New regional executive takes on PE challenge

SAFMARINE’S NEWLYappointed
regional executive
for Port Elizabeth and
Lesotho and one of only five
senior women managers in
the Safmarine organisation,
the bubbly Janine Nainkin,
believes her legal background
will stand her in good stead
for the task at hand.
“In the legal profession,
one is faced with problems
that either have or could
go wrong, but being on the
commercial side one can
actually prevent things from
going wrong, so my training
does give me an insight into
certain things that could
happen.”
As to what women
are able to contribute to
the freight industry, she
comments: “Women have
sometimes relied on their
sixth sense of success
and that could be a great
strength as one of women’s
great strengths lies in
getting the job done.” She
adds, though, this in no way
demeans the role of men
and their ability to move
with alacrity.
“Customers want
intimacy, they want to know
who they are dealing with
and that is where Safmarine
comes from; people that
make the difference.
“We want to make sure
we have the right people
within the company to
continue building our brand.”
In her early thirties,
Nainkin was Safmarine’s
legal manager for four years
before her promotion to
Port Elizabeth. She sees “the
need to retain talent and
ensure we build up the next
generation of leaders” as a
key challenge.
After matriculating at
Riversdale High School,
Nainkin went on to obtain
a B Com LLB from the
University of Stellenbosch
in 1999. After completing
her articles with Cape
Town law firm Walkers, she
joined Adams and Adams, a
large intellectual property
company in the Mother City,
whose customers included
Safmarine.
Having long nurtured
a desire to work in the
commercial environment,
she grabbed an opportunity
afforded her by Safmarine
and started as legal manager
in the Cape Town head office
in 2004.
Now heading a Port
Elizabeth staff complement
of 42 people, of whom
76% are women, Nainkin
says growing the business
in the Friendly City and in
neighbouring Lesotho is
clearly one of the major
priorities, an experience she
is determined to enjoy.
“I have long been
fascinated by the shipping
business and have always felt
a need to be a part of it.”