South Africa's Playbook for Building an Inclusive & Equitable Fu

Africa has been undergoing a renaissance of sorts over the past few years. Known to be a traditionally male-dominated society, Africa has been making gradual yet consistent strides in improving markers of women’s empowerment.

One nation in Africa that stands tall in terms of the progress it has made in improving gender equity is South Africa. The Southern most country in Africa, South Africa has achieved improvement in empowering its women and reducing the gender gap.

The country stood in the joint second place on the G20 ranking. South Africa stands behind Canada and is tied with Australia. Based on the Women Leaders Index women in South Africa and Australia account for 48.6% of the senior civil service. South Africa has been recognized for having made the most improvement out of all G20 countries in the past two years.  

In order to recognize the grit and skill of women leaders in South Africa, the current edition of Global Woman Leader magazine brings to readers in-depth interviews with prolific women leaders from Cape Town.  

One such name is Sandri Pieters is the Managing Director of Altum Group South Africa, where she leads with a people-first approach and a deep commitment to excellence in financial services. She played a pivotal role in building Altum's Cape Town office from the ground up to now, the second-largest in the group, with her leadership qualities and a strong passion for talent development.

She is joined by Kate George Weaver Gibbs. the CEO of Are You Ok, a digital wellbeing platform. Kate initially developed a career in marketing for law, fashion and pharma, before a life-changing accident in 2016 redirected her route. After suffering traumatic brain injury and years of recovery, she was driven to lead Are You Ok in making mental health support accessible globally. As a qualified Mediator, Kate facilitates the dialogue and dignity required for dispute resolution.  

Another noteworthy name on the list is Dr. Kristina Plattner, the Managing Director of Strategy, Sales, and Marketing at Kamba African Rainforest Experiences, a pioneering eco-tourism company operating in the Republic of Congo. Based in Cape Town, Kristina brings together a deep scientific background, entrepreneurial spirit, and a passion for meaningful impact through nature and community-based tourism.

These women are harbingers of change in the South African and global professional landscape. Read about their incredible professional journeys and leadership insights.

We welcome your thoughts.