By Shumirai Chimombe
The 21st edition of the Standard Bank Top Women Leaders publication marks a significant milestone. For over two decades since its launch in 2004, the publication has been at the forefront of amplifying women’s voices, achievements and leadership journeys.
Group Editor, Fiona Wakelin said: “As we celebrate this edition of Standard Bank Top Women Leaders, we do so with enormous pride – and with a sense of optimism about the future. What began as recognition and celebration of women in leadership has evolved into a powerful, impactful transformation platform reflecting how much the conversation around gender empowerment has grown, developed and broadened.”
The publication is an inspiring read, packed with informative and uplifting articles ranging from thought leadership, features, tips and advice, and celebrating our award winners.
Our cover icon is Valdene Reddy who assumed her role as Group CEO of the JSE on 1 April 2026. She shares some valuable insights on leadership including inspiring the next generation of women leaders; her leadership principles, fostering an organisational culture that combines excellence and accountability, and her vision for the JSE over the next five years.
On her leadership journey she says:“Leadership often begins before the title arrives. You take responsibility for the bigger problem, make the difficult call and help others move forward. Over time, your own sense of what you are capable of catches up with what you are already doing. The transition from specialist to enterprise leader shaped me profoundly.”
Our upfront section features insightful and thought-provoking contributions by three Standard Bank executives.
In the Foreword, Natalie Neves, Head of Finance & Value Management, Business and Commercial Banking South Africa, Standard Bank sets the tone of the publication, highlighting the value of authenticity.
“When people are encouraged to show up as their authentic selves, they perform better, innovate more boldly and build stronger connections with those around them. The stories featured in this edition reflect exactly that spirit. They showcase women who have navigated challenges, created opportunities, driven growth and made meaningful contributions to their organisations and communities. They are stories of ambition, perseverance and purpose. But above all, they are stories of authenticity.”
Dr. Belinda Rathogwa, Head of Digital & eCommerce South Africa Personal and Business Banking, Standard Bank writes that: “For me, leadership begins with purpose, but it must always be translated into action. Purpose provides direction, but impact comes from how consistently we execute against that purpose every day.”
Kaone Lekalake, Client Coverage Executive Vice President, Kwa-Zulu Natal Corporate and Investment Banking, Standard Bank reflects on how leadership is not a solo journey. “Real progress is achieved when leadership becomes less about individual success and more about collective advancement.”
Our five Inspiring Women generously share their insights, perspectives and expertise in leadership, business and entrepreneurship.
Dr Judy Dlamini, Chancellor of the University of the Witwatersrand writes on the value of lifelong learning and the importance of education. “Purpose gives leadership direction, while education and lifelong learning provide the tools needed to turn that direction into meaningful action.”
Ruwayda Redfearn, CEO for Deloitte Africa reflects on why Africa’s next generation of leadership cannot wait. “Africa’s future will therefore be determined not by the size of its youth population alone, but by the quality of leadership that guides, equips and creates opportunity for that generation.”
Mmaki Jantjies explores why women must be built into South Africa’s AI value chain.
“South Africa’s policy landscape is already uniquely progressive, and foundational STEM interventions are actively training thousands of young women. The next crucial step is ensuring our strong policy frameworks translate into commercial scaling and long-term career retention in core AI engineering.”
Jeannine van Straaten, Executive for Strategy, Stakeholder Relations & Legal at Proudly SA writes on the importance of supporting local and women-owned businesses “Moreover, supporting local value chains enables women producers, farmers, artisans, and entrepreneurs to sell their products within their communities and regional markets.”
Tholoana Ncheke-Mahlaela, South Africa & Southern Africa Government Relations & Public Policy Lead, TikTok highlights how digital platforms are reshaping women-led entrepreneurship. “For many, social media has become a place to test new ideas, receive immediate customer feedback, build brand awareness and develop products or services that reflect the needs of their communities.”
Our Features and Tips & Advice sections provide insightful and valuable contributions by women leaders sharing their experiences, knowledge, and practical advice that readers can apply to their own businesses and leadership. They span a wide range of topics including the value of networking; mentorship; tech and AI; ESD, growing business across the African continent, health and wellbeing; and entrepreneurship – building and managing your business.
The Women Across the Board section features women who are making a significant impact across various sectors in South Africa including finance, retail, property, mining, healthcare, BPO, education, law, and tech.
We celebrate women’s leadership excellence and achievements and feature some of our Standard Bank Awards winners 2025, including Top Women Young Achievers; Top Women Entrepreneur of the Year, Haley Fletcher Top Women Business Leader of the Year, and the Top Women Business of the Year.
We look forward to continuing to showcase and celebrate women leadership and business excellence in the 22nd edition!
Read the publication here.
