Full name: Sharmini Naidoo. Current position: Chief executive officer, the Road Freight Association (RFA). Born: Durban, but hometown is Tongaat. Education: Bcompt, Masters in Business Leadership. First job: Teacher. How did you become involved in the freight industry?: Joined the RFA as a business development manager in 2005 when the association was embarking on its ‘Roadmap to Transformation Strategy’. I was looking for an opportunity to move away from finance in order to use the lessons learned during my MBL studies, particularly in the area of change management. I felt that with the RFA embarking on a transformation process it would be both an exciting and challenging opportunity. Do you believe the industry has opened up to women?: It is still male dominated but there are more women taking up the challenge and proving that they can be just as adept if not more so than their male counterparts. Furthermore I think that women bring a different dimension to the transport industry. However, I do think that they still encounter the challenge of having to prove their competence in the industry to be taken seriously in senior positions. What are some of the challenges specific to women in the industry?: Women have to try harder than men to prove their competence. The men in the industry have many years of experience that few women in transport have. Women have to learn “quickly” and have to continuously prove themselves. Trucking is a 24/7 job, (even at the RFA) and requires much sacrifice in respect of family time. Most influential person in shaping your career: My grandmother who always encouraged me to study further, be ambitious, and aspire to reach great heights. Unlike many Indian families, marriage and babies were never the priority. A good education came first. I also come from a family of educators so education was a natural progression to get ahead in life. Best personal/professional achievement: • Being part of one of the best syndicate groups during my MBL studies. • First Indian female CEO of the RFA as well as the youngest. Your recipe for success: Hard work and a determination to succeed! Business icon you most admire: Jack Welsh Most meaningful quote: “All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything, what we think, we become.” Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Outside interests: Spirituality, transcendental meditation, kinesiology.
