CEO, Zanaco
Lusaka Stock Exchange
$321 million USD Revenue
Zambia
17 Faith Mukutu, CEO, Zambeef Products Plc
Lusaka Stock Exchange
$318 million USD Revenue
Zambia
18 Catherine Lesetedi, Group CEO, Botswana Insurance Holdings Ltd
Gaborone Stock Exchange
$306 million USD Revenue
Botswana
19 Godrey Ogbechie, Group Executive Director, Rainoil
Nigerian Stock Exchange
$276 million USD Revenue
Nigeria
20 Owen Omogiafo, President and Group CEO, Transcorp Plc
Nigerian Stock Exchange
$273 million USD Revenue
Nigeria
21 Anne Juuko, CEO, Stanbic Bank Uganda
Uganda Stock Exchange
$267 million USD Revenue
Uganda
22 Mercia Geises, CEO, SBN Holdings Ltd
Windhoek Stock Exchange
$233 million USD Revenue
Namibia
23 Lamia Tazi, CEO, SOTHEMA
Casablanca Stock Exchange
$229 million USD Revenue
Morocco
24 Diane Karusisi, CEO, BK Group Plc
Rwanda Stock Exchange
$218 million USD Revenue
Rwanda
25 Mansa Nettey, CEO, Standard Chartered Ghana
Accra Stock Exchange
$213 million USD Revenue
Ghana
26 Dr Helene Weesie, Managing Director, Guinness Ghana Breweries
Accra Stock Exchange
$198 million USD Revenue
Ghana
27 Keabetswe Pheko-Moshagane, Managing Director, ABSA Bank Botswana
Gaborone Stock Exchange
$187 million USD Revenue
Botswana
28 Mapula Bodibe, CEO, MTN Rwandacell Plc
Rwanda Stock Exchange
$187 million USD Revenue
Rwanda
29 Jackie van Niekerk, CEO, ATTACQ Ltd
Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$179 million USD Revenue
South Africa
30 Dr Leila Fourie, Group CEO, JSE Ltd
Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$170 million USD Revenue
South Africa
31 Val Nichas, CEO, SPUR Corp Ltd
Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$157 million USD Revenue
South Africa
32 Valentine Dzvova, CEO, African Equity Empowerment Investments Limited
Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$150 million USD Revenue
South Africa
33 Njilan Senghore, Managing Director, Trust Bank Ltd
Accra Stock Exchange
$130 million USD Revenue
Ghana
34 Oyeyimike Adeboye, Managing Director, Cadbury Nigeria Plc
Nigerian Stock Exchange
$130 million USD Revenue
Nigeria
35 Tomi Somefun, Managing Director & CEO, Unity Bank Plc
Nigerian Stock Exchange
$124 million USD Revenue
Nigeria
36 Mama Tajmouati, President, SNEP
Casablanca Stock Exchange
$121 million USD Revenue
Morocco
37 Amelia Beattie, CEO, Liberty Two Degrees
Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$64 million USD Revenue
South Africa
38 Magda Wierzycka, Founder & Executive Chairman, SYGNIA Ltd
Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$51 million USD Revenue
South Africa
39 Bronwyn Knight, CEO, Grit Real Estate
Stock Exchange of Mauritius
$51 million USD Revenue
Mauritius
40 Faith Mabu Nteta, Managing Director, Sechaba Breweries Holdings Ltd
Gaborone Stock Exchange
$20 million USD Revenue
Botswana
A video presentation revealing the 93 women on the list, is available at this link: https://youtu.be/uDE0CKP6ZaI
The entire list of 93 women is available at this link: https://thedefinitivelist.africa.com/
