‘Respect the teachers in your life’

Born: Windhoek, Namibia. First job: Personal assistant to general manager transport and planning, Manica Group Namibia. Male dominated: The industry has definitely seen more women grow in managerial positions, however the CEO positions are still mainly male-dominated. Industry challenges: Facing up to the pressure of having to be the career-driven woman at work and the perfect wife and mother at home. Finding this balance is very difficult. Influential person in shaping your career: Thomas Templin, previous managing director of Manica Group Namibia who succeeded in overcoming chronic lymphatic leukemia. He passed away in 2005 from a very rare virus infection. His positive thinking in all matters and drive to never give up has made me see just how strong an individual can be. Best personal/professional achievement: Being chosen by InWent Germany to study “Sustainable Logistic Concepts for Business Development in the SADC-Region” in Germany for six months. I was the only woman in the group to pass all subjects at the university and also obtained the Junior European Logistic Certificate through the well-established European Logistics Association. Recipe for success: Respect the teachers in your life that see the potential in you, learn from their experiences and heed their advice. Business icon: Brian Joffe – founder and CEO of Bidvest Group. Meaningful quote: The pessimist complains about the wind, the optimist expects it to change and the REALIST adjusts his sails. (Author unknown) Outside interests: Hiking; painting; assisting charitable organisations with projects.